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MODULE 7
Population Distribution and Its Consequences
This very uneven distribution of human population is
LEARNING GOALS one of Earth’s most striking geographic features, and
7-1 Describe how population is distributed we see it at the global, regional, national, and local
scales. Geographers seek to understand the uneven-
around the world. ness in human population distribution and the reasons
7-2 Identify the factors that influence population behind it.
distribution.
7-3 Explain the three methods for calculating
population density. Global Population Patterns
7-4 Explain the consequences of population The global distribution of human population is high-
distribution and density. ly uneven. Roughly 6.8 billion of the world’s popula-
tion lives in the northern hemisphere. The southern
hemisphere, which has vast expanses of oceans but a
limited amount of land surface, is home to only about
800 million people. Furthermore, about two-thirds of
When geographers study the human popu-
lation, they are first and foremost interested
in learning how humans are spread out on Earth’s the world’s population is found in the areas with middle
latitudes, between 30 and 60° north and south, roughly
surface — that is, the pattern of population distribution. corresponding to the subtropical and temperate areas
In this Module, we discuss the striking unevenness of on Earth, especially in the northern hemisphere.
this pattern at different geographic scales, the factors Overall, a whopping three-quarters of humanity lives
that have shaped it, and the three ways of measuring on only 5 percent of Earth’s surface.
population density. We also examine the impact of pop- Humans seem to universally prefer living in rel-
ulation distribution on society, the economy, and the atively flat, low-lying areas. About 80 percent of
environment.
humans live in places that are less than 1640 feet
(500 meters) above sea level. People worldwide also
appear to enjoy ocean views or relatively easy access
7-1 How is population distributed around to a large body of water. Two out of every three people
the world? on Earth live within 310 miles (500 km) of an ocean.
Earth is home to almost 7.8 billion people. Where do all
these people live? In major metropolitan areas around
the world such as New York, Los Angeles, Mexico City, TERMS TO KNOW . . .
Istanbul, Shanghai, and Dhaka, millions or even tens population distribution: The pattern in which humans
of millions of people are crowded into relatively small are spread out on Earth’s surface
areas. Yet much of Earth’s surface is sparsely populated.
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