Overpopulation, underpopulation and optimum population

L.O.s To define and explain the terms: Overpopulation, Underpopulation, Optimum population, Population density and Carrying Capacity and provide examples as evidence

Population distribution
Vast areas in the continental interiors are uninhabited
Greatest concentrations of population are in India and China

Why are these areas uninhabited?

This image of population distribution was obtained from a satellite-based model which disregards time of day.

Population density

What is the difference between population distribution and density? Distribution uses absolute numbers, whereas density gives numbers per unit area (usually per sq.km)

Population density
Some of the most densely populated places are islands or small states: Macao, China 20,346 people per km2 Monaco 33,104 people per km2 Singapore 6,785 people per km2 But not all: Bangladesh 1,035 people per km2 Bahrain 1,098 people per km2 World average: 49 people per km2

The Population-Resource Balance

Can you define the following terms?

Over-population When there are too many people in an area for the available resources Under-population When there are too few people in an area to use the available resources efficiently Optimum population The theoretical ideal where the people can work with the available resources to achieve the best standard of living for the population.

Carrying capacity
Any geographical area has a carrying capacity the maximum number of people it can sustainably support with the available natural resources The carrying capacity will vary through time with changes in technology and economic and social development.

Semi-arid West Africa: a carrying capacity of just 10 people per square km due to its poor soils and unreliable rainfall.

Optimum population
An optimum population size is not the same as the maximum number of people that could be packed into an area at one time.

Freedom from persecution and inequality

What are the factors which identify optimum population?

Small enough to ensure the preservation of biodiversity

Small enough to guarantee the minimal physical ingredients of a decent life to everyone

Sufficiently large to provide a critical mass where creativity (e.g. artistic, technological) would be stimulated

Over-population
Maybe over-population refers to an upper limit on population density. Yet some of the most densely packed areas on Earth are also some of the most economically successful, while some parts of the world with very low population density ratios are also some of the poorest, most starvation-prone.

Netherlands has high population density but is it over-populated?

Is Mexico over-populated because of its economic problems?

Over-population
An area is over-populated if fewer people would lead to a higher standard of living (Lorimer 1945)
Density (per sq. mile)
Ethiopia Singapore

GNP per capita (2004)

820 26,590

182 17,946

Areas that many people consider to be over-populated are not necessarily densely populated

Is it possible to formulate a sentence which compares Ethiopia and Singapore?

Under-population
Environmental

What is under-population? Under-population is usually defined as when a country's population has declined too much to support its current economic system.
Climate Soils Inaccessiblity Remoteness Poor communication Under-population Type of economy Vegetation

What causes underpopulation? It is not exclusively concerned with areas of low population density.
History

Population composition

Under-population

Canada is the world's second-largest country in total area, after Russia. The population density is 3.5 people per square kilometre, which is among the lowest in the world.

But the population figure by itself is misleading; approximately 80% of Canada's population live within 200 km of the US border. WHY?

Quebec

Halifax Victoria Vancouver Regina Calgary Winnipeg

Montreal Toronto

An example of Overpopulation: Unreported World The Philippines Manila: the city with too many people

http://www.chan nel4.com/progra mmes/unreporte d-world/4od