PoPulation and ResouRces Regions

Population and Resources Regions

Geographers have always been concerned with regions, and have examined
the problems of resource adequacy and population growth at length.
Ackerman (1970) made a sincere and useful effort in this direction. He used
three basic criteria for devising the world's regional scheme of
population/resource ratio:
(1)Population factor,
(2)Resource factor, and
(3)Technology factor,
The last one being the most potent and critical.
1. Population:

Population factor is concerned with the magnitude and density of population. As the
equilibrium state between population and resources is a rare phenomenon, the
maladjustments between the two within a territory is more common. Such
maladjustments between population and resources give rise to serious stress
commonly known as population pressure.

According to Clarke (1970), the pressure of population is caused by the imbalance

between human numbers and their needs and between physical and human resources
of an area.
2. Resources:

The available resources in a territory include all the physical and human elements
which are any how fulfil the human needs. The proper evaluation of these resources
available in different countries of the world is actually very difficult task. The
bringing of a resource into production, the realization of its potential is termed
resource development.
3. Technology:

Technology is concerned with the practical arts or practical science. It is the

systematic application of scientific knowledge to industrial process or in solving the
problems arising from the interaction of people with their environment. Technology
not only has the potential for creating resource but also plays most important role in
the proper utilization and management of the available resources. Now developed
countries of the world are advanced in technology while developing and least
developed countries are deficient in modern technology.
Ackerman while using the three variables of population, resources and
technology in the regionalization of the world on the basis of
population-resource ratio put great emphasis upon the technology factor.
Thus, on the basis of population-resource ratio, he divided the world
into following 5 broad population – resource regions:
Ackerman carved out five broad population/resource regions of the world:

A. Technology-source areas of low population potential/resources ratio, or the United

States type.

B. Technology-source areas of high population/resource ratio, or the European type.

C. Technology-deficient areas of low population/resource ratio, or the Brazilian type.

D. Technology-deficient areas of high population/resource ratio, or the China or

Egyptian type;

E. Technology-deficient areas possessing a few food producing resources, or the

Arctic-desert type.
(A) United States Type

These areas cover large territories having vast potential resources. The
population of this region is not very large. The countries in this group
include the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, parts of Russia
(central and eastern parts) and Argentina.

The population of these regions is small to moderate. The technologies

are highly advanced and rapidly expanding. Technologically skilled
personnel are in abundance. The society is affluent.
The countries are economically advanced and have an access to resources of
other countries by virtue of their political and commercial arrangements
(trade). However, economic development of these countries have caused
irreparable damage to environment due to over use of resources.

This type of region did not exist about 100 and 150 years ago. Most of these
countries were of Brazilian type before gaining their present status.
(B) European Type

This region also enjoys favourable relationship between population

and technology and supporting capacity of its resources. In this type,
the territories are small, the resources are limited and the population
are larger than that of the U.S. type. The countries included in this
group are those of western, southern and eastern Europe, Israel,
Japan, and Central Asia. China, India, Korea, Turkey etc. are
struggling hard to enter this group.
These countries have made intensive use of their local resources. Their
social skill and ingenuity is impressing. The property of these countries
was more dependent upon the degree of international exchange of skill,
technology, goods etc. The skilled services and industrial goods are
exchanged for such services and goods that are locally deficient e.g.
petroleum, food stuffs, unskilled and semi-skilled labour. Due to their
large population and limited resources, these countries adopt a
conservative attitude towards resources.
(C) Brazilian Type

These areas are technologically deficient but fairly stabilised in size of

population. They have abundant resources. Their present status is
transitional and they are likely to become European type or
China/Egyptian type.
Most of the Brazilian type countries are confined to three regions:
(1) Indo-China,
(2) tropical Africa, and
(3) Latin America.

The Indo-China region has sufficient resources which could support a larger
population. However, political and social barriers block their advancement.
Much of tropical Africa is under populated, but many physical and social
problems hamper their socio-economic development. Within South America,
Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, Paraguay etc. and Cuba and Central America fall
in this category. The oil rich countries of the Middle East are likely to enter
this group in future.
(D) China or Egyptian Type

This is the most discouraging type of population-resource region. It suffers

from great imbalance of population and resources. These are densely
populated areas, with a rapidly growing population. The typical areas are:
Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco in Africa, Sicily, Sardinia, southern Italy,
Albania, Greece, southern Yugoslavia in Southern Europe, Haiti, Al-Salvador,
Guatemala in Central America, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South
Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Cyprus, Jordan etc. in Asia.
• The ecumene in these regions is confined largely to alluvial valleys. The mainstay of
economy is agriculture. Most of the cultivable land is under food crops. The agriculture
sector is not scientifically developed. The food producing capacity of these lands is
limited. The technology is not advanced, and physical and capital resources are limited.
Mineral resources are inadequate. The level of social development in low. Mass illiteracy
is prevalent. Advanced skills are lacking. People have conservative and negative attitude.

• However, China and India are likely to enter European type, provided they can arrest their
population growth and can stimulate their resource development simultaneously.
(E) Arctic Desert Type

• This is the least interesting type of region for geographers. These are extensive areas which have remained
entirely uninhabited due to excessive cold and aridity, remoteness, or inhospitable terrain. There are no
permanent settlements. These are inhabited by small nomadic groups. These areas abound in minerals, fuels,
hydro electric power potential, furs and marine life. Yet, they are insignificant, at present.

• Antarctica, Greenland northern America and Eurasia belong to this category. The Sahara and arid regions of
southwest and Central Asia also belong to this type. Deserts of Peru and Chile, central Australia, Patagonia,
Amazona and southwest Africa also claim this status.