Geography of the population

The geography of the population is the part of the human Geography which studies the distribution of the population on the surface of the sphere and the variations of this distribution.

Its main object is thus the study of the density of the population, and the bond which exists or not between this density and the natural environment. It is generally necessary to call upon the Histoire, the economy, the Culture, the Sociologie to explain the settlement of an area.

One of the great problems of the geography of the population is the opposition between rural areas and urban space.

The motion study of the population of course calls largely upon the Démographie, and it thus uses the Statistique. But the Sociology and the Politique are often necessary for their comprehension. This study relates as well to the variations of the population (Natural increase and Migratory balance) as on the migrations.

The distribution of the world population

She is explained of course by natural elements: the cold areas, the mountains, the deserts, the large forests in general are populated very little. On the contrary the littorals, the valleys, the plains, the areas moderated, or hot, and wet, the fertile areas, are in general populated. The volcanic zones, in spite of the risk, are generally populated because of their fertility.

But the distribution of the world population is explained at least as much by the history. The settlement of America and Australia is relatively late. The draft of the slaves contributed to depopulate certain littoral areas of Africa. Certain mountains (Kabylie) constituted of the refuges in front of invasions. The borders can be the borders distant and deserted of two states turning the back, or many very active zones of contact, populated thanks to the exchanges which occur there. The choice of a new capital often involves the rapid growth of the latter as well as a strong attractivity.

See too

World population

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