PD - Population and Distribution (Lesson)
Population and Distribution
Population
Please click on the link below to watch "The Miniature Earth Project" for a better understanding of how the global population is distributed.
Click here to view "The Miniature Earth Project." Links to an external site.
Population in the world is currently growing at a rate of around 1.10% per year representing a doubling time of about 61 years. The average population change is currently estimated at around 75 million per year. The annual growth rate reached its peak in the late 1960s when it was at 2% and above. The rate of increase has therefore almost halved since its peak of 2.19 %, which was reached in 1963, to the current 1.15%. The annual growth rate is currently declining and is projected to continue to decline in the coming years, but the pace of the future change is uncertain. Currently, it is estimated that it will become less than 1% by 2020 and less than 0.5% by 2050. This means that the world population will continue to grow in the 21st century, but at a slower rate compared to the recent past.
UN projections indicate that the world population has doubled (100% increase) in 40 years from 1959 (3 billion) to 1999 (6 billion). In 2011, the global population reached the 7 billion mark, and today, it stands just below 8 billion. The world population is expected to grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and 10.9 billion in 2100.
Explore the World Population Growth Rates by Country by clicking on the tabs below.
Distribution
Population growth is not the same in every country or every region. Currently, growth is slowing in developed nations, while many developing countries are still growing at an astounding rate.
Studying the statistical change in human populations and applying the concepts of population ecology to this is called demography. By studying the size, density, distribution, sex ratios, age structure, birth and death rates, and movement of people, a demographer can help to predict shifts in populations and potential environmental consequences throughout the world.
The distribution of the human population is considered to be clumped, with more people living in regions with climates that are tropical, subtropical, or temperate. Such locations include China, India, Europe, and Mexico. Populations are also the densest near water, whether freshwater or saltwater. More people living in a particular area means there is more of an impact on the environment from use and pollution in that area.
As of 2021, the most populous nation, China, has approximately 1.4+ billion people; India is 2nd with about 1.3+ billion people and the USA is third with approximately 330+ million people. China has been the world’s most populous country for a long time, but the UN estimates that India will be the world’s most populous country by 2024.
China and India are considered developing nations but are continuing to move toward "developed" nation status due to increased job growth and opportunities. The environmental impact of both countries is quite large, but with more and more people having the means to consume and the desire to have materials that improve their own lifestyles, the effect on the environment will be even more dramatic and humans will continue to move closer to the carrying capacity of the Earth.
Population Density by Country and Region
RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.