Conceptual Understanding:

Key Question:

How does population vary between places?

Key Content:

Physical and human factors affecting population distribution at the global scale.
Global patterns and classification of economic development in low-income countries (LICs), middle-income countries (MICs) and emerging economies, and high-income countries (HICs).
Population distribution and economic development at the national scale, including voluntary internal migration, core-periphery patterns and megacity growth.

• Two detailed and contrasting examples of uneven population distribution

Synthesis, evaluation and skills opportunities:

The relative importance of different influences on where people live and spatial interactions between places at varying scales

Thursday 12 September 2024

Geography is Everywhere!!!

Using the props that you have been given, you have 45 mins to prepare as many links to the course as you can.

List the props in the centre of the page.
Write the links to course in the boxes on the sheet that you have been given.
Try to make reference to the 4 P’s of Geography in your links (Power, Place, Processes and Possibilities).
Prepare a 3 minute presentation of your findings to the rest of the group!

Thursday 19 September 2024

What do you know about the world and its population?

We will use this (Google Doc) to record notes on for this lesson.

Task 1. You are going to be answering a series of questions concerning misconceptions about global population. Please complete the test linked below and then make a note of your score.

Gapminder Quiz

If you got any questions incorrect, please copy and paste your response and correction on the last page into the google doc.

Once you have done this write out your top three global misconceptions under the title:

‘My Top Three Global Misconceptions’

Then try to explain why you had misconceptions about certain places and patterns that exist globally.

Factors affecting population distribution at the global scale…

Task 2. Population Skittles!

We are going to play a game of population skittles to look at why people move around the world.

You are in a group of seven. You each represent a different country.

The sweets represent the people within that country and the colours of the sweets represent different groups of people within the country as follows:
• Green – Ethnic minorities
• Purple – People aged over 65
• Yellow – Adult males
• Red – Adult females
• Pink – Female children
• Orange – Male children

Divide the sweets up at random, leaving at least 20 in the centre of the table.
Note the population structure of your country.
TO PLAY: You have been given some ‘chance’ cards. Shuffle these and put them in the middle of the table. Each country takes it in turn to take a card from the top of the pile. You must carry out whatever instructions are on the cards. If you lose anyone from your country DO NOT EAT THEM! Put them back into the central ‘pot’.

You will be told when the game ends.

Now, spend a little time watching the video linked below. It shows the growth of world population over time plotted against historic events and migrations. Note the increase levels until the early 1800’s.

Using the video, the information from the game, and your own knowledge, try to complete the table explaining factors affecting population distribution.

Human Population Through Time

Friday 20 September 2024

Global patterns and classification of economic development…

Lesson 2. Global Patterns of Global Economic Development (Google Doc)

Task 1. Watch the video ‘200 years that changed the world’ (linked below) by Hans Rosling. Whilst watching, answer the following questions:

Describe the state of development 200 years ago.
Describe the pattern of economic development in 2007.
What does Hans Rosling mean by the flat world?
How does economic development vary in the world according to Hans Rosling?

200 Years That Changed the World

Task 2. Watch the video ‘How many are rich and how many are poor’ (linked below) by Hans Rosling (founder of Gapminder) that shows the distribution of population by wealth across the world.

Distribution of Population by Wealth

The World Bank classifies countries into different levels of economic development. The most recent figures for 2021 are shown below in the table:

Task 3: Using the table above, the World Bank interactive website at the link below complete all the activities set out in the worksheet.

World Mapped by Income

Task 4: Study the infographic below and complete the following questions on your worksheet.

1. State the total wealth percentage shared by the richest percentage group on the infographic.

2. State the total combined wealth of the world.
3. Suggest one improvement to the infographic.

Tuesday 24 September 2024

Population Density and Distribution in China and Niger

Enquiry Question:

How does population density and voluntary internal migration affect China and Niger in terms of core – periphery and mega cities?

Lesson Objectives:

To describe the patterns of population distribution in China and Niger
To assess the human and physical causes of this distribution

Starter: Match the following key terms to the definitions in the table in this (Google Doc).

Core
Megacity
Millionaire City
Periphery
Population Density
Population Distribution
Primate City
Urban Hierarchy

Part 1. China

A. Introduction

With a population of just over 1.4 billion people (set 2024; source CIA World Facebook), China remains the world’s second most populous country (behind India). The growth rate in 2023 was estimated by the UN to be 0.43%, significantly lower than a world average of approximately 1.11% pa. The removal of the One Child Policy in 2016 may lead to an increase in this rate of growth in future years as China changes policy to tackle its ageing population.

Although China has the world’s second most largest total population, it has a land area of almost 9.6 million km sq; China’s population density, at 141 people per square kilometre means that it ranks 82nd in the world in terms of overall population density.

China’s population is unevenly spread. This is a result of both human and physical factors which will be explored below.

B. China’s Population Density

Use the maps below and the blank China map given to create a fully annotated map which shows:

areas with population densities of more than 100 people per square kilometre
megacites: Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Guizhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xian, Wuhan (annotate each of these with their populations)
the Hu Huanyong line; find out what this line represents and explain this in your annotations

Now write a description of China’s population distribution. You should refer to data, province and city names, the Hu Huanyong Line and refer clearly to north/south/east/west of the country.

C. Physical Factors Affecting China’s Population Density

Use the maps below to begin to explain the variations in population density you have already identified.

How does relief connect to areas of low and high density? What densities are found in areas of lowland and how does this compare to mountainous areas. Remember to name the areas/provinces you refer to in your answer. Explain the connections you identify.
How do the patterns of precipitation and temperatures connect to variations in population density?

Relief

Precipitation

Temperature

D. Human Factors Affecting China’s Population Distribution

A brief history of economic development in China
Until 1911, China was an imperial country, ruled by emperors who had total control over “The Middle Kingdom”. A series of dynasties lasted from ancient times until the Qin Dynasty which lasted from 1644 till 1911. The emperors were regarded as “Sons of Heaven” and were reluctant to embrace progress or reform.

In 1911, the final emperor was overthrown and a republican government was established under the leadership of Sun Yat-Sen and his party KMT. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was established in 1921. In 1926, political and philosophical differences between the two parties led to a civil war which concluded in 1949 with the CCP victorious and the communist leader Mao Zedong established the People’s Republic of China.

The Chinese economy was then subject to strong central control and a series of “Five Year Plans” and political/economic campaigns. Private ownership of land and of businesses was abolished. China’s economy suffered from periods of great upheaval and social change, in particular the Great Leap Forward between 1958-1960 and the Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976. it is estimated that the Great Leap forward caused 45 million deaths.

Mao Zedong died in 1976, ending the Cultural Revolution and starting a period of liberalisation and and opening of the Chinese economy. Mao was replaced by Deng Xiaoping who focused on the economic development f the country and worked to build ties with the outside, capitalist world. foreign investment was encouraged for the first time and Special Economic Zones were established in Shenzhen and Zhuhai initially. The government introduced incentives for private enterprise. Consumer and export sectors of the Chinese economy grew rapidly and an urban middle class developed, particularly in the cities of the east coast such as Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Living standards, literacy, life expectancy and GDP all increased. In 1992 Deng Xiaoping declared that “to be rich is glorious”. China’s economic growth averaged 13% per year in the 1990s and, although this growth has slowed in recent years, China has had the world’s greatest growth for more than 30 years.

While all areas of the country have benefited from this economic growth, most growth has been focused in the east, especially in the coastal provinces. It is estimated that more than 700 million people have moved out of poverty in the last 30 years with hugely improved access to education, health care, electricity and running water. The focus os this growth remains in the east and the gap between the richest and poorest in Chinese society has grown. This has led to massive, often state sponsored migration to regional cities and from poorer to richer provinces.

Coastal provinces therefore tend to be more outward looking, have much greater access to world markets, education and expertise and have benefited greatly from Foreign Direct Investment. This has enhanced the benefits these provinces already have through physical characteristics of relief, soil, rainfall and temperatures as well as their coastal locations.

Variations in economic development
Study the maps, graphs and diagrams below:

To what extent can you see a connection between the wealth of provinces in China and their population density?

Is there a correlation between GDP and population density in China?

Use the data in the spreadsheet below to draw a scattergraph showing population density against GDP.
Identify and describe the pattern shown. What are the overall trends? Quote data to support what you say.
Which provinces are anomalies? Suggest reasons.

Part 2. Niger

A. Introduction

By land area, Niger is the largest country in West Africa and the 22nd in the world but 80% of the country lies within the Sahara Desert, Niger remains one of the world’s least developed countries. with a GNI per capita of less than US$1025 it is classified by the World Bank as a Low Income Country. It’s population density is estimated at approximately 13-14 people per square kilometre and it has a total population of 21.6 million with 94% living on just 35% of the land. The Maradi region holds 20% of the population on 3.3% of the country’s land, while just 3% of the population live in the desert and mountains to the north, which makes up 53% of the land area.

B. Niger’s Population Density

Use the map below and the blank Niger map to create a fully annotated map which shows:

areas with population densities of more than 25 people per square kilometre
major urban areas (Niamey, Maradi, Zinder, Agadez, Tahoua, Dosso, Diffa, Tillaberi
find the populations of the urban areas and add this to your annotations

Now write a description of Niger’s population distribution. You should refer to data and refer clearly to north/south/east/west of the country. Comment on the locations of the cities. Contrast the patterns and the overall densities with China and suggest some reasons for the variations.

C. Physical Factors Affecting Niger’s Population Density

Use the maps below to begin to explain the variations in population density you have already identified.

How does precipitation connect to areas of low and high density? Remember to name the areas/provinces you refer to in your answer. Explain the connections you identify. What does the map suggest about possible future trends?
How does rainfall connect to the map showing agriculture in the country? How does this further explain patterns of population density?
What other physical factors might affect population distribution in Niger? Justify your answer.

Ecosystem