Settlement Patterns of the US

​Population & Settlement Patterns

Lessons 3.2 & 3.3

Population is the total number of people in a given area. Population patterns show how human populations change over time and tell us much about our world.

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Population density is a measure of the number of people living in an area, expressed as persons per square mile or square kilometer. The more people per square mile, the more crowded it is and more limited space is. In places with a high density, land is expensive, buildings are taller, and roads are more crowded. However, there are usually more resources and jobs. Places with low density have more space, less traffic, and more open land, but goods and services may be in short supply​

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Population Patterns

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Areas that are less populated are usually difficult to live in. They may be deserts or mountains or have harsh climates that make survival harder. Large clusters of people tend to live in places with good agricultural climates, plenty of vegetation, minerals, and reliable water sources.

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Often, desirable areas attract so many people that there is too much demand for resources. This can change the environment. For example, as regions make room for more people, the amount of available farmland shrinks and local ecosystems are in danger. There is more demand for food and water, which can lead to shortages.

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Population Patterns

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The number of people living in an area affects jobs, housing, schools, medical care, available food, and many other things. Geographers track population changes by studying important statistics, movement of people, and population trends.

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Three statistics are important to studying a country’s population over time. Birthrate is the annual number of births per 1,000 people. Death rate is the annual number of deaths per 1,000 people. The rate of natural increase is the rate at which a population is changing. It is determined by subtracting the death rate from the birthrate.

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Population Change

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A population is shrinking if the death rate is higher than the birthrate. In most countries, the birthrate is higher than the death rate, and those populations are growing. The United States has a low rate of natural increase and is growing slowly. Other countries, like Mali, have a high natural increase that could double its population in 20 years.

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High rates can make it hard for countries to develop economically because they need to provide jobs, education, and medical care for a growing population. Many governments track population patterns so they can better address the needs of their citizens.

Population Change

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Migration is a common cause of population change. It is the process of moving from one place to live in another. People may be pushed to leave a place because of problems there, such as war, famine, drought, or lack of jobs. Other people may be pulled to move to find political or religious freedom or economic opportunities in a new place.

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For thousands of years, Earth’s population growth was slow and steady. In the last 200 years, it has grown very rapidly due to better health care and improved food production. Currently, many industrialized countries have low rates of natural increase, while countries that are less industrialized often have very high growth. Fast growth can put a strain on resources, jobs, and government aid.

Population Change

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A settlement is any place where a community is started. Settlements can be as small as a remote island village or as large as a very populated city. People often settle near natural resources. Early settlements were near freshwater and good farmland. In the 1800s many cities started as mining centers near coal and iron resources.

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Trade routes are also important to settlements. A trade route is a path people use to sell and buy goods. Many settlements started on trade routes, and they grew into important trading centers where major routes met. These centers also were important politically because of their wealth and the different groups that met there.

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The Importance of Location

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Geographers classify settlements by certain patterns. Urban areas are cities and their surroundings. They are heavily populated and developed, with many buildings and roads. Most urban jobs are not related to the land. Small urban areas might include a city center and a suburb, which is a residential area just outside the city. A large urban area, called a metropolitan area, might include an entire city, a number of suburbs, and surrounding areas. When several metropolitan areas grow into each other, they form a megalopolis. An example of this is the cluster of cities that includes Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC.

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Rural areas are found outside of cities. They are usually lightly populated and their economies are tied to the land. Many are built around agriculture, forestry, mining, and recreation.

Urban & Rural

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Geographers use spatial patterns to classify different ways settlements form. They describe how people and objects on Earth are placed in relation to each other. Linear settlements are grouped along the length of resource, such as a river. They usually form long, narrow patterns. Cluster settlements are grouped around a resource or at its center. For example, many communities are grouped around coal mining operations. Grid settlements are laid out along a network of transportation routes. They are usually in urban areas and may follow a grid made of roads, water routes, or train routes.

Spatial Patterns

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Commerce is the significant exchange of goods between cities, states, or countries. Urban areas are usually centers of commerce and trade, as well as government. They are often hubs for education, communication, transportation, and innovation. That is why many people live in or near urban areas.

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Advances in television, satellites, computers, and the Internet improved communication. This made it easier for cities to create services aimed at nearby regions. It helped them reach markets around the world. Advances in transportation have made the world seem smaller because it is easier to travel great distances in a shorter amount of time.

Regions Interact

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Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

total number of people in a given area

• birthrate

• migration

• death rate

• population

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

placement of people and objects on Earth and the space between them

• spatial pattern

• linear settlements

• cluster settlements

• grid settlements

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

annual number of births per 1,000 people

• birthrate

• migration

• death rate

• population density

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

measure of the number of people living in an area, usually expressed as persons per square mile or square kilometer

• birthrate

• migration

• death rate

• population density

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

process of moving from one place to live in another

• birthrate

• migration

• death rate

• population density

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

communities grouped around or at the center of a resource

• spatial pattern

• linear settlements

• cluster settlements

• grid settlements

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

any place where a community is established

• megalopolis

• trade route

• settlement

• metropolitan area

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

related to cities and their surrounding areas

• commerce

• rural

• urban

• suburb

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

path used by people for buying and selling goods

• megalopolis

• trade route

• settlement

• metropolitan area

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

related to areas that are found outside of cities

• commerce

• rural

• urban

• suburb

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

large urban area

• megalopolis

• trade route

• settlement

• metropolitan area

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

communities grouped along the length of a resource

• spatial pattern

• linear settlements

• cluster settlements

• grid settlements

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

residential community immediately outside of a city

• commerce

• rural

• urban

• suburb

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

area where several metropolitan areas grow together

• megalopolis

• trade route

• settlement

• metropolitan area

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

substantial exchange of goods between cities, states, or countries

• commerce

• rural

• urban

• suburb

Multiple Choice

Key Terms: Choose the term that best matches the following definition:

communities that are laid out according to a network of transportation routes

• spatial pattern

• linear settlements

• cluster settlements

• grid settlements

Multiple Choice

How does high population density often affect life in a country's cities?

• There is little traffic.

• Buildings tend to be short.

• Land is usually expensive.

• There is abundant land available.

Multiple Choice

Why do geographers study population trends?

• to understand the movement of people

• to distribute available food to people

• to decide whether to open or close hospitals

• to determine whether housing or jobs will be available

Multiple Select

Choose the THREE answers that are accurate statements about population density:

• Cities with high population densities tend to have less traffic.

• Cities with high population densities tend to have tall buildings.

• Cities with low population densities tend to have crowded roads.

• Countries with high population densities tend to have expensive land.

• Countries with low population densities tend to have more open spaces.

Multiple Choice

Why did the cities of Birmingham, Alabama, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, grow rapidly during the 1800's?

• They became state capitals

• They were located near major trade routes.

• They were located near coal and iron deposits.

• They established textile and furniture industries.

Multiple Choice

How is life in urban areas different than in rural areas?

• Rural areas are more heavily populated than urban areas.

• Rural areas have many more paved roads than do urban areas.

• In urban areas, most jobs are related to agriculture, while in rural areas, most jobs are not related to agriculture.

• In urban areas, there are many commercial buildings, while in rural areas, there are fewer commercial buildings.

Multiple Choice

How is life in urban areas different than in rural areas?

• Rural areas are more heavily populated than urban areas.

• Rural areas have many more paved roads than do urban areas.

• In urban areas, most jobs are related to agriculture, while in rural areas, most jobs are not related to agriculture.

• In urban areas, there are many commercial buildings, while in rural areas, there are fewer commercial buildings.

Multiple Choice

Why are cluster settlements created?

• to follow the flow of a river, like the Mississippi

• to take advantage of a natural resource, like coal

• to develop a city along a grid pattern, like Washington D.C.

• to develop a city with good transportation networks, like highways

Multiple Choice

How did the inventions of the satellite and televisions affect life in the United States in the 1900's?

• They greatly improved transportation.

• They greatly improved communications.

• They changed the way people shared information.

• They changed the way people collected information.