2.1-2.2 Population Distribution

The map shows the number of people per unit of land. Which of the following types of data are shown in the map?

• Arithmetic density

• Physiological density

• Agricultural density

• Urban density

• Suburban density

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2.1

Which of the following describes information a geographer could identify from the map of urban populations in Brazil?

• Urban areas with rapid population growth

• Distribution of high and low incomes

• Areas with negative population growth

• Patterns of arithmetic density within specific regions

• Urban areas most at risk for overpopulation

Answer explanation

The map shows patterns of high-population and low-population clusters, showing the population distribution and higher arithmetic densities in coastal regions of Brazil.

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2.1

Physiological population density differs from crude population density in that physiological density

• examines only the population of cities, while crude density includes the population of cities and rural areas

• is a measure of how density is perceived, while crude density is a measure of specific density

• explains density in terms of people per arable square land unit, while crude density explains density in terms of people per total square land unit

• explains the density of a single housing unit while crude density explains the density of  a group of houses

• is the number of people per housing unit, while crude density is the number of people per square mile

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2.1

Physiological population density is viewed as a superior measure of population density for which of the following reasons?

• It is more reflective of population pressure on arable land.

• It yields the average population density.

• It is more reflective of the world’s largest population concentrations.

• It measures the average by dividing total land area by total number of people.

• It best reflects the percentage of a country’s population that is urbanized.

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2.1

Sri Lanka and Australia have about the same population. What data would help you determine which country has a higher physiological population density?

• The area of each country

• The number of farmers in each country

• The total fertility rate of each country

• The amount of arid land in each country

• The amount of arable land in each country

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2.1

Which of the following best identifies the data for the Eastern Great Rift Valley, shown on the map?

• High arithmetic density

• Low arithmetic density

• Low carrying capacity

• High total fertility rate

• Low total fertility rate

Answer explanation

As evidenced by the map, the Eastern Great Rift Valley has high arithmetic population densities due to the presence of fertile volcanic soil and tropical wet/dry and slightly cooler highland climates. These factors act in conjunction with one another to create a physical environment that can support agriculture, resulting in higher populations.

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2.1

Which of the following regions had the smallest percentage of people living in urban areas at the end of the twentieth century?

• Australia

• South Asia

• North America

• Europe

• South America

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2.1

Which of the following best explains a likely effect of Brazil’s population distribution?

• More uniform economic growth throughout the entire country as urban areas expand westward

• Increased cultural unity as more people live in close proximity to one another in eastern Brazil

• Uneven economic development as eastern Brazil experiences more growth than the sparsely inhabited western regions

• The expansion of available farmland as people move to the cities, allowing more rural land to be farmed

• More efficient political administration and improved governance as the population becomes more clustered

Answer explanation

With higher population densities in the eastern coastal regions economic growth is occurring unevenly. Less populated regions in the western interior are experiencing less economic growth than urban centers in the East.

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2.2

Which of the following explains why a country with a high physiological density (e.g., Japan, Egypt, or the Netherlands) risks exceeding its carrying capacity?

• The population is clustered in key areas, so rural populations will not have easy access to public services such as schools and hospitals.

• The population places a large amount of pressure on the arable land to produce enough food without risking severe environmental degradation.

• The population is evenly dispersed throughout the country, so it is difficult to maintain infrastructure such as roads and telecommunication networks for the entire country.

• There is a large number of people per unit of total land area, so there is no available land for farmers to raise crops and other food products.

  There is a large number of people per unit of total land area, so there is no available land for farmers to raise crops and other food products.

• The amount of farmers per unit of land area in these countries is too low to be able to support their populations.

Answer explanation

A country with a high physiological density relative to arithmetic density places a large amount of pressure on a small amount of arable land to produce crops and other food products for their populations without severe damage to the environment. Countries with high physiological densities often need to obtain expensive agricultural technology, import food products, or find other food sources, which is not always feasible for countries with lower levels of economic development.

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2.2

On the map above, which one of the following boxes is in an area where the population density is high and the level of economic development is low?

• A

• B

• C

• D

• E

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2.2