WORLD GEOGRAPHY03-24-2020. ONLINE LESSON.

Today’s Reading:

• Section 2.1: Population

Let’s begin with 2 videos:

• The first one shows how population grew in various parts of the earth over time.

• https://youtu.be/PUwmA3Q0_OE

• The second one shows how we got to over 7 billion so quickly!

• https://youtu.be/VcSX4ytEfcE

Learning Target #1

• To understand why geographers study population.

The question of population in geography…

• …is a spatial question.

It has to do with where the people on this planet are!

Why are they in such large numbers in some countries, but not others.

Where are the populations growing? And where are they not growing?

How do growing and shrinking populations affect how people interact with their environments?

Geographers focus on three things when studying population growth.

1) The population size.

2) How quickly the world population is growing.

3) Why population is not growing at the same pace all around the world!

The geographic perspective on population is also about…

• …how population numbers interact with the environment.

As our numbers grow…

• …are we reaching the earth’s carrying capacity, its capacity to “carry” us, support us?

History has shown us that…

• …humans do not live everywhere on the planet.

Some environments are too extreme…

• …for us and our habits.

2/3rds of the world’s population is located in…

• …three major clusters.

And if populations keep rising…

• …we may grow beyond the earth’s carrying capacity for our species.

There won’t be enough of the earth…

• …to give us all that we take from it.

Here’s a nice video that explains carrying capacity.

• https://youtu.be/ozW7y-y6Ymw

Reflection Question.

• We are expected to reach a population of 9 billion by the year 2100. We are currently at 7.7 billion people. How would the earth be different if it had 1.3 billion more people?

Prompt 1

• In regards to population growth, geographers emphasize which three elements?

Prompt 2

• Two-thirds of the world's population is located within which three major clusters?

Prompt 3

• Who are demographers?