Reading to Be Done Before This Discussion:  
Your Textbook Greiner, Alyson. Visualizing Human Geography,  pp. 66-77.

Optional: Read National Geographic's recent article 7 Billion by Robert Kunzig which examines the factors behind and the potential consequences of the world's population reaching 7 billion people late in 2011.  It might help you gain a better understanding of the material in this section of the class and do better on the exam. See also the nifty video "World Party." 

Things to Bring to Class: Your textbook.

Due in Discussion This Week: Essay 1 and answers to the questions below.

Due in Discussion Next Week: Questions as Usual.

Context: In Lecture we will examine many of the large political and philosophical questions surrounding population geography. You will be introduced to definitions and measurement techniques of the demographic conditions prevalent in particular places. In particular, you will be asked to understand and interpret two graphical models for the representation of population growth and change - population pyramids, and the Demographic Transition model.  The chapter on population in Greiner provides a thorough overview of the various issues involved in population growth, change, and politics. We will use it as the basis for our discussion this week.

To Prepare for Discussion: To prepare for discussion today you are asked to read the text and examine some of the diagrams in your textbook and make observations about various aspects of population density, growth, and decline. Learning how to create and interpret maps and diagrams is a key skill for a geographer.  In class we will take things a bit further and make and interpret our own population pyramids. You have a few more questions than normal this week, but less reading to do. The last question is especially important this week.  Challenge yourself to come up with a great question that will really get discussion going!  

 

Questions to be answered and turned in at the beginning of Class

Name:
Honor Code:

1. Look at the Population Cartogram on pg 66.  How does a cartogram represent population size?  Why is a cartogram one of the most effective ways of representing population size on a world map? Pretty nifty eh?




 

2.   Look at Figure 3.2 on pg. 68 of your textbook.  What are two areas that have especially high population densities?  What are two areas that have low densities? What do you think is the cause of these densities?

 

 

 

 

3.  Look at the table in Figure 3.2 b and the photo 3.2c.  Why does Egypt have a low arithmetic density and such a high physiological density? 

 

 

 

4.  Examine figure 3.3  Global Dimensions of Fertility.  What is the Total Fertility Rate?  Why is 2.1 the replacement level of fertility? 

 

 

 

5.  What regions of the world are fertility rates above replacement level?  Where are they below replacement level?

 

 

6.  From your reading in the chapter, especially on the demographic transition model, what are some of the potential causes of continued high fertility rates? What are some of the potential causes of decreases in fertility?

 

 

 

 

7.  Examine Figure 3.5.  What do you notice about life expectancy in Russia?  What factors explain Russia's life expectancy?  

 

8.  What factors explain Africa's high mortality rates?

 

9.  What factors explain the low mortality rates in blue zones?

 

10.  What is one issue or question that you would like discussed in class? It might be a question about something you observed in one of the maps or diagrams and wish to ask about.