OPTIMUM POPULATION OVERPOPULATION UNDERPOPULATION

The optimum population of an area is a theoretical state in which: OPTIMUM POPUALTION The optimum population of an area is a theoretical state in which: the number of people, when working with all available resources, will produce the highest standard of living / quality of life

OPTIMUM POPULATIONS An ‘optimum population’ is never a static scenario, rather dynamic, in that it will change with time: If the size of the population should increase or decrease from the optimum, the output per capita and standard of living will fall. The optimum population will also be influenced by developments in technology, demographic structure changes, as trade opportunities develop/falter, and as new raw materials are discovered to replace old ones which are exhausted or whose values change over time

STANDARD OF LIVING The standard of living of an individual / population is determined by the interaction between physical and human resources: Standard = Natural Resources (minerals, energy,soils) X Technology of living Population

OVERPOPULATION Occurs when there are too many people relative to the resources and technology available (locally) to maintain an adequate standard of living Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and parts of China, Brazil and India are said to overpopulated as they have insufficient food, minerals and energy resources to sustain their populations All suffer from localised famines, natural hazards (drought/flood) and are characterised by low incomes, poverty, poor living conditions & high levels of emigration

UNDERPOPUALTION Underpopulation occurs when there are far more resources in an area/country (food, energy & minerals etc) than can be used by the total population living there. Canada and Australia are good examples of countries that are underpopulated. Both have surplus amounts of food, energy and mineral resources that are exported. Their populations have high incomes, good living conditions, high levels of technology and immigration. Standards of living would probably rise further if populations increased, as greater volumes of resources would be produced and exploited!

So....is there a correlation between: Gross Domestic Product and Population Density? Land area and GDP?

Population density and GDP Task 1 – Spearman’s Rank Apply the Spearman’s Rank correlation formula to the following data to establish whether a correlation (relationship) exists between: Population density and GDP

Use the same countries as before Scattergraphs Produce a scattergraph to establish whether a relationship between Land area and GDP Use the same countries as before

Similarly, population density is not necessarily linked to GDP CONCLUSIONS It would seem feasible to suggest that: There is little correlation between population density and over/under population. Eg: NE Brazil is considered to be overpopulated with 2 people km2 California with frequent water shortages and power cuts is said to be underpopulated even with 550 people km2 Similarly, population density is not necessarily linked to GDP City states – Singapore & Hong Kong – very high pop density very high GDP – WHY? Eg: Netherlands, UK & Germany have high GDP and high pop density Canada & Australia have high GDP BUT low popn density Moreover, Bangladesh has low GDP and high popn density Sudan & Bolivia have a low GDP and low popn density

Final word….. The balance of a population and resources may be uneven within a country. A country may have a popn that is too great for one resource such as energy, yet too small to fully use a second, eg food supply Some parts of a country may be well off and developed SE Brazil, whereas the NE is relatively poor and undeveloped THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN POPULATION & RESOURCES ARE HIGHLY COMPLEX. CONSEQUENTLY, THE TERMS UNDER & OVER POPULATION SHOULD BE USED WITH EXTREME CARE

OVERPOPULATED (UK?, Bangladesh) UNDERPOPULATED (Australia, Canada) HOMEWORK Research a country that could be described as: OVERPOPULATED (UK?, Bangladesh) UNDERPOPULATED (Australia, Canada) Good reference - P377 from Integrated Approach (Bangladesh & Canada) to give you pointers as to what may constitute over/under populated City states – are Singapore & Hong Kong overpopulated given their high GDP?