Population Patterns United States and Canada

Bellringer Looking at the picture of North America at night. 1. Where do most Americans live? 2. Where do most Canadians live?

Population Count  Current Pop of US: Over 300 mill  …of Canada: 32 mill  Census: Counts pop. every 10 yrs; next count is in 2010

Density & Distribution  Canada - 8 people per sq. mile - Terrain is very rugged & bitterly cold rugged & bitterly cold - Poor soil around Canadian Shield Canadian Shield - Most live along border; St. Lawrence River St. Lawrence River

Density & Distribution  US - 78 people per sq. mile sq. mile - Most live in big cities cities - Large pops in NE & W Coast NE & W Coast - South fastest growing (Sunbelt) growing (Sunbelt)

Urbanization  Lots of people move/live in big cities for great opportunities  Most people in US (80%) & Can (60%) live in metropolitan areas (50,000 people or more)

Use the image and your knowledge of social studies to answer the questions that follow. Satellite Image: The United States at Night Which of the following statements accurately describes the distribution of cities shown in the image above? A. Most cities are located in the northwestern United States, especially in arid regions. B. Many cities are located in the eastern half of the United States, especially near bodies of water. C. Most cites are located in the central region of the United States, especially near deserts. D. Many cities are located in mountainous areas, especially in areas where elevation exceeds 7,000 feet.

Urbanization

Urbanization  Suburbs – communities outside metro areas; fast growing  Most urban centers are on the coast  Megalopolis – “great city”; when large cities overlap one another “Boswash” (Baltimore & Washington, DC) is an example of a Megalopolis.

Future Trends: 2050  Low birthrates  0.5% increase of population per yr. –low birthrates –high influx of immigrants  Estimated population of 438 mill  Half of pop will be retired; small workforce  1 in 5 immigrants; 1 in 9 today

Impacts of Colonization  Colonization – the act or process of establishing control over a country or area by a more powerful and often distant country

Settlin’ In  British colonized much of the east coast of the United States  French settled Canada & much of the land W of the Appalachians  Spanish settled in FL & parts of Tex & Arizona  Cause: Expand their Empires, power, & wealth

Effects  French – 23% of Can. speak it; most live in Quebec; govt operates in both lang.; Louisiana w/ Cajun & Creole dialects  British – govt; natl. lang of US; customs/traditions  Spanish – Foods, names, architecture; large Span pop. where old colonies once were