1. APHG - Topic II Population Geography
World Population Distribution

2. Concentration of the World’s Population Go to http://www. census
Concentration of the World’s Population Go to for a closer look at world population distribution.

3. 3/4s of the world’s population lives on only 5% of Earth’s surface
The rest of the Earth’s surface is comprised of oceans (about 75%) and less intensely inhabited land

6. The ecumene is the portion of the Earth occupied by permanent human settlement. It has expanded from the Middle East, Eastern Europe and East Asia to most of the world’s land area.

7. The world’s population is clustered in 5 regions:
South Asia - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
East Asia - China, Japan, Korea
Southeast Asia - mostly islands: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Sumatra, Borneo
Western Europe
Eastern North America

8. These regions display some similarities:
Most people live near an ocean or river with easy access to an ocean.
Low-lying areas with fertile soil and temperate climate
All in the Northern hemisphere between 10N and 55N, except part of the Southeast Asian concentration.

9. Sparsely populated regions
People avoid areas that are too wet, too cold, too dry, or too mountainous.
The dry lands
Two largest desert regions:
Northern Hemisphere between
15 and 50N
Sahara, Arabian, Thar,
Takla Makan, Gobi
Southern Hemisphere between
20 and 50S, including
much of Australia

10. Wet lands:
Near the Equator between 20N and 20S
In the interiors of South America, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia
+50” of rain per year
Rain and heat rapidly deplete nutrients from the soil, making it difficult to support populations

11. Cold lands:
North and South polar regions
Ice or permafrost

12. High lands
Steep, snow-covered
Exceptions: Latin America, Africa