Understanding Global Population Distribution and Dynamics
1. Population Growth and Demographics
1.1 The Concept of Population and Its Characteristics: The population is the group of people who inhabit a territory, ranging from a very small community to the entire planet.
Demography is the science that describes, quantifies, and analyzes human populations, developing models that explain and predict future trends.
To achieve this, demography utilizes various sources and analyzes demographic data. The most important sources include the Spanish census of population and municipal records.
The census is conducted every ten years, ending in the year 1, with additional censuses in the intermediate years, finishing in 6. (www.ine.es)
Generally, data from underdeveloped countries are less reliable, while developed countries tend to have more accurate data.
2. The World’s Inhabitants and Their Distribution
2.1 Unequal Global Population Distribution: The population is distributed very unevenly; there are areas with large concentrations of people, such as Europe, North America, and Japan.
Conversely, there are areas that are completely empty, such as Antarctica and deserts like the Sahara.
There is no direct relationship between a country’s population and the space it occupies. For example, the United States has 300 million people, while Australia, which is roughly the same size, has only 30 million people.
Additionally, very small countries like Bangladesh have more than 100 million people.
Population Density: Number of Inhabitants per Unit Area (km²) Australia has a density of 2.4 inhabitants per km², while Japan has a density of 350 inhabitants per km².
Asia is one of the most populous continents, with population concentrated mainly in river valleys, such as the Ganges River in India and the Huang He and Yangtze Rivers in China. There is also significant population density in the deltas, such as the Mekong River delta, and on islands like Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines.
North America: The most populated area is the East Coast, particularly the region between the Great Lakes and the ocean, where major U.S. cities like New York and Chicago are located. There is also considerable population on the West Coast, in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as in Mexican cities like Guadalajara and Mexico City.
Africa: This continent generally has low human settlement, with large concentrations found in the Nile Valley and the Maghreb region along the North Coast. High population density is also observed in the Gulf of Guinea, around large lakes, and in some areas of South Africa.
South America: Population concentrations are found along the southern coast of Brazil, particularly in cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, as well as in the Rio de la Plata area, including Buenos Aires, and in the valleys of Colombia and the Caribbean islands.
Oceania: The population is sparse, with the two most populous countries being Australia and New Zealand. The population is mainly concentrated along the coasts, particularly in southeastern cities like Sydney. In New Zealand, the population is primarily located on the North Island.
The demographic vacuum zones include the Arctic and Antarctic areas, deserts (like the Sahara), rainforests (like the Amazon), and mountains (like Tibet).
3. Population Distribution in Europe and Spain
3.1 The Distribution of Population in Europe: Europe is a relatively small continent, but its population is distributed irregularly, with densely populated areas exceeding 400 million inhabitants/km² and sparsely populated regions.
The most densely populated zone stretches from southern Britain through Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and northern Italy. This area, known as the Great Mid-European area, has the highest population density, as well as the most industrial activity and infrastructure.
– Major industrial cities include Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, and London.
– In Belgium, Brussels is prominent, while Rotterdam and Amsterdam are key cities in the Netherlands. In northern France, Paris is a major industrial center.
– In Germany, the largest cities are found in the Rhine-Ruhr Basin, forming a megalopolis, with Cologne (Köln) being the largest city. Additionally, Milan and Turin are significant cities in northern Italy, and Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland.