One of the key factors when it comes to the growth of the
human population is the geographical location of societies. Different
geographical locations encompass different forces such as climate or, in a
societal context, different cultural norms in relation to population.
Climate
is the characteristic condition of the atmosphere near the earth’s certain at a
certain place on the earth. When referring to climate, it usual means the long
term weather conditions at that location (predictable weather occurring for at
least thirty years). Climate also includes the region’s general pattern of
weather conditions, seasons and weather extremes. Climate zones can be broken
up into five different areas: tropical, dry, temperate, cold, and polar. The
locations of these areas are determined by where the area resides in relation
to the equator and how cold and hot air interacts.
Dry
climates are found near the equator or approximately between eighteen degrees
and twenty-eight degrees in both hemispheres. These areas are just north and
south of the equator. These climates are characterized by light winds, which
allows for the evaporation of moisture in the heat. Air generally flows
downward so the dry climates rarely experience rainfall therefore annual
rainfall is very low. Due to the intense heat, it is rare to find human
societies that exist for a long period of time in these areas. From early on in
history, humans avoid dry climates such as deserts because the amount of usable
natural resources is very low. These dry climates do not have rainfall making
it hard to grow agriculture, and these areas are not located near sources of
water. Due to the low biodiversity of fauna and flora, humans have not and will
not settle in dry climates, making the population in these areas very low
(Prugnolle et al 2005).
Tropical
climates are usually found in the latitude range of ten degrees south to
twenty-five degrees north. These areas are characterized by heavy rainfall
throughout the year. The total annual rainfall is often more one hundred
inches. While these areas do experience seasonal differences that affect
monthly rainfall, the temperature usually stays around the low eighty degrees,
with humidity around eighty percent. Tropical climates support human population
growth more than dry climates but not much more. The climate is on one of the
extreme ends of weather. Instead of unusually hot weather, the weather is wet.
It makes it hard for large groups of people to live in a place where it is very
moist, warm, with a lot of rainfall. Specialized groups of humans live in
tropical areas such as the Pygmy Tribe. Many of these societies that live within
rainforests and tropical zones resemble humans from early times following a
more hunter-gather model. Thus, like early humans, the population is mostly
stable here. The way in which these societies live, do not support a very large
population so growth is not usually seen in these areas (Prugnolle et al 2005).
Temperate
climates and located between the tropics and the polar regions. While these
regions do experience temperature changes in different seasons, the temperature
stays mostly moderate instead of experiencing extreme cold or hot weather.
However there are a few areas which can experience extreme temperature changes
during different seasons because they are not located near the sea which helps
in temperature regulation. A vast majority of the human population lives in
temperate regions. One reason humans prefer temperate climates are because they
do not experience extreme temperatures as often. The climate stays mostly
neutral and thus makes it easier to live in. Additionally the areas that experience
temperate climates end up dominating a lot of land mass and thus naturally the
more land mass the more humans end up living in those areas. Thus in the areas
where temperature climates are experienced, mostly North America and Asia,
there can be seen large growths of the human population (Strahler 1984).
The last
two climates are cold climates and polar climates. As suggested by their names,
both of these regions support cold to freezing weather. They are located closer
to the poles. The further away from the equator, the colder the climate is. In
the winter these areas are characterized by darkness twenty-four hours a day
and the opposite in summer with sun twenty-four hours a day. Despite the amount
of sunlight, there is a lack of warmth with polar climates resulting in
treeless tundra, glaciers, or a permanent to semi permanent layer of ice. The
extreme temperatures along with the lack of land to use for agriculture, rarely
sustain human life (McKnight 2000).
Figure 2: Map of climate distribution
In the
beginning, there was a relatively even distribution of humans as they began to
migrate to other continents, yet certain geographical locations experienced
high growth and others did not. While it can be easily assumed places such as
the polar regions did not experience a human population growth because of the
extreme temperatures, other factors in addition to weather can dictate if a
certain location will experience growth of the population. Areas that have
access to natural resources such as bodies of water will experience more of a
growth because the growth can be supported (an idea that will be researched later
in this blog). But many of these areas have a ‘natural population control’
built into it through Mother Nature. The areas that support the most growth unfortunately
are the areas that experience many natural disasters (Skidmore and Toya 2006). The
United States, a country with roughly 315 million people, experience many
natural disasters at each of the highest populated states (California, Texas,
Florida, and New York) (World Fact Book). In California, earthquakes are a
common occurrence because the state is located on the San Andreas Fault. Every
year the state experiences many thousands of small earthquakes. The most
notable earthquakes are the 1906 San Francisco earthquake which killed 3000
people, and more recently the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and the 1994
Northridge earthquake both of which caused widespread damage and deaths (USGS
2013). Texas due to its location and size experiences many natural disasters
such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires. Florida has experienced
about 488 tropical or subtropical cyclones with a collective death toll of
10,272 people (National Hurricane Center 2013). New York while it also has had
its fair share of tornadoes and earthquakes, it is notable for the blizzards it
experiences (NOAA 2013). However these numbers pale in comparison to other
natural disasters around the world. China, the county with the largest
population, has experienced some of the most crippling disasters. China is continually
affected by floods, typhoons, and earthquakes. Death tolls can be from the
hundreds of thousands up into the millions as with the 1931 China floods
(Skidmore and Toya 2006). Although most of the natural disasters listed are on
a larger scale, one must still take into account smaller disasters such as
volcanic eruptions, heat waves or avalanches amongst other naturally occurring events.
While experiencing natural disasters is not a huge indicator of population
growth, it is a factor which affects mortality rates as well as immigration
into the area by others. It is also a factor that does keep certain populations
from becoming more over populated than the already are (Skidmore and Toya).
Figure 3: Table of top ten deadliest disasters of all time
So far,
in terms of geographical location, only natural factors such as climate and
disaster have been taken into account in relation to effects on population
growth, but there are several cultural differences that can also affect
population depending on location. Human population control is the practice of artificially
altering the rate of growth of a human population. In the past, human
population control has been implemented usually through mandates issued by the
government to limit the population birth rate. These mandates are a result of
high levels of poverty, environmental concerns and religious reasons as a
result of overpopulation (Whaley Eager 2004). Population in different regions has
been a concern since ancient times. In 300 BC India, many political
philosophers connected a large population with power. In ancient Greek,
(427-322 BC) scholars such as Plato and Aristotle highlighted that the best
population to have would be one that allowed for efficient administration and
citizen participation but also had to be large enough in case they needed to
defend the city against attacks. Confucius was also an advocated for human
population control. He as well as other Chinese writers cautioned that
excessive growth would lead to inefficiency per person, reduce the standards of
living, and cause strife. Ancient Rome had a difference stance. Due to their
need for manpower to conquer Europe, they encouraged and enacted laws to make
couples marry early and have frequent childbirth. Couples who were childless
and could not comply with the laws experienced higher taxes and unfair
treatment. Despite means of controlling and regulating populations such as
infanticide in early Rome, the population grew. By the time the Middle Ages
rolled around, population was not a high priority. There were no repercussions if
couples had children or did not. Therefore, when left to their own devices,
humans continued to procreate. From the middle ages into the 16th
and 17th centuries, the population boomed in Europe and Asia. It was
finally in the 20th century, countries with overpopulation began to
realize they needed to slow down growth (Whaley Eager 2004). There are several
different current day practices when it comes to population control. In China
there is a one-child policy where having more than one child per family is
discouraged. Unauthorized births can be punished through fines and there are
extreme cases where families are allegedly forced to be sterilized or perform abortions.
The policy first began in 1978 and has supposedly helped prevent 400 million
births. In India, those with two or less children area allowed to run for
elections. In Iran, couples must go through required contraceptive courses
before they can obtain a marriage license. In the United States, the first
human population control was enacted with Title X in 1970. This allowed for
public access to contraceptive services, supplies, and information. The support
for population control has since increased. With healthcare being made
mandatory for all, now all people have access to contraceptives and
information, in particular women have much easier access to abortion clinics
which are either free or inexpensive (Knudsen 2006).
In
summary, geographical location can definitely affect the population. The basic
climate of a location can dictate if it can easily support humans and their
growth. The population has natural controls such as natural disasters, but
there are also cultural controls. While in the past populations were usually
allowed to grow with no consequences, many countries now acknowledge the
downsides to overpopulation and use government mandates to control population.
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