Climate 0–9


10–19 20–29 30–39 40–49 50–99


100–1,000


Persons per square kilometre


: Fig. 1.5 The Sahel region has low population densities because of its harsh climate.


Soils


Areas of flat land usually have more fertile soils than mountainous areas. For example, the flat North European Plain has fertile brown earths and boulder clays which allow for easy cultivation. These flat, fertile regions attract settlement, as they are able to support the intensive growing of crops for food. This can also be seen in Ireland, where the flatter, more fertile soil of the east is more densely populated than the poor mountainous soils of the west. Mountainous soils are generally thin and infertile, which discourages settlement.


Drainage


: Fig. 1.6 Areas along the River Ganges are densely populated.


Areas near a river are more densely populated than areas without fresh water. Rivers provide rich, fertile alluvium as well as transport, food,


drinking water and (in earlier times) defence. Some of the most densely populated parts of the world are located in river valleys. For example:


Egypt’s population is over 82 million; 90 per cent of the population live within 6 km of the River Nile.


6


• River Rhine (Central Europe) • River Ganges (India) • River Nile (Egypt).


GEO DICTIONARY


Extreme climate: a severe climate that experiences extremely high or low temperatures or extremely high or low levels of precipitation


ELECTIVE 5 PATTERNS AND PROCESSES IN THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT


Climate affects where people can live comfortably and it also has an impact on the crops that can be grown in an area. People prefer to live in temperate climates – 90 per cent of the world’s population live in the northern hemisphere’s temperate zones. In these temperate zones, food crops are easily grown and there is a plentiful supply of fresh water. The climate is comfortable and does not suffer from extremes such as drought, severe flooding, freezing conditions, etc. In contrast to this, regions with extreme climates are too harsh for dense human settlement. Hot desert climates are too hot and dry to support large settlements and require irrigation schemes to allow for productive agriculture capable of feeding a large population. Similarly, regions with extremely cold climates are sparsely populated (e.g. Northern Scandinavia, Northern Canada) as food production is impossible.


A


Z


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