Optimum Population Optimum population size


Optimum population is the idea that a region has the exact number of people who can exploit its natural resources to a level that provides the highest possible standard of living. It is highly unlikely that any country/region remains at its optimum population for any length of time. This is because of the large number of variables, such as population growth/decline, global markets, employment opportunities and migration.


Population


: Fig. 2.5 Optimum population


GEO DICTIONARY


Savannah: a naturally grassy plain in tropical or subtropical areas with sparse covering of trees and shrubs


Acacia: a small spiky shrub with yellow or white flowers, found in warm climates


2.2 Overpopulation and the Development of Resources:


The Sahel Region The Sahel Region is an area of savannah located just south of the Sahara Desert. Traditionally, the region was made up of grassland with a sparse covering of trees, such as the acacia. Over 100 million people live in the Sahel region, most of whom are farmers or nomadic herders. The Sahel region is now overpopulated and is unable to adequately support its population. The region is now under threat from desertification, as the Sahara Desert advances into the Sahel at a rate of 5–10 km per year. Because of a limited number of resources and an extreme climate, the region has a low carrying capacity of just under 30 per km2 a population density of 48 per km2


. There are three main causes for


overpopulation in the Sahel: 1. Climate change 2. Rapid population growth 3. Overuse and depletion of natural resources.


Morocco


Atlantic Ocean


Western Sahara


Chad Mauritania ACTIVE LEARNING


1. What is the difference between overpopulation and high population density?


2. Briefly describe a point in history when Ireland was (a) overpopulated and (b) underpopulated.


0 Key


Desert region (nomadic breeding) High-risk fragile Sahelian zone Average-risk fragile Sahelian zone


Senegal Dakar


Guinea Bissau


500 km Nouakchott Mali Banjul The Gambia Bissau Guinea


Sierra Leone


Liberia Côte d'Ivoire Bamako


Burkina Faso


Niamey


Ouagadougou Benin


Togo Ghana Niger


Inter-annual variation of the length of the rainy season exceeding 30%


N’Djamena Nigeria Cameroon


Inter-annual variation of the length of the rainy season below 30%


50 days Length of rainy season


Limit of the fragile Sahelian zone Border Capitals


: Fig. 2.6 Areas at risk of desertification in the Sahel Algeria Libya


despite having


42


ELECTIVE 5 PATTERNS AND PROCESSES IN THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT


Income per capita


A


Z


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189  |  Page 190  |  Page 191  |  Page 192  |  Page 193  |  Page 194