Paper 2 Preparation » Human Geography Review

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

Key concepts in population and settlement
Urban trends and issues in LEDCs and MEDCs
Economic development and its impacts
Case studies of urbanisation and migration
Food production and industry patterns
Tourism impacts and management

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Population and Settlement

Human geography explores how people interact with their environment, focusing on population patterns, settlements and economic activities. Let's start with the fundamentals of population geography.

Key Definitions:

Population density: The number of people per square kilometre.
Population distribution: The pattern of where people live across an area.
Natural increase: The difference between birth rate and death rate.
Migration: The movement of people from one place to another.

📊 Population Growth

World population has grown exponentially over the last century:

1 billion in 1800
2 billion in 1927
4 billion in 1974
8 billion in 2022

This rapid growth creates challenges for resources, housing and services.

🌎 Demographic Transition Model

This model shows how countries move through stages of population growth:

Stage 1: High birth rate, high death rate (pre-industrial)
Stage 2: High birth rate, falling death rate (developing)
Stage 3: Falling birth rate, low death rate (industrialising)
Stage 4: Low birth rate, low death rate (developed)
Stage 5: Low birth rate, rising death rate (ageing population)

Urban Settlements and Challenges

Urbanisation is a key process in human geography, with different patterns in MEDCs (More Economically Developed Countries) and LEDCs (Less Economically Developed Countries).

Urbanisation Trends

Urbanisation is the increase in the proportion of people living in towns and cities. Currently, over 55% of the world's population lives in urban areas, expected to rise to 68% by 2050.

🏠 MEDC Urban Issues

In countries like the UK:

Urban regeneration
Gentrification
Suburban sprawl
Commuter settlements
Counter-urbanisation

🏢 LEDC Urban Issues

In countries like Brazil or India:

Rapid rural-urban migration
Informal settlements/slums
Infrastructure challenges
Service provision gaps
Employment in informal sector

🛠 Urban Solutions

Approaches to urban challenges:

Self-help schemes
Site and service schemes
Urban planning
Sustainable transport
Green infrastructure

Case Study Focus: Mumbai, India

Mumbai exemplifies rapid urbanisation challenges in LEDCs:

Population: 20+ million people
Dharavi: One of Asia's largest slums, home to 1 million people
60% of Mumbai's population lives in slums but occupies just 6% of land
Challenges: Water access, sanitation, housing, pollution
Solutions: Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects, NGO initiatives

Migration Patterns

Migration is the movement of people from one place to another. It can be voluntary or forced, temporary or permanent.

👥 Push and Pull Factors

Push factors drive people away from a place:

Lack of jobs/low pay
Natural disasters
War and conflict
Political persecution
Climate change impacts

Pull factors attract people to a new location:

Better job opportunities
Higher standard of living
Political freedom
Better education/healthcare
Family connections

🗺 Types of Migration

Rural-urban: Movement from countryside to cities
Urban-rural: Movement from cities to countryside
International: Movement between countries
Forced: Refugees and asylum seekers
Economic: People seeking better jobs
Seasonal: Temporary migration for work or climate

Economic Activities

Economic activities are classified into sectors that show a country's level of development.

Key Definitions:

Primary sector: Extracting raw materials (farming, mining, fishing)
Secondary sector: Manufacturing and processing
Tertiary sector: Services (retail, education, healthcare)
Quaternary sector: Information and research services

Changing Employment Structures

As countries develop, employment typically shifts from primary to tertiary and quaternary sectors. This reflects increasing mechanisation in agriculture and manufacturing, alongside growing demand for services.

Food Production and Farming

Agriculture remains vital for food security but varies greatly between regions.

🌾 Subsistence Farming

Common in LEDCs, particularly rural areas:

Small-scale production
Family labour
Low technology input
Primarily for family consumption
Examples: Shifting cultivation, pastoral nomadism

🌽 Commercial Farming

Dominant in MEDCs and increasingly in LEDCs:

Large-scale production
High capital investment
Mechanisation and technology
Production for market sale
Examples: Arable farming, market gardening, plantation agriculture

Case Study Focus: Tourism in Jamaica

Jamaica demonstrates both benefits and challenges of tourism development:

Benefits: 30% of GDP, employs 25% of workforce, infrastructure development
Challenges: Environmental damage, economic leakage (foreign ownership), seasonal employment
Management: Ecotourism initiatives, community-based tourism, sustainable certification
Multiplier effect: Tourism creates jobs in other sectors like food production, transport and crafts

Industry and Manufacturing

Industrial location is influenced by various factors that have changed over time.

Factors Affecting Industrial Location

Traditional industries were often located near:

Raw materials (to reduce transport costs)
Energy sources (coal, water power)
Transport links (ports, railways)
Labour supply
Markets

Modern industries often prioritise:

Skilled workforce
Government incentives
Quality of life for employees
Technology and communication links
Lower land costs

Globalisation and Development

Globalisation has transformed economic patterns worldwide, creating winners and losers.

💰 Transnational Corporations

TNCs operate across multiple countries:

Global supply chains
Outsourcing to reduce costs
Bring investment to LEDCs
Can exploit weak regulations
Examples: Apple, Nike, Coca-Cola

📈 Development Indicators

Ways to measure development:

GDP per capita
Human Development Index (HDI)
Life expectancy
Literacy rates
Access to clean water

🌐 Development Strategies

Approaches to promote development:

Microfinance
Fair trade
Appropriate technology
Aid (bilateral/multilateral)
Debt relief

Exam Preparation Tips

For Paper 2 Human Geography, remember these key strategies:

Learn specific case studies for each topic
Practice drawing and interpreting population pyramids
Understand models like the Demographic Transition Model and Burgess Model
Use specific data and examples in your answers
Structure longer responses with clear paragraphs (PEEL: Point, Evidence, Explain, Link)
Connect human geography to environmental impacts where relevant

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