| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| cultural factors | Migration influences related to language, religion, ethnicity, social customs, or family networks. |
| demographic factors | Migration influences related to population characteristics such as age structure, family size, or population density. |
| economic factors | Migration influences related to employment, income, poverty, or economic development opportunities. |
| environmental factors | Migration influences related to natural disasters, climate, resource availability, or environmental degradation. |
| intervening obstacles | Barriers or challenges that impede migration between an origin and destination, such as distance, cost, or legal restrictions. |
| intervening opportunities | Alternative destinations or options that migrants may consider between their origin and initial intended destination. |
| political factors | Migration influences related to government policies, conflict, persecution, or political instability. |
| pull factors | Conditions or circumstances in a destination location that attract migrants, such as job opportunities, better living conditions, or political stability. |
| push factors | Conditions or circumstances in a person's origin location that encourage them to leave, such as poverty, conflict, or environmental degradation. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| agricultural density | A method of calculating population density by dividing the number of farmers by the amount of arable land. |
| arithmetic density | A method of calculating population density by dividing the total population by the total land area. |
| climate | Long-term atmospheric conditions of a region that affect human settlement patterns and population distribution. |
| human factors | Social, economic, political, and cultural elements such as culture, economics, history, and politics that influence where populations settle. |
| landforms | Natural physical features of Earth's surface, such as mountains, valleys, and plains, that influence population settlement. |
| methods of calculating population density | Different approaches to measuring population density (such as arithmetic density, physiological density, or agricultural density) that provide different insights into how populations relate to available land and resources. |
| physical factors | Natural environmental characteristics such as climate, landforms, and water bodies that influence where populations settle. |
| physiological density | A method of calculating population density by dividing the total population by the amount of arable land available for agriculture. |
| population density | A measure of the number of people per unit of area, calculated using different methods that reveal different information about population pressure on land. |
| population distribution | The spatial arrangement and concentration of human populations across geographic areas at various scales. |
| scales of analysis | Different levels of geographic study (local, regional, national, global) used to examine spatial patterns and processes. |
| water bodies | Natural or significant water features such as rivers, lakes, and oceans that affect human population distribution and settlement patterns. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| asylum seekers | People who have fled their country and applied for protection in another country based on claims of persecution or danger. |
| chain migration | The voluntary movement of people to a destination where relatives, friends, or community members have already established themselves. |
| forced migration | The involuntary movement of people from their home due to circumstances such as slavery, conflict, persecution, or natural disasters. |
| guest worker | A person who voluntarily migrates to another country to work temporarily, often with the intention of returning home. |
| internal migration | The voluntary movement of people from one location to another within the same country. |
| internally displaced persons | People forced to leave their homes but who remain within their own country's borders due to conflict, persecution, or disaster. |
| refugees | People who flee their country or region due to persecution, conflict, or violence and seek safety in another location. |
| rural-to-urban migration | The voluntary movement of people from countryside and agricultural areas to cities in search of economic opportunities and urban services. |
| slavery | The forced, involuntary servitude of people who are treated as property and compelled to work without freedom or compensation. |
| step migration | The voluntary movement of people in stages, typically from rural areas to intermediate cities before moving to larger urban centers. |
| transhumance | The seasonal movement of people and livestock between different geographic areas in search of pasture and resources. |
| transnational migration | The voluntary movement of people across international borders, often involving the maintenance of connections to multiple countries. |
| voluntary migration | The deliberate movement of people from one place to another by their own choice, typically seeking economic opportunity or improved living conditions. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| cultural effects | Impacts on languages, religions, traditions, values, and social practices resulting from migration. |
| economic effects | Impacts on production, trade, labor markets, wealth distribution, and resource use resulting from migration. |
| geographic effects | Changes or impacts on the physical and human characteristics of places and regions resulting from specific processes or events. |
| migration | The movement of people from one place to another, either within a country or across international borders. |
| political effects | Impacts on government systems, policies, power structures, and governance resulting from migration. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| carrying capacity | The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely given available resources and natural conditions. |
| population density | A measure of the number of people per unit of area, calculated using different methods that reveal different information about population pressure on land. |
| population distribution | The spatial arrangement and concentration of human populations across geographic areas at various scales. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| age structure | The distribution of a population by age groups, often represented in population pyramids to show the proportion of people in different age categories. |
| population composition | The characteristics of a population, including age structure, gender distribution, ethnicity, and other demographic features. |
| population decline | The decrease in the total number of individuals in a population over time. |
| population growth | The increase in the number of people in a given area, which drives demand for urban development and services. |
| population pyramids | A graphical representation of a population's age and sex structure, used to visualize population composition and predict demographic trends. |
| sex ratio | The proportion of males to females in a population, typically expressed as the number of males per 100 females. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| fertility | The rate at which a population produces offspring, measured as the number of births per woman or per 1,000 people in a population. |
| migration | The movement of people from one place to another, either within a country or across international borders. |
| mortality | The occurrence of death in a population; a demographic variable that can be influenced by access to healthcare and changing social conditions. |
| population decline | The decrease in the total number of individuals in a population over time. |
| population growth | The increase in the number of people in a given area, which drives demand for urban development and services. |
| population-doubling time | The number of years required for a population to double in size at its current growth rate. |
| rate of natural increase | The difference between the birth rate and death rate of a population, expressed as a percentage, indicating population growth without accounting for migration. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| death rate | The number of deaths per unit of population (typically per 1,000 people) in a given time period; a key factor determining population aging. |
| demographic transition model | A model that explains how population changes over time as societies develop, typically showing stages of high birth and death rates transitioning to low birth and death rates. |
| epidemiological transition | A model explaining how the primary causes of death in a population shift from infectious diseases to chronic diseases as societies develop. |
| population decline | The decrease in the total number of individuals in a population over time. |
| population growth | The increase in the number of people in a given area, which drives demand for urban development and services. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Malthusian theory | A theory of population growth proposing that population increases exponentially while food supply increases linearly, leading to resource scarcity and population checks. |
| population change | Variations in the size of a population resulting from factors such as birth rates, death rates, and migration. |
| population decline | The decrease in the total number of individuals in a population over time. |
| population growth | The increase in the number of people in a given area, which drives demand for urban development and services. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| antinatalist policies | Government policies designed to discourage population growth by decreasing birth rates. |
| immigration policies | Government regulations and laws that control the movement of people into a country and determine who can settle there. |
| population composition | The characteristics of a population, including age structure, gender distribution, ethnicity, and other demographic features. |
| population policies | Government strategies and programs designed to influence the size, growth rate, or composition of a population. |
| population size | The total number of people living in a given area or country at a specific time. |
| pronatalist policies | Government policies designed to encourage and promote population growth by increasing birth rates. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| contraception | Methods or devices used to prevent pregnancy; access to contraception is a factor that influences fertility rates. |
| demographic consequences | The effects on population characteristics and trends, such as changes in fertility, mortality, and migration patterns. |
| fertility rate | The average number of children born to a woman during her reproductive lifetime in a given population. |
| migration | The movement of people from one place to another, either within a country or across international borders. |
| mortality | The occurrence of death in a population; a demographic variable that can be influenced by access to healthcare and changing social conditions. |
| Ravenstein's laws of migration | A set of principles explaining patterns and causes of human migration, including the influence of economic and social factors on population movement. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| aging population | A population with an increasing proportion of elderly individuals relative to younger age groups, resulting from declining birth rates and increasing life expectancy. |
| birth rate | The number of live births per unit of population (typically per 1,000 people) in a given time period; a key factor determining population aging. |
| death rate | The number of deaths per unit of population (typically per 1,000 people) in a given time period; a key factor determining population aging. |
| dependency ratio | The proportion of dependents (young and elderly) to working-age population; a measure of economic burden in aging societies. |
| life expectancy | The average number of years a person is expected to live from birth; influences the age structure of a population. |