Impacts of Population Distribution & Density (College Board AP® Human Geography)
Study Guide
Written by: Kristin Tassin
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Impacts on Political, Economic, & Social Processes
Areas with larger populations and greater population density have greater political, economic, and social power
Politically, higher population areas will have greater influence over laws
This is a result of more voters being concentrated in a smaller area of land
Representation in government is based on population, this means these areas will have more representatives in government
Their opinions will weigh more heavily on government policy
Economically, areas with higher population densities have a greater concentration of jobs
These areas bring in more revenue
Socially, areas with higher population densities will have greater access to education, health care, and entertainment
Areas with higher population densities will also have greater access to government services, such as water and electricity, and better infrastructure.
Building infrastructure is more cost-effective for high-population areas due to economies of scale
The demand for services such as sanitation and electricity is more crucial the more people live in an area
Public services, such as transportation, operate more effectively in high-population areas
However, this tendency is not always applicable
Urban slums and squatter settlements, though high in population, do not have adequate access to government services
Impacts on the Environment & Natural Resources
As populations increase, they have a greater impact on the landscape
Locations with high population densities tend to have greater effects on the natural environment
Carrying capacity refers to the maximum population size the environment can support
Carrying capacity differs by environment. For example, an area with very fertile soil will have a higher carrying capacity than an area with limited agricultural land
Overpopulation occurs when there are not sufficient resources in a given area to support the population
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Each of the three free-response questions on the exam asks you to apply your knowledge of geographic concepts, processes, or models to an authentic real-world situation. The first free-response question will not include a stimulus. The second question contains one stimulus, in the form of a graph, chart, map, image, or infographic. The third question contains two stimuli and will ask you to compare them. The two stimuli will often show opposite phenomena or data at different scales.
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