Demographic Regimes and Population Density

Demographic Regimes

Old Demographic Regime: Characterized by high birth and mortality rates (often catastrophic due to epidemics, famines, and wars), resulting in limited natural growth. This was typical of pre-industrial societies before the 19th century.

Demographic Transition Regime: Initially features high birth rates but lower mortality rates due to improved food availability, hygiene, and health, leading to increased natural growth. Towards the end of the transition, birth rates decline, and growth slows. This regime was present in Europe after the Industrial Revolution. The population pyramid was progressive, indicating a large base of young people and a small elderly population.

Modern Demographic Regime: Mortality and birth rates stabilize at very low levels, leading to zero population growth. This type of regime existed in Europe at the end of the 20th century.

Regressive Demographic Regime: Certain countries experience negative natural growth, meaning more deaths than births. Only the arrival of immigrants and a slight increase in birth rates can alter this. This model is found in more developed countries. The population pyramid is stagnant or regressive, with a small base and a large number of elderly people.

High-Density Areas

Areas with higher population densities are located in places that provide favorable conditions for economic activity:

• Intensive Agriculture Areas: These areas have suitable conditions for large-scale food production and require many people to work in them, for example, the Nile River Valley.
• Areas Rich in Mineral Resources: These areas have significant mining operations, although they have become less attractive to migrants in recent times, for example, the Ural Mountains in Russia.
• Services and Industrial Areas: Nowadays, these are the most populated areas, for example, the East of China.

Cities in high-density areas are very large. In certain cases, they form urban agglomerations known as conurbations, consisting of a central city surrounded by other dependent cities. These can have a population of over 10 million people, for example, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Low-Density Areas

Areas with lower population densities are located in places that provide unfavorable conditions for economic activity:

• Deserts: The absence of water and extreme temperatures make it very difficult for human beings to live in deserts. Antarctica is the largest frozen desert on Earth. In hot and cold deserts, certain nomadic groups exist, such as the Tuareg in the Sahara Desert and the Inuit in the Arctic desert.
• Rainforests: The Amazon rainforest, as well as other rainforests like Congo, Borneo, and New Guinea, are places where populations struggle to settle due to high temperatures, large amounts of rainfall, and the lack of transport links.
• Boreal Forests: The great forests of Canada and Siberia have very small populations. However, because they are rich in resources, some cities and factories have been built to profit from them.
• Cold and Hot Desert Areas: Although the natural conditions are not very extreme, only a small population has settled in these areas because the weather conditions limit economic activity and human presence due to a lack of water.
• Mountainous Areas: Mountains generally hinder the development of populations. Exceptions include areas with winter tourism, mining regions, and the Andes Highlands.
• Intensive Agriculture and Livestock Areas: These areas do not require a huge population due to the mechanization of labor.