252 Putting It Together: Population, Urbanization, and the Environment

Summary

In  this section, you learned that the global population is growing and that people are flocking to urban areas. The population growth of some developed countries has slowed while growth in the developing countries is burgeoning. People move more readily from country to country than ever before.

You were introduced to several concepts such as Malthusian doctrine, zero population growth, cornucopia theory and demographic transition theory. These ideas attempt to explain human interactions both regional and global.

Maldives is a small island nation with a sea-level elevation. The highest elevation in Maldives is about seven feet. If the oceans were to rise even ten feet due to the melting polar ice caps, what would become of the nearly 400,000 people who live there?

The pressures placed on the planet in response to human activity include sustainability issues, global climate change, pollution, and growing global inequality. These are controversial topics that must be dealt with in the coming years.

What you learned to do:

• Describe demographic measurements, read population graphs, and describe demographic theories
• Describe the growth of cities and the process of urbanization
• Understand the impact of climate change and pollution on the environment and society