Human Geography

Chapter 4, Unit 1

Language, Religion, and Population

Chapter 4•What are the two main branches of geography?•Physical geography is the branch of natural science which deals with the study of processes and patterns in the natural environment. •Human geography is the branch of geography dealing with how human activity affects or is influenced by the earth.

Language• Language is a huge part of culture. It helps us establish

and understand our identity, helps people who live in the same area feel like they belong, and is a way which culture travels from person to person. • The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis states that language

actually changes how we view the world. • Some languages have certain words for ideas which don’t exist

in other languages. • Another example is family – in Chinese for example, there are

different words for each specific family member.

Words we don’t have in English but desperately need:

• Espirit d’escalier- French; Thinking of a witty comeback when it is too late.

• Backpfeifengesicht- German; A face that wants to be punched.

• Gigil- Filipino; The overwhelming urge to squeeze or pinch something that is very cute

Language

• A dialect is a version of a language. It reflects changes in speech patterns related to:• Class• Region• Cultural change

• Example: the many dialects of China

How do languages evolve?

Religion• Religion consists of a belief in a

supernatural power or powers that are usually regarded as the creators and maintainers of the universe. • Monotheistic religions believe in one god. • Polytheistic religions belief in many. • Animistic religions (animism) believe in the

divine forces of nature.

• Religions spreads through cultural diffusion – a good example of this is the spread of Buddhism on the Silk Road.

Population Geography

•Population geography studies how many people live in a given area and how their population is affected by geography.

•Look at the chart on the next slide. What does it show and what does it mean?

Worldwide Population Growth

•Birthrate is the number of live births per thousand population. • Fertility rate is the number of children a woman of childbearing years may have in her lifetime.

• Mortality rate – or death rate – is the number of deaths per thousand people• Infant mortality rate – shows

the number of deaths among infants under age one per thousand live births• Rate of Natural Increase = Birthrate – Mortality Rate• Also known as the “population

growth rate”

Population Pyramids

What is the key point which determines the growth rate of a population?

Population Distribution and Density

• Population distribution: the study of where people tend to live• Population Density: the

number of people in a given area – usually in square kilometers or square miles• Carrying Capacity: the

ability for the environment to hold people

Population Density

Earth at Night

Migration•Migration is the movement of people from one place to another•Migration usually exists as a result of push-pull factors. • Push factor: something requires a person or people to

move – pushes them out• Pull factor: something makes a person want to move

to a new place

Who Rules? Types of government