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Human Geography : Study Of Spatial Pattern And Spatial Organization Of Human Activities

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Human Geography is defined as the study of spatial pattern and spatial organization of human activities and people’s relationships with their environment. The study of spatial organization of human activities is extremely important as it allows us to understand demography, the study of the characteristics of human populations. Demographics allow geographers and government agencies to look at population data from the past and the present to predict future trends in population growth or decline (Knox, 2013, p.2, 99-101). The information gathered through a census or vital records can for example help a nation adjust immigration levels if a country is having a very low birth rate or allocate more funding for health care if a high percentage of its population is over 65. Comparing the demographics between various countries can aid in understanding national, regional and global issues. China, Brazil, Canada, India and Ghana provide a great context to analyze how the environment affects populations.

The demographic transition theory looks at how populations change from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates. The theory argues that as societies move from pre-industrial to industrial societies, population growth slows. Canada was in Phase 3 – Transitional stage in 1955 as it was almost fully industrialized. The crude birth rate was 27.4, which was in line with other industrializing countries such as Britain and the US. Canada’s crude death rate was also much lower

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