Transcript Lection 3. Tipology of the countries on the world

Political Geography
Leonid A. Karabeshkin,
Ass.Prof., Ph.D.
Political Geography. Lection 1.
Introduction into Political Geography.
 Science on territorial differentiation of political
phenomena and processes
 Focuses on interrelationships between integral
geographic space and political sphere, where
integral geographic space consists of:
- economic
- social
- cultural
- political
- physical spaces
Definitions
 Political Geography – scientific discipline, studying
formation of geopolitical structures and world political map,
location and territorial conjunctions of political subjects in
their interrelationship with spatial organization of political life
on the globe, its regions and separate countries (Russian
Academy of Sciences classification)
 Политическая география – научная дисциплина,
изучающая формирование геополитических структур и
политической карты мира, размещение и
территориальные сочетания политических сил в их
взаимосвязи с пространственной организацией
политической жизни в рамках планеты, ее крупных
регионов, отдельных стран (РАН).
Definitions
 Political Geography – the study of the variation
of political phenomena from place to place in
interconnection with variations in other features
of the earth as the home of man (Hartshorne);
 Historical roots: Aristotle studied the natural
environment/climate as a superior requirement
for state configuration (capital, army/navy,
boundaries), arguing that only countries of the
modest climate like Greece are able to establish
strong and effective states
Political Geography and Geopolitics
 Political Geography – a branch discipline in framework of
broader Social and Economic Geography.
 Levels: - global, regional, country, local.
 Geopolitics – policy of the state, aimed at utilizing
geographic advantages (often by means of conquests and
political pressure). Some scientists consider it as an
integral part of the political geography. The others insist on
its belongingness to political sciences.
 Common roots of Political Geography and Geopolitics:
- 1897, Friedrich Ratzel's book “Political Geography” –
identified the geographic factors of world politics: countries
tend to widen their territories, provide for territorial
indivisibility and “freedom of movement”.
Object of Political Geography:
- Formation of the World Political Map;
- Emergence and evolution of phenomena of
states;
- Specifics of political order;
- State and administrative borders;
- Political parties and movements;
- Territorial aspects of electoral campaigns
(“electoral geography”);
- Assessment of political and geographical
location of countries and regions.
Assessment of political and geographical location of
countries and regions
(criterion)
 Strategic evaluation of the state border;
 Domestic political development of the country;
 Relationship to the main trade routes;
 Participation in economic and political
groupings;
 Energy and raw material security;
 Participation in conflicts;
 Level of economic development of neighbor
states;
 Violence in the neighbor areas;
Emergence and development
of states
 Patriarchal theory - patrimonial forms of territorial
organization and control over limited resources
(clans and tribes) gradually evolved into states
(monarchs as successors of Adam);
 Class theory – as a result of progress of production
techniques, private property and division into social
classes necessitates the appearance of the
oppression mechanisms.
 Environmental Determinism - the territories with
comfortable climate allowing for “added value”
where the first states appeared; specifics of
respective civilizations (Greek- Ellada civilization
was not coherent because of being located on
numerous islands and peninsulas; concentration of
world development on coastal areas)
Emergence and development
of states
BUT Environment is not the only factor – compare Haiti
(GDP 1600 USD per capita) and Dominican Republic (6800
USD), sharing the same island Hispaniola. Culture,
economy, ideology (Colonialism, Islamism, Zionism) are
equally important
HAITY (HISPANIOLA)
Lection 2.
Evolution of the world political map
Stages of Development:
Pre-capitalistic – from emergence of
ancient states (IV – II M.B.C.) by the Age
of Geographic Discoveries
Capitalistic – from the Age of Discoveries
by the World War I
Contemporary – from the WW I up to now
Pre-capitalistic
 Emergence in IV-II mill. B.C. state-like formations and
ancient states in the irrigated river valleys of Nile, Tigris,
Euphrates, Indus, Yellow River (Hwang He), Yangzi, South
Europe (Greece – Athens, Sparta, Thebes and smaller citystates – VIII-IV c. B.C.), Macedonian Empire (IV-III c. B.C.),
Rome Empire (I c. B.C. – V c. A.C.), Byzantium), America
(starting from I mill. B.C.: Inca – 1200-1535, Maya – 1001542, Aztec – 1325-1521), Africa (especially in West
African area between deserts and rail forests – VI-XX
centuries).
 Benevolent climate and fertile lands provided for added
value in irrigated agriculture.
 Preferential geographical location, natural protection
against enemies.
Pre-capitalistic: characteristics
 Limited geo-space for development of social processes, local,
unsustainable ad hoc relationships, focal location of the states.
Political map is covering only part of the physical map.
 Competition for better water, land, labor resources
 Fight for control of the most important trade routes
 Predominantly theocratic or militaristic political regimes, later
on – democratic and oligarchic, feudal
 Territorial expansion against “barbarians”, resettlement
movements and colonization of periphery
 Religious factor in making political maps religious wars and
marches (Emerging Arabian Caliphate, Osman Empire,
Christian states of Crusaders of Levant etc.)
 Urbanization – emergence of cities and city-states (polis).
Persian Empire
Middle East 600 B.C.
Rome Empire: Unification of Ancient
World (I century)
Capitalistic
 Global economic relationships and world-wide
migration of capital (Vladimir Lenin: exports of
capital exceeds exports of goods)
 Growing differentiation on the world political map
– sovereign states (about 60 by 1914), colonies,
semi-colonies / absolute and constitutional
monarchies, republics / social and economic
divides – South-North, East-West
 The world political map by 1914 century became
global, corresponded to physical map
 Centered around Europe
Capitalistic: Driving forces
 Bourgeois revolutions – qualitative changes of the political
map, new type of states – Netherlands (1579), Great Britain
(1640-1660), France (1789, 1830, 1848, 1870), Russia (1905);
Bourgeois evolutions – Germany, Italy, Japan, Austria
 Colonial expansionism (2/3 of land):
British: 28 m sq. km – 340 m people (20% of the world
population)
French: 11 m sq. km – 55 m people
Russian Empires: 22 m sq. km – 140 m people
 National liberation (Latin America, USA, Greece, Balkan
States) and unifying movements (Germany, Italy),– emergence
of new sovereign states on the political map and break-up of
the empires (Osman Empire, further – Austrian and Russian).
 Contradictions and competition between the major powers.
Capitalistic: Subjects
 Sovereign states (the leaders – USA, Germany, France, UK;
mid-developed – Russia, Austro-Hungary, Japan, Italy; small
European countries – Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark,
Switzerland etc; transition – Spain, Portugal, Latin America,
South-East Europe)
 Semi-colonies – China, Persia, Siam, Ottoman empire,
Afghanistan, Cuba, Albania)
 Colonies (dominions of UK with internal self-governance;
protectorates – Russia, Great Britain; colonies – Caucuses
and Turkestan, India, Africa, Panama, Puerto-Rico, Hawaii)
Contemporary political map
 WWI as a transition point – break-up of empires,
emergence of new national states in Europe;
Driving forces:
 “Socialization” (collective interests) versus capitalization
through:
- Revolution – radical changes, destroying social structure,
centralization of economy and monopolization of politics
- Evolution – reforming traditional capitalism, increasing role
of states in economy and social guarantees;
- Adoption – transformation of former colonies by socialist or
capitalists ways or their combination
Appeared/disappeared socialist block – 17 states, 27% of
land, 32% of population
Contemporary political map
 Contradictions among the largest countries – major powers:
- I WW
- Post-war revenge of Germany and Japan
- II WW
- Break-up of the USSR
 National liberation and integration movements, decolonization
(1960-ies);
 Interrelationships of capitalist, socialist and developing countries
(divided Korea, Vietnam, Yemen, Germany, China-Taiwan)
 Separatism
 Competition for control of resources
99.9% of the globe are independent states
Lection 3. Tipology of the countries on
the world political map
1. Quantitative
Common properties expressed in figures
or indicators (economy, demography,
geography)
2. Qualitative
More sophisticated common qualities (the
trends of social development)
3. Integrative
Lection 3. Tipology of the countries on the world
political map
 1. Quantitative
Common properties expressed in figures or
indicators (economy, demography, geography)
 2. Qualitative
More sophisticated and complex common
qualities (the trends of social development, the
historical background etc.)
 3. Integrative
(qualitative + quantitative)
1.Quantitative
- By size of the territory
- By number of population
- By the volume of the total GDP or
GDP per capita
By size of territory
Great (more than 3 m sq km)
Large (1-3 m sq km)
Medium (0.2 – 1 m sq km)
Small and micro (less than 0.2) – 70%
The smallest country – Vatikan (0.44 sq km)
By total GDP
 The largest – more than 1 trillion USD (USA –
China – Japan)
 Russia – 2.2 trillion (7th economy)
 Estonia – 30 billion (101 place in the world)
NB: Different approaches to calculation:
- nominal
- PPS (Purchasing Power Parity)
2. Qualitative
2.1 By criteria of geographic location
- seaside, island, without direct access to the
sea
 About 40 countries without access (Afghanistan,
Belarus, Uzbekistan, Czech Republic, Serbia,
Central African Republic, etc)
 Most countries have access to the sea
- by location in relation to major economic
powers
2.2. By historically arranged social order
- Developed industrial countries – traditional core,
resettlement capitalism, peripheral capitalism
- Socialist countries (up to 17 at the second half of 1980ies, 5 now)
- reforming (PRC, Vietnam, Laos)
- traditional (North Korea, Cuba)
- The third world countries – developing countries:
Capitalistic orientation, Dual orientation, Socialism
orientation
- Post-socialist countries – groups of rapid and slow
development
2.3. By criterion of sovereignty
- Sovereign states
- Non-self-governed territories: colonies,
territories with special status
- “Problem territories” – countries in
transition or internationally
non-recognized status, national liberation
movements
2.4. By the character of political organization of the society
a) By the form of state governance – i.e. arrangement of
the high power level
- Republics (presidential, parliamentary, p.p.);
- Monarchy (absolute, constitutional, theocratic,
electionary)
- Jamahiriya (?)
b) By administrative and territorial division – by division
of power between different levels
- Unitary
- Federation (historic roots, large territories, multiethnic
composition of population or some factors together)
- Confederation
c) By political regime
- Democratic (primacy of law, division of
powers, multiparty electoral system)
- Authoritarian (concentration of power,
suppressing opposition, limited freedoms)
- Totalitarian (almost all ideocratic regimes)
3. Integrative
- By the level of human (social and
economic) development (e.g. UNDP
methodology )
- Internationally integrative
UNDP Integrative Index
 Life expectancy (Max 85, Min 25)
 Education
- Adult Literacy (2/3)
- Gross Enrolment (1/3) into primary, secondary and
tertiary education
 GDP Index (per capita, modified, Max 40000
USD, Min 100 USD)
Estonia – 40 place – 0.883
Norway – highest 0.971
The least developed: Afghanistan, Niger – 0.350
Belarus 0.826 (68), Russia 0.817 (71)
Cuba 0.863 (51)
UNDP Index MAP
Internationally integrative
I. Economically developed countries
I. 1. Highly developed
- Great 6 or G7 (large scale diversified economy, multy-sector
industry, technological leadership, exporting capital and wasteful
industry, MNC, macroforms of territorial organization of society),
10 % of population and 40 % of GDP.
- Small European countries – 1 % - 4 % (neighborhood to G7,
specialization, great share of service exports – banks, transport,
tourism)
- Resettlement countries – 1,5 % - 4 % (agrarian and raw material
way of development rooted in the colonial past, export-orientation,
active or dominating foreign capital)
I. 2. Mid-developed (developed countries)
11 % population - 13 % world GDP, the most
rapidly growing group, great diversity (GDP from
2000 to 20000 USD), the nearest periphery of
the main economic poles
 South-European – Spain, Portugal, Greece,
Turkey, Malta, Cyprus
 East-Asian – Korea, Taiwan, Singapore
 Latin American – Mexico, Chile
 East-European – post-socialist countries except
CIS
 Eurasian – CIS except Russia
 Russia
I.
Economically developed countries
I. 2. Mid-developed – 11 % - 13 %, the most
rapidly growing group
- South-European – Spain, Portugal, Greece,
Turkey, Malta, Cyprus
East-Asian – Korea, Taiwan, Singapore
- Latin American – Mexico, Chile
- East-European – post-socialist countries
except CIS
- Eurasian – CIS except Russia
- Russia
II. Developing countries – About 160
 Similar ways of historic development (colonial
past)
 Multiplicity of social and economic orders (from
tribalism to socialism),
 Typical demographic processes (rapid growth of
population, youngsters’ increase)
 Large contrast of social and economic
development inside the countries - up to 15-20
times - the centers like capitals or port cities are
rather integrated into economies of the
developed countries than into domestic market).
II. 1. Upper echelon (developing countries)
 accelerated economic growth and export
 dominating position in the group
 structural shifts in the economy
 increasing role as partners of economically
developed countries
 emergence of Research and Innovation sector:
from copying to substitution.
II. 1. Upper echelon (developing countries)
 New industrial countries – the most dynamic group since
1970-ies
First wave: Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong + Mexico,
Brasilia, Argentina
Second wave: Malaysia, Thailand, India, Chile
Third wave: Turkey, Cyprus, Tunis, Indonesia
Forth wave: PRC, Philippines, Venezuela, Vietnam, Egypt.
 Oil-exporting countries – non-diversified economy alongside
with relatively high but unstable GDP per capita, Islam.
 Service periphery (apartments leasers) – non-productive
sphere dominates, good social economic indicators
Bahamas, Barbados, Panama, Bahrein, Macao
II.2. Low echelon (developing countries)
 Classic developing countries
- Slow economic growth or its lack
- Agrarian and raw materials sectors domination
- Vital importance of export
- Lack of interest on behalf of the world capital
Columbia, Cuba, Peru, Ecuador, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan,
Morocco, Botsvana
 Less developed countries (or the most underdeveloped)
less than 500 USD per year (about 500) – the
geographic factors very often explain the state of affairs.
II.2. Low echelon (developing countries)
 Classic developing countries
- Slow economic growth or its lack
- Agrarian and raw materials sectors domination
- Vital importance of export
- Lack of interest on behalf of the world capital
Columbia, Cuba, Peru, Ecuador, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan,
Morocco, Botsvana
 Less developed countries (or the most underdeveloped)
less than 500 USD per year (about 500) – the
geographic factors very often explain the state of affairs.
Lection 4. Administrative and territorial
division (ATD)
Definition:
ATD – the system of spatial organization of a state,
division of the territory established by law
Functions:
 Control by central power over the regional/local level and
communication among different power levels;
 Tax collection;
 Location of regional branches of federal/regional authorities
and services (police, post, rescue, etc)
 Spatial development;
 Basis for representation in central legislative power bodies;
 Local self-organization, ensuring ethnic and linguistic
autonomy.
Factors of ATD
 Historic (Germany, USA, Switzerland)
 Ethnic (India, Russia, China, Moldova)
 Confessional (Bosnia, Georgia)
 Political (USSR/Russia, France, Lithuania)
- to receive support of local political elites
- to cope with regionalism/separatism (e.g.
through splitting the regions or decreasing their
sizes)
- to improve governance
 Economic (USSR/Russia, Brazil)
- to attach to large city/strong economic area
- to provide for a complex regional development
Systems and complexity of ATD
Systems of ATD:
 Dualistic (Great Britain, USA): central and local
levels have their exclusive spheres of competence
 Horizontal (France, Russia): spheres of common
competence, interference of central authorities into
local affairs
 Mixed (Germany): quite autonomous “landers”
(parts of the federation) impose their systems of
local governance
Complexity
 Typically 3-5 cells hierarchy (except micro states)
Emergence and evolution of ATD
 Medieval period: catholic church communes – registration
of marriages, birth and death, population statistics.
 Reformation: in protestant regions church divided from the
state.
 Free cities in Germany
 Implications of the Great French Revolution: elimination of
feudal borders – centralization of governance – unification
of administrative units (departments – cantons communes)
- Administrative reforms in Russia: Peter I and Catherine II
- Elimination of rotten boroughs in England in XIX century –
parliamentary reform
Challenges to the system of ATD
 Urbanization – growth of urban population as a result of
industrial development)
- disproportions of population and economic potential
- depopulation and underdevelopment of rural areas
(Pskov region – 70000 settlements)
 Suburbanization – widening factual borders of agglomerations
as a result of developing suburbs beyond the traditional borders
of cities
- necessity to coordinate activities between different
municipalities
- extensive burden on urban infrastructure
 Counter-urbanization – since 1950-ies in Europe, migration of
the most prosperous population to rural areas
- social segregation of population
- degradation of city centres
Challenges to the system of ATD
 Technological progress and structural shifts in
economy. Development of transport (from railways
and trams to auto-boom) and telecommunications.
The centers of economic activities are getting less
dependent on territorial distribution of population.
 Changing identity and demands of people
(growing individualism, USA - “country of
neighborhoods”.
 Reconsidering relations between people and local
administration.
- Individual interests VS. interests of territorial
community, role of private initiative.
Answers to challenges: approaches to reforming
ATD
 Creation of new enlarged units on the basis of functional
urban areas (metropolitan areas – USA, UK, Russia).
 Establishment of inter-municipal cooperation institutes
(around Tallinn, many European countries) – e.g.
cooperation in transport, education and healthcare.
 Launching regional development agencies (development of
common infrastructure – USA, UK, Germany) from above
 Creating special districts (e.g. in USA – for schools, court
districts)
 Enlarging the small units (mostly, rural municipalities –
many countries of Europe, including Latvia)
- e.g. principle of “pedestrian availability” (Russia)
- financial stimulus for merging units (Estonia)
Criterion of optimality for ATD cells:
 Reasonable and manageable number
 Territorial “integrity”
 Compactness (near to round form)
 Proportionality
 Continuity (historical factors and existing
infrastructure)
 Correspondence to identity (ethnic, cultural,
social)
 Necessity of “critical mass” and financial
substance
 Internal diversification/equality
 Flexibility and capacity to adapt to new changes
Lection 5. External boundaries: State
Borders
 Limology – science on borders. Subject: border types,
border functions, border regions, institutes and processes.
 Border-related regularities:
- The more size of the state territory and number of
population, the more the borders are subject to changes
(research on empirical materials of 1815-1990).
- The country having a neighbor in warfare has 3 times higher
risk to be involved into war by itself.
- The most sustainable border divides two empires.
- Geographically natural borders rarely can be achieved
(ethnic factor adds to drawing “natural” borders)
Border Functions
Barrier / Division – separating different
ethnic, cultural or social groups,
preserving differences.
Limiting / Regulation – preserving
economic regime and stability on the state
territory
Contact / Interface – providing economic
cooperation and cultural enrichment
Reflection – the character of political
regime and dominating ideology affect the
manner which border is functioning.
Border types by space:
 Land
 River
NAVIGABLE – through THE MAIN FAIRWATER
or the LINE OF LARGEST DEPTHS
NON-NAVIGABLE – through MIDDLE LINE
 Lake – through continuation of land border lines
(Peipsi), Caspian Sea or Lake?
 Sea – territorial waters 3-12 miles (UN Maritime
Law Convention, 1982).
 Air – imagined projection of water and land
borders (90-110 km).
Border types by morphology
 Orographic – natural limitations (mountines,
rivers, lakes, seas)
 Geometrical (straight) – through drawing direct
lines (in the USA, Africa, Central Asia);
 Astronomic – by longtitudes and latitudes (USA
and Canada (49th latitude), Africa, Korea –
demarcation line by 38th latitude.
 Twisting – as rule takes into consideration
numerous factors – ethnographic, natural,
economic and communication, political
Border types by history
 Antecedent – prior to settling (populating the territory) –
USA-Canada, RF-PRC.
 Subsequent – dividing already relatively densely populated
areas
 Post-war (Poland – Curzon Line, Germany, Estonia in
1920)
 Compensational - e.g. Northern Karelia was given to
Finland by USSR as a compensation for Karelian Isthmus)
 Arbitraged – territory of Zmeiny Island was disputed
between Ukraine and Romania and further assigned to
Romania by International Arbitrage
 Colonial – former administrative and inter-colonial borders
(e.g. in Latin America – 27%, Africa – 87%, Asia – 45% of
all borders)
Border types by legal basis
 Arranged – border treaty or international
agreement is signed
 Enforced – established de-facto but not
recognized by international community (India
and Pakistan in Kashmir, Israel and Palestine,
Israel and Syria)
 Disputed – Kuril Islands between Russia and
Japan, Spratly Islands claimed by 6 (!) states:
China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia,
Philippines, Arctic ocean space.
Border types by function
Alienating – India and Pakistan, China and
Taiwan, Russia and Georgia
Semi-permeable – Russia and
Estonia/other Schengen states, USA and
Mexico
Uniting – USA and Canada
Integrating – inside EU, Russia with
Belarus, Kazakhstan
Border and non-controlled territories:
 A political border does not always correspond to
the practical present sovereignty of the country.
Non controlled territories can be subdivided into
some types:
Quasi-states – having all attributes of normal states,
controlling their territory, but not recognized
internationally – Turkish Cyprus, Abkhazia, Transnistria,
Nagorno-Karabakh.
Non-controlled territories under auspices of local leaders
with very unsustainable borders - Afghanistan, Sudan,
Somalia, Columbia, Angola etc.
Border and non-controlled territories:
Non-controlled territories emerge as a result of:
 Self-determination of the region with a specific or
ethnocultural component (Northern Cyprus,
Palestine)
 Break-up of the multinational state (Abkhazia,
Transnistria)
 Civil war or foreign military intervention
(Northern Afghanistan, Bosnia)
 Criminal activities (drug production and
trafficking, piracy - Somalia)
Specific cases
International Rivers (neutral) – Danube,
Niger etc.
International Channels (Suez, Panama)
International Straits (Gibraltar, La-Manche,
Baltic Straights)
Historic Bays (Canada’s Hudson Bay)
Drawing borders
Delimitation – general defining of the state
border line with drawing it on maps,
schemes and plans. Natural and artificial
points applied to avoid ambigous
interpretation;
Demarcation – defining the state border
line afield with respective border signs.
Re-demarcation – making corrections in
the border line on spot
Shape of the state
 Compact – near to round and rectangular form (France, Spain,
Germany, Estonia) – effective communication and shorter
external borders
 Elongated – ratio of length/width is 3-6 times (Chile, Norway).
Increased border perimeter and greater opportunity of
centrifugal forces (Separatism). E.g. strategically Russia’s
territory has become less compact and more disadvantageous:
territory 23%, borders 1%
 Prorupt – combination of compact and elongated states
(Thailand, Afghanistan)
ISLAND (Japan, Philippines, Maldives)
 Fragmented
MAINLAND (USA, Russia, Angola)
COMBINED (Malaysia, Denmark)
 Perforated – encircles territories of other states (South Africa –
Lesotho, Kyrgyzstan – Sokh and some others Uzbek enclaves)
Lection 6.
World population and
demography
Population growth
 First some million years – stable homo sapiens population
estimated as 5-10 million (population growth – 0,03%
annually) – high mortality
 In about 8000 B.C., with the beginning of agriculture,
significant population growth began, bringing world
population to about 500 million over a 6000-year period.
 At that point (1650 AD), growth accelerated sharply, so that
world population doubled in 150 years (1 billion in 1800),
doubled again in 130 years (1930), and doubled yet again
in 45 years (4 billion in 1975).
 Every decade the world’s population increases by about 1
billion, mostly in the developing countries.
 It is projected to reach 9.5 billion by 2030 and 12.6 billion
by 2100.
Comparative characteristics of the
world population
For every 10 people in the world:
3 are younger than 15 years of age
5 live in an urban area
6 live in Asia
8 live in developing countries
The Demographic Transition
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The Demographic Transition Theory - fundamental model developed to
describe population dynamics is the Demographic Transition model. The
model posits four stages in the evolution of the population in a society.
1. PRE-INDUSTRIAL: High fertility, high mortality - prevailed throughout
the world prior to the past few centuries, low life expectancy, epidemics,
wars and conscription, food shortages and starvation.
2. INDUSTRIALIZING: High fertility, declining mortality – industrial
development, urbanization – water supply and sewage, growing access
to health treatment, improving food supply, but temporary preservation
of high fertility as a tribute to cultural, religious, economic and political
traditions and demands. World population started growing rapidly.
Changing structure of population – more children survive.
3. MATURE INDUSTRIAL: Declining fertility, low mortality – from the
end of XIX century – decreasing infant death rate, rationalization of birth
conduct (urban life is more expensive), growing female literacy and job
involvement, social systems development and value changes,
contraception.
4. POST-INDUSTRIAL: Low fertility, low mortality (stabilization of
population) – aging population, growing life expectancy
ALL FOUR STAGES CAN BE FOUND IN CONTEMPORARY WORLD !!!
Demographic Transition Model
Demographic transition of contemporary
world
4 (5) Types of Demographic Transition in Contemporary
World
Stage
Countries
Characteristics
Pre-Industrial
Sierra-Leone, Mali, Central
African Republic
Maximal birth rate (50 pro
%) / death rates (up to 30
%) / life expectancy 38-40
years / 10-15% population
infected HIV/AIDS
Indistrializing
Kenya, Uganda, Saudi
Arabia, Israel, Qatar
Decreasing mortality /
preserving high birth rate
Industrial
China, Brasil, Albania,
Macedonia
Decreasing birth rate /
still growing population
(Albania – 15 pro% birth
rate, death rate – 5pro%)
Post-Industrial
Taiwan, South Korea,
Sweden, USA, UK
Stable or low fluctuation
of population
Post-Soviet
European Republics of
former USSR
Decreasing population
Sex/age pyramids:
developed countries (Japan)
Sex/age pyramids:
developing countries (Venezuela)
Sex/age pyramids:
low echelon - poorest developing
countries (Yemen)
Estonia
Differences in sex composition
 Another fundamental demographic characteristic of a
population is its sex ratio (generally expressed as the
number of males per 100 females). A strongly
unbalanced sex ratio affects the availability of marriage
partners, family stability, and many aspects of the social,
psychological, and economic structure of a society.
 Sex ratios are affected by events such as major wars
and large-scale migration, by cultural pressures that
favor one sex, usually males, by unequal mortality rates
in adulthood, and by changes in the birth rate. Because
of higher male mortality rates, the sex ratio in the U.S. at
birth falls from about 106 at birth, to about 100 by ages
25-29, and to 39 for ages 85 and above. Migration in
search of employment is a frequent cause of a sex ratio
far from 100. For example, oil field employment in the
United Arab Emirates has brought that country’s sex
ratio as high as 218.
Male/female domination
Females prevail
Parity
Males prevail
Distribution of resources:
Developed countries: from parents to
children
Developing countries: from children to
parents (natural agricultural economy).
Density of population on the globe
 At average – 45 / sq. km.
 70 % of people = 7 % territory
 The largest density – sources of ancient
civilizations around the largest rivers – Nile,
Gang, Mekong, Tigris, Huanhe – 1000 – 1500 /
sq. km.
 Highly developed and urbanized regions: Ruhr,
London, Paris – 30000 in the core.
 The most dense countries: Singapore 5700,
Bangladesh 1000, Taiwan 600,
South Korea 470, Netherlands 460.
 Trend: the seaside regions attract population.
Urban and rural population
1800 – 3 % lived in the cities
1900 – 13.6 %
1950 – 28.2 %
1997 – 43 %
2009 – 51 %
MAPS
Project of territorial delimitation of the
Caspian Sea by median line
Shape of the territory: compact
Shape of the territory: elongated
Shape of the territory: prorupt
Shape of the territory: fragmented
Shape of the territory: perforated
Enclave and exclave