Population Patterns Review Sheet
AP Human Geography Unit 2 Mastery Review
Population Patterns & Processes
Name: ___________________
Date: _____________
Period: _________________
Score: _____ / 30 pts
Part 1: Population Density & Carrying Capacity (Skill 2: Spatial Reasoning)
5 Points
Arithmetic Density Total Pop ÷ Total Land Area
Measures crude population distribution across an entire territory.
Physiological Density Total Pop ÷ Arable Land Area
Measures nutritional pressure on farmable land sustaining life.
Agricultural Density Total Farmers ÷ Arable Land Area
Reflects agricultural mechanization and technological efficiency.
Comparative Geographic Data Scenario
Country A: Pop: 80,000,000 | Total Land: 800,000 km² | Arable: 80,000 km² | Farmers: 16,000,000
Country B: Pop: 80,000,000 | Total Land: 800,000 km² | Arable: 16,000 km² | Farmers: 400,000
1. Explain why Country B has a far higher physiological density than Country A and describe ONE risk this poses to its carrying capacity:
2. Identify which country exhibits a higher level of agricultural mechanization based on agricultural density, and justify your answer:
Part 2: Population Pyramids & Demographic Composition (Skill 3: Data Analysis)
6 Points
Structure 1: Expansive
Shape: Wide base, narrow top
Growth: Rapid growth
Real Example: Niger / Uganda
Structure 2: Stationary
Shape: Rectangular / column
Growth: Slow / stable
Real Example: USA / France
Structure 3: Constrictive
Shape: Inverted / beehive
Growth: Negative / declining
Real Example: Japan / Italy
3. Contrast the dependency ratio pressures of Structure 1 (youth dependency) with Structure 3 (elderly dependency):
4. Explain how a prolonged antinatalist policy (such as China's former One-Child Policy) alters a nation's sex ratio and labor force:
5. If a population pyramid displays a prominent asymmetrical bulge exclusively on the male side between ages 20–45, explain what economic phenomenon most likely caused this pattern (e.g., in UAE or Qatar):
AP® Human Geography • Unit 2 Comprehensive Mastery Packet Page 1 of 3
AP Human Geography Demographic Models & Policy
Demographic & Epidemiologic Transitions
Part 3 & 4 • 9 Points
Part 3: The DTM & Epidemiologic Transition Model (ETM)
5 Points
| Stage | CBR | CDR | NIR | Epidemiologic Phase & Primary Cause |
|---|
| Stage 1 | High | High | Very Low / 0 | Pestilence & Famine: Infectious disease, severe food insecurity, animal attacks. |
| Stage 2 | High | Drops rapidly | Rapid Growth | Receding Pandemics: Industrial & Medical Revolutions, improved sanitation & clean water. |
| Stage 3 | Drops rapidly | Declines slowly | Moderate Growth | Degenerative Diseases: Urbanization, female empowerment; cancer, cardiovascular ailments. |
| Stage 4 | Low | Low | Zero Pop Growth | Delayed Degenerative: Advanced surgeries, bypass treatments; life expectancy peaks. |
| Stage 5 | Very Low | Rises slightly | Negative | Reemerging Pathogens: Antibiotic-resistant microbes, globalization of travel, poverty. |
6. Explain the historical factor that pushed Western Europe into Stage 2 versus the factor that pushed Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa into Stage 2:
7. Explain TWO social or economic mechanisms that cause Crude Birth Rates (CBR) to drop substantially in Stage 3:
Part 4: Population Theories & State Policies
4 Points
Malthusian Theory
Population grows exponentially / geometrically while food production increases linearly / arithmetically, leading to catastrophic famine.
Ester Boserup's Thesis
Population growth stimulates innovation ("necessity is the mother of invention"), leading to intensification of agricultural production and higher yields.
Neo-Malthusians
Argue that population growth strips not just food, but clean water, fossil fuels, arable land, and energy, provoking ecological collapse and conflict.
8. Describe ONE reason why Thomas Malthus's dire prediction failed to materialize during the 19th and 20th centuries in the developed world:
9. Contrast a pronatalist policy (e.g., in France, Singapore, or Hungary) with an antinatalist policy (e.g., India or former China):
AP® Human Geography • Unit 2 Comprehensive Mastery Packet Page 2 of 3
AP Human Geography Migration Dynamics & FRQ Tasks
Migration Patterns & Stimulus Analysis
Part 5 & 6 • 10 Points
Part 5: Ravenstein's Laws & Migration Typologies (Skill 1: Concepts)
4 Points
Ravenstein's Laws & Spatial Flow
- • Distance Decay: Most migrants travel short distances.
- • Gravity Model: Long-distance migrants choose big urban hubs.
- • Step Migration: Movement occurs in predictable stages.
- • Counter-Streams: Every migration stream generates a counterstream.
Forced vs. Voluntary Categories
Refugee: Crossed international border due to well-founded fear of persecution/war.
IDP: Forcibly uprooted for identical reasons but remains within home borders.
Transnational Migrant: Retains active connections and residence across borders.
Chain Migration: Migrants follow kin/community networks to a specific destination.
10. Using Zelinsky’s Migration Transition Model, explain why countries undergoing Stage 2 of the DTM experience substantial international emigration and rural-to-urban migration:
Part 6: AP Exam-Style Stimulus Data Analysis & FRQ Tasks (Skills 2, 3, 5)
6 Points
Stimulus Table: Selected Demographic & Economic Indicators (2025) Source: World Bank / UN Demographic Yearbook
| Country | TFR | IMR (per 1k) | Median Age | % Urban | Annual Remittances | Net Migration Rate |
|---|
| Country X (West Africa) | 5.1 | 56.2 | 18.4 yrs | 32% | $4.2 Billion (14% GDP) | -3.6 per 1,000 |
| Country Y (Western Europe) | 1.3 | 3.1 | 44.6 yrs | 84% | < $100 Million (<0.01%) | +4.1 per 1,000 |
Task A (Demographic Model Placement & Reasoning): Identify the DTM stage for Country X. Explain ONE economic or cultural reason why its Total Fertility Rate (TFR) remains well above replacement level (2.1).
2.0 pts
Task B (Aging & Economic Dependency): Describe ONE specific fiscal challenge Country Y’s government faces due to its median age, and explain ONE immigration policy it could enact to mitigate this problem.
2.0 pts
Task C (Spatial Scale & Migration Impacts): Explain ONE positive economic impact of remittances for families at the local scale in Country X, and contrast it with ONE negative long-term impact of brain drain on Country X.
2.0 pts
AP® Human Geography • Unit 2 Comprehensive Mastery Packet Page 3 of 3
