POPULATION GEOGRAPHY AND

DEMOGRAPHY

Population geography, or geography of

population – the terms have the same meaning – is
concerned with demonstrating how spatial variations
in the distribution, composition, migrations and
growth of populations are related to spatial variations
in the nature of places. The population geographer is
also concerned with the genetic or dynamic aspects
of spatial variations over time, or how spatial
relations or interaction between phenomena occur.
The emphasis is particularly on space, and in this
way population geography distinguishes itself from
demography, which is the science of population
viewed as a single topic. In practice, while the
demographer is concerned with numbers and
demographic processes especially for political units
as wholes, the population geographer is more
concerned with areal variations in population and
their relations with physical, cultural and economic
phenomena.
Like demography, population geography is
basically quantitative; it is largely dependent upon
statistical data. But both have a qualitative approach;
demographers examine various physical, intellectual
and character qualities of population geographers
endeavour to unravel the complex inter-relationships
between physical and human environments on the
one hand, and population on the other. The
explanation and analysis of these inter-relationships
in the real substance of population geography.
Knowledge of the elementary techniques of
demography is indispensable to the population
geographer. They are basic tools, the ignorance of
which may result infalse correlations or incomplete
analysis. Dependence upon a neighbouring science is
not an unusual attribute of branches of systematic or
topical geography. It is a natural consequence of
geography’s character as a correlative subject. Just as
economic geographers, biogeographers and
geomorphologists require basic training in
economics, biology and geology, so population
geographers must be aware of the methods of
demography. Therefore this volume devotes much
space to simple demographic techniques.
Hal yang mendasar dalam geografi pendudun adalah :

1. berbasis data kuantitatif

2. butuh data statistik
3.pendekatan kualitatif
4.tehnik demografi sangat diperlukan