Chapter 4 – The World’s People

Section Notes Video

Culture Impact of Culture
Population
Government and Economy
Global Connections
Maps
Close-up World Population Density
Governments of the World
A Global Economy

World Almanac Images

A Developed and a Developing
Country
Quick Facts
Chapter 4 Visual Summary
Population
Culture Traits
Cultural Diffusion of Baseball
World Population Growth
 Culture

The Big Idea

Culture, a group’s shared practices and beliefs, differs from
group to group and changes over time.

Main Ideas
• Culture is the set of beliefs, goals, and practices that a
group of people share.
• The world includes many different culture groups.
• New ideas and events lead to changes in culture.
 Main Idea 1:
Culture is the set of beliefs, goals, and
practices that a group of people share.

Culture
• The set of beliefs, values, and practices that a group of people
has in common
• Includes many aspects of life, such as language and religion,
that we may share with people around us
• Each is unique

Culture Traits
• An activity or behavior in which people often take part, such
as language spoken or sports played
• Can be shared by people around the world
• Can change from place to place
 Development of Culture

Culture traits are often learned or passed down from one

generation to the next.
• Within families as traditions, foods, or holiday customs
• Laws and moral codes within societies

Cultures develop as people learn new culture traits.

• Immigrants who move to a new country

Other factors, such as history and environment, also affect how

cultures develop.
 Main Idea 2:
The world includes many different
culture groups.
• A culture region is an area in which people have many shared
culture traits, such as religious beliefs, language, or lifestyle.
– A single culture region can dominate an entire country.
– A single country may include more than one culture region within its
borders.
– A culture region may stretch across country borders.
• Often, culture regions are based on ethnic groups—groups of
people who share a common culture and ancestry.
• Cultural diversity is the state of having a variety of cultures in
the same area.
– Creates an interesting mix of ideas, behaviors, and practices
– Can sometimes lead to conflict
 Main Idea 3:
New ideas and events lead to changes in
culture.
How Cultures Change How Ideas Spread
• Innovations—new ideas • The spread of culture
or ways of doing traits from one region to
things—often bring another is called
about cultural changes. cultural diffusion.
• As societies come into – Occurs when people
contact with each other, move from one
cultures can change. place to another
– Takes place as new
ideas spread from
place to place
 Population

The Big Idea

Population studies are an important part of geography.

Main Ideas
• The study of population patterns helps geographers learn
about the world.
• Population statistics and trends are important measures of
population change.
 Main Idea 1:
The study of population patterns helps
geographers learn about the world.

• Population, or the total number of people in a given

area, determines a great deal about the place in which a
person lives.
– Influences business, transportation, schools, and more
• Geographers study human population
– Interested in patterns that emerge over time
– Study information such as how many people live in an area,
why people live where they do, and how populations change
 Population Patterns

Population Density Where People Live

• Population density—a • When an area is thinly
measure of the number of populated, it is often
people living in an area because the land does not
provide a very good life.
• High population density
areas – Rugged mountains
– Land more expensive – Harsh deserts
– Roads crowded – Polar regions
– Buildings taller • Areas with denser
populations tend to be
• Low population density regions with fertile soil,
areas reliable sources of water,
– More open spaces and a good agricultural
climate.
– Less traffic
– More available land
 Main Idea 2:
Population statistics and trends are
important measures of population change.
• Geographers examine three key statistics to learn about
population changes.
– Birthrate—the annual number of births per 1,000 people
– Death rate—the annual number of deaths per 1,000 people
– Rate of natural increase—the birthrate minus the death rate equals
the percentage of natural increase, or the rate at which a population
is changing.
• Population growth rates differ from one place to another.
– In some countries, populations are growing very slowly or even
shrinking.
– In most countries, populations are growing.
– In countries with growing populations, governments face many
challenges.
 Population Change

Migration World Population Trends

• Migration is the process • Earth’s population has

of moving from one place
to live in another.
• A common cause of
population change
• People migrate for many • Two important population
reasons.
– Some factors push
people to leave their
country.
– Some factors pull, or
attract, people to new
countries.
exploded in the last 200
years
– Better health care
– Improved food production
trends:
– Population growth in some
of the more industrialized
nations has begun to slow.
– Less industrialized nations
often have high growth
rates.
 Government and Economy

The Big Idea

The world’s countries have different governments and levels
of economic development.

Main Ideas
• The governments of the world include democracy,
monarchy, dictatorship, and communism.
• Different economic activities and systems exist throughout
the world.
• Geographers group the countries of the world based on
their level of economic development.
 Main Idea 1:
The governments of the world include
democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, and
communism.
• Governments:
– Make and enforce laws
– Regulate business and trade
– Provide aid to people
– Help shape the culture and economy of a country as well as the daily
lives of people who live there
• Many countries have democratic governments.
– A democracy is a form of government in which the people elect
leaders and rule by majority.
– Some work to protect the freedoms and rights of their people.
– Others restrict the rights and freedoms of their people.
 Other Types of Government
Monarchy Dictatorship Communism
• One of the • A single, • A political
oldest types of powerful ruler system in which
government has total the government
control. owns all
• Ruled directly property and
by a king or • Leader is called dominates all
queen, the a dictator. aspects of life
head of a royal in a country
family • Often rules by
force • Leaders are
• In some, power chosen by the
is in the hands • People have few
rights and no Communist
of just one Party or by
person. say in their own
government. Communist
• In others, many leaders.
democratic • People have
practices are restricted rights
used. and very little
freedom.
 Main Idea 2:
Different economic activities and systems
exist throughout the world.

• The economy is a system that includes all of the activities

that people and businesses do to earn a living.
• Countries use a mix of different economic activities and
systems.
• Geographers divide economic activities into four levels.
 Four Levels of Economic Activity
• People earn a living by providing raw materials or
Primary natural resources to others.
industry
• Examples include farming, fishing, and mining

• Use natural resources or raw materials to

Secondary manufacture other products
industry • Example: automobile manufacturers use steel and
other materials to build cars and trucks.

• Goods and services are exchanged

Tertiary • Includes people who sell the products made in
industry secondary industries and people who provide
services rather than goods, such as health care

• Involves the research and distribution of information

Quaternary
• People work with information rather than goods and
industry often have specialized knowledge and skills.
 Economic Systems
Traditional Market Command
Economy Economy Economy

• System in which • System based • System in which

people grow their on private the central
own food and ownership, free government
make their own trade, and makes all
goods competition economic
decisions
• Trade may take • Individuals and
place through businesses are • Government
barter, or the free to buy and decides what
exchange of sell what they goods to produce,
goods without the wish. how much to
use of money. produce, and
• Prices determined what prices will
• Often found in by the supply and be.
rural and remote demand for goods
communities • Communist
• Sometimes called governments own
capitalism and control most
businesses in
their countries.
 Main Idea 3:
Geographers group the countries of the world
based on their level of economic
development.
Economic Indicators
• Measures of a country’s wealth used by geographers to decide if a
country is developed or developing
• One measure used is gross domestic product (GDP)—the value of
all goods and services produced within a country in a single year.
• Other indicators include a country’s per capita GDP, level of
industrialization, and overall quality of life.

Developed and Developing Countries

• Developed countries have strong economies and a high quality of
life; usually have high per capita GDP
• Developing countries have less productive economies and a lower
quality of life; usually have lower per capita GDP
 Global Connections

The Big Idea

Fast, easy global connection have made cultural exchange,
trade, and a cooperative world community possible.

Main Ideas
• Globalization links the world’s countries together through
culture and trade.
• The world community works together to solve global
conflicts and crises.
 Main Idea 1:
Globalization links the world’s countries
together through culture and trade.
• Globalization is the process in which countries are increasingly
linked to each other through culture and trade.
– Caused by improvements in transportation and communication over
the last 100 years
• Popular culture refers to culture traits that are well known and
widely accepted.
– Examples include food, sports, music, and movies.
– United States has great influence on global popular culture and is
also influenced by global culture.
• Expansion of global trade has increased interdependence—the
reliance of one country on the resources, goods, or services of
another country—between countries.
– Many companies in one country often rely on goods and services
produced in another country.
 Main Idea 2:
The world community works together to
solve global conflicts and crises.

• Because of globalization, the world seems

smaller.
– Places are more connected.
– What happens in one part of the world can affect the
entire planet.
• The world community works together to
promote cooperation among countries in times
of conflict and crisis.
 A World Community

Countries often join together to settle conflicts such as wars,

trade disputes, and political disagreements.

The United Nations (UN) is an organization of the world’s

countries that promotes peace and security around the globe.

The world community promotes cooperation in times of crisis

such as ones caused by earthquakes, floods, and drought.

Groups from many nations often come together to provide

humanitarian aid, or assistance to people in distress.

Organizations representing countries around the globe work to

help in times of crisis.
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