Human Systems - CXC/CSEC Geography

This comprehensive lesson covers the Human Systems component of the CXC/CSEC Geography syllabus for 2024-2025. Human systems geography examines how people organize themselves in space and interact with their environment through settlement patterns, economic activities, and cultural practices.

1. Population Studies

1.1 Population Distribution and Density

Population distribution refers to how people are spread across the Earth's surface, while population density measures the number of people per unit area (usually per square kilometer).

Population Density Legend Low Density Medium Density High Density
Figure 1: Representation of Population Density Variations

1.2 Factors Affecting Population Distribution

1.3 Population Growth and Change

Population change is determined by the relationship between births, deaths, and migration.

Time/Economic Development Rate (%) Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Birth Rate Death Rate Population Growth
Figure 2: The Demographic Transition Model

1.4 Migration

Migration is the movement of people from one location to another with the intention of settling temporarily or permanently in the new location.

Push Factors Pull Factors
Unemployment/lack of opportunities Job opportunities
Political instability/war Political stability/safety
Natural disasters Better climate
Poverty Higher standard of living
Poor healthcare/education Better social services
Persecution/discrimination Freedom/tolerance

Caribbean Context: The Caribbean has experienced significant migration patterns, including rural to urban migration and emigration to countries like the USA, Canada, and the UK. This has resulted in brain drain but also financial benefits through remittances.

2. Settlement Studies

2.1 Settlement Types and Patterns

Settlements can be classified based on their size, function, and spatial arrangement.

Nucleated Dispersed Linear
Figure 3: Common Settlement Patterns

2.2 Urban Settlements and Urbanization

Urbanization is the process by which an increasing proportion of a country's population comes to live in towns and cities.

Concentric Zone Model Sector Model Multiple Nuclei Model
Figure 4: Urban Growth Models

2.3 Urban Issues and Solutions

Urban areas face numerous challenges that require sustainable planning and management.

Caribbean Context: Caribbean urban centers like Kingston, Bridgetown, and Port of Spain face challenges including squatter settlements, traffic congestion, and environmental degradation. Solutions include upgrading informal settlements, improving public transportation, and implementing waste management programs.

3. Economic Activities

3.1 Classification of Economic Activities

Economic activities are typically classified into sectors based on the nature of the goods or services produced.

Primary Secondary Tertiary Quaternary Quinary Primary Sector Secondary Sector Tertiary Sector Quaternary Sector Quinary Sector
Figure 5: Economic Sectors

3.2 Agricultural Systems

Agricultural systems vary greatly around the world based on scale, intensity, technology, and purpose.

Caribbean Context: The Caribbean has a history of plantation agriculture (sugar, bananas) but now has a mix of subsistence farming and commercial agriculture. Challenges include land fragmentation, natural hazards, limited technology, and competition from imports.

3.3 Manufacturing and Industry

Manufacturing involves the processing of raw materials into finished goods, ranging from small-scale cottage industries to large factories.

3.4 Tourism

Tourism is a major tertiary industry involving travel for leisure, business, or other purposes, staying away from one's usual environment.

Caribbean Context: Tourism is a major economic sector in the Caribbean, with many islands heavily dependent on it. While it brings significant benefits like foreign exchange earnings and employment, challenges include environmental degradation, seasonality, leakage of profits, and vulnerability to external shocks like hurricanes and global economic downturns.

3.5 Transportation and Trade

Transportation networks and trade patterns are vital components of human systems, connecting regions and facilitating the movement of goods, people, and ideas.

Air Routes Shipping Routes Land Transport Global Trade and Transport Networks
Figure 6: Simplified Global Trade and Transport Networks

4. Resource Development and Management

4.1 Natural Resources

Natural resources are materials or substances that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain.

4.2 Energy Resources

Energy resources are used to generate power for human activities and are crucial for economic development.

Coal Oil Natural Gas Nuclear Hydro Renewables Biomass Other Global Energy Mix
Figure 7: Representation of Global Energy Mix

4.3 Sustainable Resource Management

Sustainable resource management involves using resources in a way that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Caribbean Context: The Caribbean faces unique resource management challenges including water scarcity, vulnerability to climate change, and limited land resources. Sustainable initiatives include renewable energy projects (wind farms in Jamaica, geothermal in Dominica), marine protected areas, and community-based resource management programs.

5. Development Studies

5.1 Measuring Development

Development refers to the process of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of a nation's people.

Development Indicator High-Income Countries Middle-Income Countries Low-Income Countries
GDP per capita $12,000+ $1,000-$12,000 Less than $1,000
Life expectancy 75+ years 65-75 years Less than 65 years
Literacy rate 95%+ 70-95% Less than 70%
Infant mortality (per 1000) Less than 10 10-50 More than 50
HDI 0.8+ 0.5-0.8 Less than 0.5

5.2 Development Models and Theories

Various theories have been proposed to explain why some countries develop faster than others and how development occurs.

5.3 Development Issues and Strategies

Development challenges vary by region but often include poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation.

Caribbean Context: Caribbean nations face development challenges including vulnerability to natural disasters, small domestic markets, dependence on a few sectors (tourism, agriculture), and high public debt. Development strategies include regional integration through CARICOM, diversification of economies, sustainable tourism development, and climate resilience initiatives.

6. Glossary of Key Terms

Agglomeration: The clustering of similar or related activities in a location to gain advantages like shared services and knowledge exchange.
Birth Rate: The number of live births per 1,000 people per year.
Brain Drain: The emigration of highly trained or qualified people from a country, resulting in a loss of skills and knowledge.
Carrying Capacity: The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely.
Central Business District (CBD): The commercial and business center of a city or urban area.
Counterurbanization: The movement of people from urban to rural areas.
Death Rate: The number of deaths per 1,000 people per year.
Demographic Transition Model: A model showing population changes as a society develops through various stages.
Dependency Ratio: The ratio of the dependent population (children and elderly) to the working-age population.
Ecotourism: Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.
Food Security: The condition where all people have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.
Gentrification: The process of changing an area through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses.
Globalization: The increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of world economies, cultures, and populations.
Green Revolution: The increase in agricultural production through the use of new technologies, fertilizers, and high-yielding crop varieties.
Hierarchy of Settlements: The arrangement of settlements in order of size and function, from hamlets to megacities.
Human Development Index (HDI): A composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and income per capita indicators.
Infant Mortality Rate: The number of deaths of infants under one year old per 1,000 live births.
Internal Migration: The movement of people within a country.
International Migration: The movement of people across international boundaries.
Land Degradation: The reduction in the capacity of land to provide ecosystem goods and services.
Life Expectancy: The average number of years a person is expected to live.
Migration: The movement of people from one place to another with the intention of settling temporarily or permanently.
Natural Increase: The difference between birth rate and death rate.
Non-renewable Resources: Resources that cannot be readily replaced by natural means on a level equal to consumption.
Optimal Location Theory: The theory that seeks to explain the location of economic activities to maximize profits.
Population Density: The number of people per unit area.
Population Distribution: The pattern of where people live.
Population Pyramid: A graphical illustration showing the age and sex distribution of a population.
Push and Pull Factors: Forces that drive people away from a place (push) and draw them to a new location (pull).
Quaternary Sector: The knowledge-based part of the economy including information services, research, and development.
Renewable Resources: Resources that can be replenished naturally over time.
Rural-Urban Migration: The movement of people from rural to urban areas.
Secondary Sector: The manufacturing and industry sector of the economy.
Settlement Hierarchy: The ranking of settlements based on their size and functions.
Sphere of Influence: The area served by a settlement.
Suburbanization: The growth of settlements on the outskirts of cities.
Sustainable Development: Development that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Tertiary Sector: The service sector of the economy.
Total Fertility Rate (TFR): The average number of children a woman would have in her lifetime if current age-specific fertility rates remained constant.
Urbanization: The increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas.

7. Self-Assessment Questions

1. What is the difference between population distribution and population density? How are they measured?
Population distribution refers to how people are spread across the Earth's surface (the pattern of where people live), while population density measures the number of people per unit area, usually per square kilometer (population ÷ area). Population distribution is typically represented on maps using dots or shading, while population density is expressed as a numerical value (e.g., 250 people per km²).
2. Explain the Demographic Transition Model and identify which stage most Caribbean countries are currently in.
The Demographic Transition Model (DTM) is a five-stage model showing population changes as a society develops:
- Stage 1: High birth rates and high death rates (stable, low population)
- Stage 2: High birth rates but declining death rates (rapid population growth)
- Stage 3: Declining birth rates and low death rates (moderate population growth)
- Stage 4: Low birth rates and low death rates (stable, aging population)
- Stage 5: Birth rates below death rates (population decline)

Most Caribbean countries are in Stage 3 or transitioning to Stage 4 of the DTM, with declining birth rates, low death rates, and slowing population growth. Countries like Barbados and Cuba are further along in this transition than others.
3. Describe three push factors and three pull factors that influence migration in the Caribbean region.
Push factors in the Caribbean:
1. Limited employment opportunities and high unemployment rates
2. Natural disasters such as hurricanes and volcanic eruptions
3. Lower wages and standard of living compared to developed countries

Pull factors attracting Caribbean migrants:
1. Better employment opportunities and higher wages in destination countries
2. Educational opportunities, especially tertiary education
3. Established diaspora communities providing social networks and support
4. Compare and contrast the three main urban growth models (Concentric Zone, Sector, and Multiple Nuclei).
Concentric Zone Model (Burgess): Consists of circular zones around the CBD with similar land uses in each ring; based on bid-rent theory where land value decreases with distance from the center; assumes uniform terrain and equal accessibility.

Sector Model (Hoyt): City grows in wedge-shaped sectors along transport routes; similar land uses develop in sectors radiating from the CBD; takes into account the influence of transportation networks.

Multiple Nuclei Model (Harris and Ullman): Cities develop around several centers of activity rather than just one CBD; each center specializes in different functions; more realistic for modern cities with complex structures.

Key differences: The Concentric model is simplistic and based on distance from center, the Sector model emphasizes transport corridors, and the Multiple Nuclei model recognizes multiple growth centers. Most modern cities show elements of all three models.
5. Identify and explain three major issues faced by urban areas in the Caribbean and suggest appropriate solutions.
Issue 1: Informal settlements/squatter areas
- Characterized by poor housing quality, lack of services, and insecure land tenure
- Solutions: Upgrading programs providing basic services, regularization of land tenure, community involvement in planning, affordable housing initiatives

Issue 2: Traffic congestion
- Results from poor planning, inadequate public transport, and increasing car ownership
- Solutions: Improved public transportation systems, park-and-ride facilities, congestion charges, road infrastructure improvements, promotion of alternative transport

Issue 3: Environmental degradation
- Includes water pollution, improper waste disposal, and loss of green spaces
- Solutions: Wastewater treatment facilities, solid waste management programs, protection of green spaces, environmental regulations, public education campaigns
6. Describe the economic sectors (primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, quinary) and explain how the relative importance of these sectors changes as a country develops.
7. What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources, and give three examples of each?
8. Explain the concept of carrying capacity and how it relates to sustainable development.
9. Describe three environmental impacts of urbanization.
10. What are the main causes and consequences of deforestation?
11. Compare and contrast mitigation and adaptation strategies for climate change.
12. Explain how the Green Revolution impacted agricultural productivity and the environment.