| Glossary | Ch01 Ch02 Ch03 Ch04 Ch05 Ch06 Ch07 Ch08 Ch09 Ch10 Ch11 Ch12 Ch13 Ch14 |
| Chapter 5 | |
| age structure | Percentage of the population (or number of people of each sex) at each age level in a population. |
| birth rate | See crude birth rate. |
| city | Large group of people with a variety of specialized occupations who live in a specific area and depend on a flow of resources from other areas to meet most of their needs and wants. |
| crude birth rate | Annual number of live births per 1,000 people in the population of a geographic area at the midpoint of a given year. Compare crude death rate. |
| crude death rate | Annual number of deaths per 1,000 people in the population of a geographic area at the midpoint of a given year. Compare crude birth rate. |
| death rate | See crude death rate. |
| degree of urbanization | Percentage of the population in the world, or a country, living in areas with a population of more than 2,500 people (higher in some countries). Compare urban growth. |
| demographic transition | Hypothesis that countries, as they become industrialized, have declines in death rates followed by declines in birth rates. |
| doubling time | Time it takes (usually in years) for the quantity of something growing exponentially to double. It can be calculated by dividing the annual percentage growth rate into 70. See rule of 70. |
| ecological population density | Number of individuals of a population per unit area of habitat. Compare population density. |
| family planning | Providing information, clinical services, and contraceptives to help people choose the number and spacing of children they want to have. |
| gamma rays | Form of ionizing electromagnetic radiation with a high energy content emitted by some radioisotopes. They readily penetrate body tissues. See also alpha particle, beta particle. |
| immigration | Migration of people into a country or area to take up permanent residence. |
| infant mortality rate | Number of babies out of every 1,000 born each year that die before their first birthday. |
| intrinsic rate of increase (r) | Rate at which a population could grow if it had unlimited resources. Compare environmental resistance. |
| J-shaped curve | Curve with a shape similar to that of the letter J; can represent prolonged exponential growth. See exponential growth. |
| K-selected species | Species that produce a few, often fairly large offspring but invest a great deal of time and energy to ensure that most of those offspring reach reproductive age. Compare r-selected species. |
| kwashiorkor | Type of malnutrition that occurs in infants and very young children when they are weaned from mother's milk to a starchy diet low in protein. See marasmus, malnutrition. |
| life expectancy | Average number of years a newborn infant can be expected to live. |
| mass transit | Buses, trains, trolleys, and other forms of transportation that carry large numbers of people. |
| megacity | City with 10 million or more people. |
| metropolitan area | See urban area. |
| microclimates | Local climatic conditions that differ from the general climate of a region. Various topographic features of the earth's surface such as mountains and cities typically create them. |
| noise pollution | Any unwanted, disturbing, or harmful sound that (1) impairs or interferes with hearing, (2) causes stress, (3) hampers concentration and work efficiency, or (4) causes accidents. |
| population change | Increase or decrease in the size of a population. It is equal to (Births + Immigration) - (Deaths + Emigration). |
| population density | Number of organisms in a particular population found in a specified area or volume. |
| population distribution | Variation of population density over a particular geographic area. For example, a country has a high population density in its urban areas and a much lower population density in rural areas. |
| replacement-level fertility | Number of children a couple must have to replace them. The average for a country or the world usually is slightly higher than 2 children per couple (2.1 in the United States and 2.5 in some developing countries) because some children die before reaching their reproductive years. See also total fertility rate. |
| rule of 70 | Doubling time (in years) = 70/percentage growth rate. See doubling time, exponential growth. |
| rural area | Geographic area in the United States with a population of less than 2,500. The number of people used in this definition may vary in different countries. Compare urban area. |
| smart growth | Form of urban planning that recognizes urban growth will occur but uses zoning laws and an array of other tools to (1) prevent sprawl, (2) direct growth to certain areas, (3) protect ecologically sensitive and important lands and waterways, and (4) develop urban areas that are more environmentally sustainable and more enjoyable places to live. |
| total fertility rate (TFR) | Estimate of the average number of children who will be born alive to a woman during her lifetime if she passes through all her childbearing years (ages 15-44) conforming to age-specific fertility rates of a given year. In simpler terms, it is an estimate of the average number of children a woman will have during her childbearing years. |
| urban area | Geographic area with a population of 2,500 or more. The number of people used in this definition may vary, with some countries setting the minimum number of people at 10,000-50,000. |
| urban growth | Rate of growth of an urban population. Compare degree of urbanization. |
| urban heat island | Buildup of heat in the atmosphere above an urban area. The large concentration of cars, buildings, factories, and other heat-producing activities produces this heat. |
| urban sprawl | Growth of low-density development on the edges of cities and towns. See smart growth. |
| urbanization | See degree of urbanization. |
| village | Group of rural households linked together by custom, culture, and family ties, usually surviving by harvesting local natural resources for food, fuel, and other basic needs. Compare city. See rural area, urban area. |
| zero population growth (ZPG) | State in which the birth rate (plus immigration) equals the death rate (plus emigration) so the population of a geographic area is no longer increasing. |
| zoning | Regulating how various parcels of land can be used. |