Understanding Demographics
Demography is the study of characteristics and statistics of human population. It can provide insights into the cause and effect of disease, technology, migration, and new interactions on a given population. Examine the following charts and then answer the questions below: Snapshot: Paleolithic Era in Perspective; Snapshot: World Population during the Age of Agricultural Civilization; and Snapshot: Continental Population in the Second-Wave Era.
Looking at the Snapshot: Paleolithic Era in Persective, which era had the longest duration? Which era had the greatest percentage of humans? What assumption can be made about the shift in numbers showing the percent of years lived in each era?
Next, consider the Snapshot: World Population During the Age of Agricultural Civlization. What factors might account for the occasional dips in population?
Finally, evaluate the Snapshot: Continental Population in the Second-Wave Era. In the era from 400 B.C.E. to 1000 C.E., which two regions had the most consistent numbers and percentages of population? Which region consistently had the largest percentage of the global population? Which two regions doubled in population?