ABSTRACT
This chapter identifies the major countries on a map of the world. It explains why many people believe population growth is a problem, explores state the Malthusian theory and also explains how technology can affect its predictions. The chapter describes how culture and environment interact and shows how geography, population, culture, and the natural environment interact—and affect the ecological balance. It discusses culture, the glue that holds society together and looks at society from three slightly different perspectives—geographic, demographic, and ecological—discussing each in terms of its interrelationships with culture. In 1988, the National Geographic Society commissioned a study called “Geography: An International Gallup Survey.” Geography considers questions such as why cities are located where they are, how the environment shapes society’s culture, and why some areas develop while others. Geography and demography come together in a consideration of environmental issues and ecology.
