Population Distribution

I. Population and economic development patterns

1. Physical and human factors affecting population distribution at the local scale

2. Global patterns and classification of economic development

   • low-income countries

   • middle-income and emerging economies

   • high-income countries

3. Population distribution and economic development at the national scale, including voluntary internal migration, core-periphery patterns, and megacity growth

II. Changing populations and places

1. Population change and demographic transition over time, including natural increase, fertility rate, life expectancy, population structure, and dependency ratios

2. The consequences of megacity growth for individuals and societies

3. The causes and consequences of forced migration and internal displacement

III. Challenge and opportunities

1. Global and regional/continental trends in family size, sex ratios, and ageing/greying

2. Policies associated with managing population change, focusing on:

   • policies related to ageing societies

   • pro-natalist or anti-natalist policies

   • gender equality policies and anti-trafficking policies

3. The demographic dividend and the ways in which population could be considered a resource when contemplating possible futures