GEOGRAPHY NOTES FOR FORM SIX – ALL TOPICS

THE BEST NATIONAL PARKS IN AFRICA FOR TOURISM

1.
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Located in Northern
Tanzania, Serengeti is one of the best national parks in Africa.
With untouched golden landscapes, ample wildlife, great wildebeest migration,
and more, Serengeti
National Park in Africa is how you
imagine it.

2.
Okavango Delta, Botswana

This delta in
north-west Botswana is one of the very few major interior delta systems that do
not flow into a sea or ocean, with a wetland system that is almost intact. The
delta is affected by seasonal flooding with flood water from Angola reaching
the Delta between March and June, peaking in July. This peak coincides with
Botswana’s dry season resulting in great migrations of game from the dry hinterland.
A UNESCO’s World Heritage Site since 2014, the delta is an oasis in an
otherwise dry environment the Okavango Delta. Protected by the Moremi Game
Reserve on its eastern edge, the delta is known for its superb wildlife
sightings and also houses some of Africa’s most exclusive
safari lodges.

3. Etosha National Park, Namibia

4. Kruger National Park, South Africa

Established
in 1898, Kruger is one of the largest national parks in Africa.
It boasts the African big five, which includes rhinos, lions, elephants,
leopards, and buffalos. Kruger National Park is popular among tourists as well
as locals. For travellers, the park has luxury safari lodges, self-driving
excursions, walking tours, and camping. Visitors can also explore unique archaeological
and historical sites within the park beside the wildlife spotting. Kruger
National Park is one of the most equipped African parks where the
webcams show live animal activities.

5. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Situated
in south-west Kenya, Maasai Mara (Masai Mara) is possibly the continent’s most
popular safari destination. It’s not a National Park, but rather a National
Reserve belonging to the Maasai people and administered by the local county
councils. Together with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, it forms
Africa’s most diverse, incredible and most spectacular eco-systems, hosting
over 95 species of mammals and over 570 recorded species of birds. The reserve
is especially famous for the high amount of predators, such as lions and
cheetah, and the 1.5 million wildebeest which migrate through the Mara and
cross the crocodile infested Mara river (from July to October).

IMPORTANCE OF WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION

1.
Release
suffering

Animal conservation can be important to relieve
suffering for animals because they are kept captive. Examples of this is
the use of elephants in South East Asia for tourism.
Likewise, the use of orangutans in Indonesia for boxing shows. In
addition to the suffering cause to the animals, these activities create sharp
population decline for the species.

2.
Maintain
Balance in the Ecosystem

On Earth, all living beings are interconnected to
each other. Whether a lion or a human, every organism plays a significant role
in the ecosystem. Wildlife conservation aims to maintain this interconnected
ecosystem between different species.

3.
Medicinal
Significance

Although plants are the primary source of
medications, some animals also play an essential role in the production of
medicines. Cobra venom, for instance, is a vital ingredient in leprosy
medications, and lobsters are used as anti-fungal treatments.

Taking
care of wildlife also entails taking care of their natural habitats,
such as trees and vegetation, which is critical for medicinal research and the
long-term viability of pharmaceutical industries.

4.
Biodiversity

Biodiversity is one important issue. Reduction in
numbers of one animal interrupts the eco system and the natural food chain, and
leads to the threat of other species.

 ………

Tourism

Tourism refers to the travel for recreation, leisure, religious, family, or business purposes, usually in a limited duration of time. Tourism involves travelling within the same country and between countries. Therefore, there are two categories of tourism, namely, domestic and international tourism

Domestic tourism involves travel within the same country. For example, when someone sets out from Dar es Salaam to Mikumi National Park to view wild animals, he or she is practicing domestic tourism

International tourism involves travelling from one country to another for leisure, business, education, etc. For example, many people travel from Europe and America to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, view the wild game in national parks, or visit cultural places such as the Amboni Caves, Kilwa historical ruins, and other interesting sites for leisure and refreshment. International tourism has both incoming and outgoing implications on a country’s economy

Factors Which have Contributed to the Development and Growth of Tourism in the World

Describe factors which have contributed to the development and growth of tourism in the world

1. Physical factors

Good climate and beautiful scenes are two physical factors that contribute to the growth of tourism in a country

Good climate: good climate is one of the most important features of attraction for any tourist place. A pleasant climate with warmth and ample sunshine attracts tourists who come from the temperate and colder regions. For example, most tourists from temperate countries visit Tanzania when it is winter in their home countries in order to enjoy the warm and favourable climate found in Tanzania. On the other hand, people from summer areas migrate to cooler regions to seek pleasure of coldness and fresh environment. Other countries such as Switzerland, Sweden, etc. have a cooler climate that attracts tropical tourists

Beautiful scenery: This refers to the appearance of particular landscape which constitutes beautiful and attractive features to look at. The size, slope, depth, height among other characteristics contributes to the beauty and attractiveness of particular physical features and the associated scenes. For example, sunrise and sunset points, long sea beaches, mountains, craters, lakes, canyons, deserts, waterfalls, etc., often attract large numbers of tourists.

2. Socio-economic factors
3. Accessibility: Of all socio-economic factors, accessibility is the most important one. All tourist centres must be easily accessible by various modes of transportation like roads, railways, air and water. To enjoy seeing nature’s beautiful sites, travelling by roads and railways is a better option. If a tourist plans to reach a remote tour-destination in the quickest possible time, then airway is the most suitable choice. Generally, waterways are seldom selected unless a tourist decides to enjoy a luxury travel experience in sea and/or interested to visit an isolated group of islands.
4. Accommodation: Places of tourists interest must be able to provide good accommodation and catering facilities. A type of accommodation required by tourists depends on their lifestyles, standard of living, capacity to spend money, nature of services expected, etc. Classification of accommodation centres (i.e. various hotels, motels, dormitories, lodges, cottages, etc.) on basis of rating, like five stars and below, is essential so that tourists can make a proper choice and plan their trips appropriately. Generally, tourism mostly prospers in those areas where good lodging and food facilities are available at reasonable prices.
5. Amenities: Growth of tourism at a particular place is also influenced by crucial factors such as how well the site is maintained for touring activities like skiing, roping, paragliding, rowing, fishing, surfing, safari adventure, etc and whether emergency facilities are available or not, and so forth.
6. Ancillary services: If a tour destination is equipped by ancillary (supplementary) services like banking and finance, the internet and telecom connectivity, hospitals, insurance, so on, then such a place succeeds to hold (retain) more tourists for a longer time. This helps to boost the local economy to some extent.
7. Political factors

Places or countries around the world which have peace, harmony and stability are liked by people to travel and visit. Tanzania is one the countries in the world whose political stability and culture peace and harmony contribute to the growth of its tourism industry. Tourists normally avoid areas with political problems such as civil wars. People travel less to countries affected with instability due to chaos such as war or terror attacks

Furthermore, Often, countries warn their citizens about visiting countries with political instability due to tribal wars, terror attacks, political unrest or other forms of instabilities and unrest. For example, after the September 11 terror attack on the US, the US government warned her citizens not to travel to certain destinations

Also, the government can influence growth of tourism industry by taking deliberate measures which include formulating policies that can encourage the development of the tourism industry in terms of budget allocation or financing as well as setting more favourable conditions which are not restrictive to visitors touring the country

4. Historical and cultural factors

Many tourists are attracted to places of historical significance and which have a legacy of rich cultural heritage. People love and enjoy exploring destinations where there are famous ancient monuments, marvellous forts, castles and palaces ruled by kings and queens in historical times, etc. Examples of places that are famous throughout the world for their historical and cultural accounts are Kilwa ruins in Tanzania, Fort Jesus in Kenya, Taj Mahal in India, Nazca lines and Machu Picchu in Peru, Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, Great Wall of China and Stonehenge in England.

Religious factors

Presence of places designated for religious purposes contribute to growth of tourism in the respective countries. People often make pilgrims to places of religious importance to seek inner peace, get the blessing of their favourite gods and spiritual leaders, attain salvation before death, etc. The faiths, beliefs and sentiments of people contribute to booming tourism at holy places. Examples of places that are well known for their religious significance are Jerusalem in Israel, Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, Varanasi and Amritsar in India, etc

Other factors

Adventures: Research activities and adventures of deep seas and caves, geological studies of hot-water springs and geysers, seismic analysis of active volcanoes, investigation of paranormal activities in abandoned spiritual towns, etc also contribute in developing tourism on some scale.

Marketing: Tourism is nowadays being advertised via various mass media so as to alert the potential tourists about the presence of tourists’ attractions present in a given country. Various adverts are made via TV, radio, posters, documentaries, etc. In this way, the organizations and individuals involved in the tourism industry are able to attract many visitors. This leads to development of the tourism industry.

Trained manpower: Availability of trained manpower encourages development and expansion of the industry. People are trained about hospitality and how to care for the tourists. Training is based on languages and communication skills, hotel management, tour guide, and any knowledge on handling of tourists. Decent hospitality in destination countries normally encourages the tourists to visit them frequently.

Importance of Tourism in the World

Explain the importance of tourism in the world

Tourism is important to the economy host country and the international community in a number of ways.

1. i. Source of employment Tourism creates jobs through direct employment within the tourism industry. It also indirectly creates jobs in other sectors whose goods or services relate with tourism industry. The other sectors related to tourism include retail and transportation, tour guiding, tour operation, hotel management and pottery. When tourists spend their wages on goods and services, it leads to what is known as “multiplier effect”, creating more jobs. The tourism industry also provides opportunities for small scale business enterprises which is especially important in rural communities and generates extra tax revenues such as airport and hotel taxes which can be used to improve social services such as education, health, and housing in the host country
2. Source of foreign exchange, Tourists pay for their services in foreign currency, which adds to the country’s stock of foreign currency. This in turn helps to stabilize the economy
3. Improvement of infrastructure, The establishment and growth of tourism as a condition and consequence leads to improvements of infrastructures which include the renovation of existing roads and construction of new ones, development of airstrips and airports, and improvement of communication facilities. All of these benefit the visitors as well as the local people. Additionally, the new leisure amenities that result from tourism also benefit the local communities
4. Promotes international relations, Tourism often involves the movement of people from one country to another. This movement of people promotes political, economic, and social relations between the countries. This is possible because through tourism people of different nationalities meet, share and exchange cultural views, values and norms
5. Source of government revenue, Tourism earns the countries of destination the revenue through various sources. The sources include fees into game parks and reserves, taxes charged on various tourism services offered, and visa fees. The revenues and income obtained can be invested in improvement of social services
6. Conservation of wildlife and environment and protection of historical sites, Tourism by nature mainly depends on existence of wildlife and historical sites. Therefore, development and sustainability of tourism in practice are incentive aspects for host countries to take measures for conservation of wildlife and natural vegetation. These in turn lead to conservation of soil and catchment areas
7. Economic use of marginal lands, Tourism enables the marginal unproductive land to be used for economic development rather than staying idle. For example, national parks with wildlife which serve as tourist attractions occupy lands which are unproductive for crop growing and livestock keeping.
8. Preservation of culture Tourism involves also depends on presence of traditional customs, handicraft, and festivals in particular localities and communities. Therefore, there is a need to improve and sustain tourism in a way that can be an incentive for the host countries to preserve their culture. Interactions between hosts and tourists create a better understanding of particular cultures that exist in the world. This in turn leads to spread and adoption of particular culture worldwide

Impact of Tourism in the World

Identify impact of tourism in the world

Tourism can cause both positive and negative impacts in developed and developing countries. Tourism when is carefully managed can lead to a number of positive impacts

Positive impacts of tourism

1. As explained early, tourism has led to creation of job opportunities. Many people have been employed in the tourist sector, a fact which has helped improve their quality of life.
2. It has led to development of infrastructure in host countries. In Tanzania, for example, roads to national parks such as Serengeti National Park have been improved. And also airstrips have been constructed in many national parks so as to facilitate the transport of tourists to and from the parks.
3. It brings together people of different colours, cultures and religions. This leads to interaction of cultures, especially the awareness of other people’s values and belief which may be different from others. The outcome is realization of peace and harmony among different religions and culture.
4. It leads to job creation in rural areas, thereby reducing rural-urban migration. This has led to reduction of population pressure and its associated effects in urban areas. In some cases, people move from urban to rural areas to engage in tourism activities.
5. It has led to diversification of economies of countries involved in the sector. For example, tourism is now earring more revenue than agriculture and other sectors of the economy in Tanzania.
6. Tourism has enabled sustainable conservation of wildlife and the environment and preservation of cultural heritage and historical sites.
7. It earns the destination countries the much needed foreign exchange. For example, Tanzania’s economic growth is highly boosted by her flourishing tourism industry.

Negative impact of tourism

1. Visitor behaviour can have adverse effects on the quality of life of the host community. For example, overcrowding and congestion, drug and alcohol problems, prostitution, and increased levels of crime can occur in areas where tourism takes place. There has been a marked increase in crime in areas frequently visited by tourists as these areas attract thieves who steal tourists’ and hosts’ properties as well as engaging in their illicit drug and other illegal businesses.
2. Tourism can even infringe on human rights with locals being displaced from their land to make way for new hotels or barred from beaches. Interaction with tourists can also lead to erosion of traditional cultures and values.
3. Tourism poses a threat to natural and cultural resources such as water supply, beaches, coral reefs and heritage sites through overuse. It also causes increased pollution through traffic emissions, littering, increased sewage production and noise.
4. Successful tourism relies on establishing basic infrastructures such as roads, visitor centres and hotels. The cost of this usually falls on the government, so it has to come out of tax revenues that could otherwise be directed towards improvement of social services.
5. Jobs created by tourism are often seasonal and poorly paid, yet tourism can push up local property prices and the cost of goods and services. Much as this has benefited the traders, the goods have become unaffordable to the locals.
6. Money generated by tourism does not always benefit the local community as some of it leaks out to huge international companies such as hotel chains.
7. Destinations depending on tourism can be adversely affected by events such as terrorism, natural disasters and economic recession. This may become a problem if the tourism sector is negatively affected. The governments and the local communities will be deprived of the foreign exchange leading to a drop in economic growth and hence the quality of life.

Ways of Addressing the Negative Impact of Tourism

State ways of addressing the negative impact of tourism

Ways of addressing negative impact of tourism include:

1. Formulation and enforcement of policies and laws to ensure the revenue obtained from tourism benefits the local community and the government in general
2. Extreme unacceptable behaviours and lifestyles which contradict the culture and traditions of the host communities must be restricted. For example, tourists can be sensitized on the behaviours or lifestyles that are considered extremely unacceptable in the host country and communities around tourist centres
3. The countries and local communities that significantly depend on tourism industry need to diversify revenue sources such that when the tourism industry collapses, they do not suffer economic difficulties
4. Tourists need to be required to appropriately dispose litter and be provided with facilities for disposing litter and other wastes. Additionally, putting restrictions on excessive number of vehicles to prevent air and noise pollution in tourist centres
5. The laws, rules and regulations should be enacted and enforced to combat criminal incidences, child labour and human trafficking, drug abuse, and prostitution
6. New tourist attractions should be established and developed so as to reduce the pressure exerted to already established tourist attractions
7. Formulating policies and procedures to engage the local people more in tourism activities so that they benefit from conserving tourist attractions like wildlife conservation areas
8. Integrating tourist activities with the protection of the environmental condition through the ecotourism approach.

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The Importance of Studying Population

Explain the importance of studying population

With the majority of developing countries facing population explosion, the study of population and its problems has become very important in every sphere of an economy. The study of human population, especially with respect to statistical data, is called demography. Importances of demography include the following:

1. The study of demography is of immense importance to an economy. Population studies help us to know how far the growth rate of the economy is keeping pace with the growth rate of population. If population is increasing at a faster rate, the pace of development of the economy will be slow. The government can undertake appropriate measures to control the growth of population and to accelerate the development of the economy.Rapid population growth reduces per capita income, lowers the standard of living, leads to unemployment and under employment, brings environmental damage and puts a burden on existing social infrastructure. Population studies highlight these problems of the economy to be solved by the government.
2. Population studies are important for the society. When population is increasing rapidly, shortages of social services like water, electricity, transport and communications, public health, education, etc. arise.Along with these, problems of migration and urbanisation are associated with the growing population which further lead to law and order problem. Faced with such problems which are the associated result of population growth, the state and non-governmental organisations can adopt appropriate measures to solve them.For example, by knowing the number of children in each age group, the government will have an idea about how many school chances will be needed each year and how many extra teachers need to be trained. Also, by knowing the total number of people in the country and in each region, the government can plan in advance for the provision of healthcare and security. For example, in 2012 the ratio of physician density (physician per 1,000 people) in Tanzania was reported at 0.031. This means 31,000 people per physician (doctor). In practice, the ratio shows that there is need to train more doctors to attend the ever-increasing population.
3. Data relating to the present trend in population growth help the planners in formulating policies for the economic plan of the country. Population data are also used by the planners to project future trends in fertility and to formulate policy measures to control the birth rate.
4. Population studies are also useful for administrators who run the government. In under-developed countries, almost all social and economic problems are associated with the growth of population. The administrators have to tackle and find solutions to the problems arising from the growth of population.
5. When the size of population is increasing, the demand for housing is also increasing. Therefore data collected about fertility, mortality, migration, urbanization and family formation gives basis for the estimation of housing planning.
6. The knowledge of demography is of immense importance for a democratic political system. It is on the basis of the census figures pertaining to different areas that the demarcation of constituencies is done by the electoral commission. The addition to the number of voters after each election helps to find out how many have migrated from other places and regions of the country.Political parties are able to find out from the census data the number of male and female voters, their level of education, their age structure, their level of earning, etc. On this basis, political parties can raise issues and promise solutions in their election manifestos at the time of elections.Furthermore, it is on the basis of male and female voters in an area that the election commission establishes election booths for voters and appoints the election staff.

Population Distribution

Population distribution refers to the way people are spread out on land. People do not occupy or inhabit all the land. This is due to unfavourable conditions such as steep slopes, bare rock surfaces, aridity, extreme temperatures, water bodies, dense vegetation, and disease vectors, among others. This explains why some places have many people while others have few or none.

Population distribution can be described as uneven when people appear to be spread out uniformly all over the area or uneven where some places have many people while others have few people.

Places which are sparsely populated contain few people while places which are densely populated contain many people. Sparsely populated places tend to be difficult places to live. These are usually places with hostile environments e.g. most parts of central Tanzania which covers Singida, Dodoma and some parts of Tabora regions. Places which are densely populated have habitable environments e.g. the southern highlands, consisting of Mbeya and Iringa regions.

In terms of density, the distribution can be described as dense where a high number of people live in one place. If the number is very high, the distribution is described as very dense. Where people appear to be many but not to the extent of being described as dense, the distribution can be described as moderate.

Factors Governing Human Population Distribution

Describe factors governing human population distribution

The distribution of population in the surface of the earth is not uniform due to many factors. These factors can be classified into four main groups, namely physical, historical, economical and political factors.

PHYSICAL FACTORS

Physical factors that affect population distribution include relief, climate, soils, vegetation, drainage, pests and diseases and water bodies.

Relief

High altitude in general is not suitable for human settlement due to extremely low temperatures, reduced atmospheric pressure and low oxygen content. Therefore, very few permanent settlements can be seen in the high mountains at a height above 5,000 metres. The vertical distribution of population on the slopes of high mountains like Mount Kilimanjaro has shown that both numbers and densities decline with increasing altitude.

Most crops do not grow well beyond an attitude of 2500 m. However, some communities choose to live in the mountain areas for security reasons.

Rugged and undulating topography restricts human settlements in any area because of the difficulty of erecting buildings in such areas. Construction of roads, railways and other transportation infrastructures is also difficult. Crop cultivation is difficult because of soil erosion, soil creep, and landslides.

Human settlement is usually confined to the areas marked with gentle and relatively flat topography. Such areas are normally highly populated because of the easiness of setting up settlements and transportation infrastructures, and undertaking farming activities. The East African plateau is densely populated because of a flat terrain, high rainfall and favourable climate. However, places that are extremely flat are sparsely populated because of poor drainage and possibility of water logging and frequent floods.

When it comes to aspect, sun-facing slopes provide favourable locations for the emergence and growth of settlements. This is particularly true in the temperate and other high latitude areas where insolation is very important.

Climate

Of all the physical influences on population distribution, climatic conditions are perhaps the most important. Climate affects population distribution both directly as well as indirectly through its effects on soil, vegetation and agriculture.

Temperature and rainfall are the two main influential climatic elements that play a significant role in human population distribution. Though people have a tendency to adapt to moderate variations in temperature, they are highly affected by extreme temperatures. In the Northern Hemisphere, extreme cold conditions in the high latitude areas have prevented human habitation. Likewise, extremely high temperature and aridity in the hot deserts, and arid and semi-arid areas of the world restrict human habitability. These areas do not support agriculture and they have few water sources. That is why most deserts and arid regions are sparsely populated.

Rainfall and humidity certainly limit the concentration of population in any part of the Earth. Places receiving rainfall of over 1000 mm are densely populated.

Soils

The quality of soils has a great influence on the distribution of world population. The fertile alluvial and deltaic soils can support dense populations. Thus, most of the major concentrations of populations in the world are located in the river valleys and deltas where people engage in farming.

On the other hand, the soils which are very poor in terms of fertility can support only a small population because they are agriculturally unproductive.

Vegetation

Dense forests are sparsely populated. It is difficult to develop transport and communication infrastructures in such areas. They are also habitats for wild animals which may be dangerous to humans, livestock and crops. Areas such as Miombo woodlands of Tanzania are infested with tsetse flies which are a threat to people and livestock. This has discouraged settlement in such areas.

Drainage

Well drained areas attract settlement and hence have high populations. Swampy places and areas with seasonal swamps are normally uninhabited. Such places do not attract settlement or farming. People avoid settling in areas that are prone to flooding.

Swampy areas and those that drain poorly are often avoided because of the difficulties in erecting buildings. Worse still, swamps are breeding grounds for mosquitoes which spread malaria.

Pests and diseases

Areas infested with pests and diseases are sparsely populated. Pests harbour and/or carry disease germs. For examples, mosquitoes and tsetse flies are common pests in the tropics and areas infested with these pests have very few people living there. Apart from the nuisance they cause to humans and livestock through biting, tsetse flies spread trypanosomes that cause nagana to livestock and sleeping sickness to humans, and mosquitoes spread malaria.

Water bodies

Availability of water plays a significant role in determining the population of a given area. Water is the basic necessity for several purposes including use for irrigation and transport, and in industries and homes. Rivers are the greatest source of fresh potable water. Therefore, most of the population is concentrated in the river valleys.

ECONOMIC FACTORS

Population distribution and density in an area depends to a large extent on the type and scale of economic activities. Location of mineral and energy resources has led to dense population concentration in many parts of the world, which otherwise do not provide suitable conditions for human habitation. Large towns have grown up in inaccessible and extremely inhospitable areas such as deserts, polar regions or in the midst of forests where precious minerals and metals have been found.

Mining centres, no matter how remote they may be in a country, always attract a large population. For example, diamond mining in Mwadui in Tanzania has led to population growth, which has kept increasing since the mine was established in 1940 by Dr. John Williamson, a Canadian geologist. Economic activities resulting from exploitation of natural resources like minerals attract a large population of job-seekers and service providers.

Trade activities influence an area to be highly populated. For example, people move and settle near established transport routes such as roads and railways.

The establishment of towns and industries attract human settlements for similar reasons as mining. This accounts for the large population in the major towns of East Africa.

Human population is usually low in areas with few or no industries, or trade opportunities.

HISTORICAL FACTORS

Historical events may also be responsible for low population densities in some areas. In the 18^th Century, many parts of the East, Central and West Africa were affected by slave trade. Strong young men and women were captured and sold as slaves to work in farms in the West Indies and America. Some were taken as slaves to the Arab world. Meanwhile, other people ran away to avoid being captured and never returned to their homeland. This reduced population in the deserted areas.

During the colonial period, European settlers forced the indigenous people to move from fertile lands where they established commercial farming. The indigenous inhabitants were sent to African reserves where they settled. Thus, the European farmlands became sparsely populated while the reserves experienced a high population density. The population distribution situation has remained almost the same hitherto.

POLITICAL FACTORS

Political unrest, such as civil wars, in many parts of the world has caused migration from certain areas. Wars have forced a great number of people to migrate from one region to another all over the world. Between 1971 and 1979 many Ugandans ran away from their homeland to other parts of the country or into neighbouring countries to avoid political persecution during the reign of dictator Idi Amin. Many people from Southern Sudan and Somalia have sought refugee status in Kenya in recent years because of political instability in their respective countries.

Tribal conflicts and war have led to some places becoming sparsely populated as people seeking safety shift from war-torn places

Some government programmes may require the removal of people from certain areas in order to settle them in new areas, for example, during the construction of large dams or roads. This cause formerly inhabited areas to become sparsely populated while new settlements experience an increase in population.

National parks and forest reserves are areas that are controlled by the government. Human occupation of such areas is therefore prohibited. These areas are sparsely populated with the only people living there being workers and, in some isolated cases, illegal squatters.

During the more recent times, government policies have emerged as an important determinant of population patterns. With increasing state control over economic activities, government policies have led to a significant change in the patterns of population distribution in several parts of the world.

In Tanzania, for example, villagilisation policy of 1974 forced people to relocated to Ujamaa villages where they accessed social services like education, healthcare and security, among other services on communal basis. As a result, rural population was concentrated in villages where the population got higher while the other sparsely populated rural land was reserved for farming.

SOCIAL FACTORS

Availability of social services such as education, transport and healthcare which are normally abundant in urban areas, determines population distribution. People tend to live in places with ease access to these services than areas with less or no social services. Areas with adequate services are normally highly populated while those with poor or less services have a low population density. That is why urban areas are densely populated while rural areas are sparsely populated.