Definitions: Carrying Capacity: The largest population that the resources of a given environment can support. Optimum Population: Theoretical state in which the number of people when working with all the available resources will produce the highest per capita economic return i.e. the highest standard of living. Quality of life will fall if population increases or decreases. This is dynamic as changes overtime e.g. (Age / Sex ratios, new findings and technology) Standard of living= Natural resources (minerals, energy soil etc) X Technology Population

Overpopulation: Too many people, relative to the resources and technology and locally available to obtain an adequate standard of living. e.g. Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India etc are said to be overpopulated due to insufficient food, minerals and energy resources to sustain populations. These countries often suffer from Natural disasters e.g. Drought and famine.

Underpopulation: Far too many resources in an area e.g. food, energy and minerals that can be used by the number of people living there. E.g. Canada’s total population is 30 million and it could double its population and still maintain its standard of living. Increased exports etc could increase its standard of living. Is there a correlation between pop density and over/under population.- Answer No Why? Is it related to GDP per capita? Answer NO- Why?

The balance within a country may also be uneven therefore there can be different levels of over, under population etc e.g. regional differences and National. The balance may also vary between different resources e.g. lots of energy but little food. Task: Read Waugh, page 376 and summarise the information in the case studies on Bangladesh and Canada.