geo 215 – Population Worksheet

Look in recent news  or in historical context for one ethnic, racial, or religious population that was motivated to migrate due to conflict

The Holocaust resulted in the deaths of some estimated six million Jews, excluding other victims of non-Jewish origin who were also targeted by the Nazist regime. For example, the homosexuals who were also killed in mass numbers (Bergen, 2009). The decimation of the Jewish population was orchestrated in a series of carefully planned stages. Jews would be rounded up and taken into concentration camps where mass murders would take place, or to gas chambers which were specifically designed to kill them. Although the Jews tried to form an armed resistance against the Nazis, they were outweighed in all many ways. For instance, the Nazis far outnumbered the Jews and had better assortment of weapons compared to the Jews.

In 1945, the Nazi regime encountered heavy resistance from the Soviet Union and American troops. This marked the liberation of surviving Jews, who were traumatized and suffered from starvation. Jewish survivors feared the prospect of returning to their homes due to the strong hatred directed against them in Europe, and the bad experiences they had underwent. As such, the liberated Jews sought refuge in friendly countries but only as refugees.

The refugees received aid from France, Great Britain, the U.S., and other countries that were willing to help. Nonetheless, a permanent solution needed to be found to solve the refugee problem which had been created. The Jews soon begun efforts to move to countries such as Palestime which were met with resistance. With the birth of a new state called Israel, majority of the Jews migrated  and settled in the new state. In 1948, the U.S. passed the Displaced Persons Act granting the Jew refugees visas to work and live in the U.S. Other Jews moved to countries such as western Europe, Canada, South Africa, Mexico and South America.

Describe a  situation or scenario that may make a population split up or migrate to different parts of the world

War is an example of a push factor in the migration process. War pushes people from their local environments to foreign countries in search of peace. People are attracted to areas where there is peace and chances of employment opportunities. War often leads to permanent displacement of people from their homes. When such a scenario occurs, the displaced persons may try to look for new places of residence. Disagreements may arise as to the best place to move in to. Such disagreements may also cause populations to split or migrate to different parts of the world. Strong disagreements can thus lead to splits of the population with each faction moving to a new country of its choice.

In Syria for instance, many people have been forced to flee from their homes to different parts of the world. Syrian refugees are currently scattered in in most European countries. Such splits in population has been caused by factors which are beyong the control of the refugees. As the conditions in Syria deteriorated, the residents moved out at different times in search of peace. Again, it is not all Syrians who left their homes. Some opted to be left behind probably with the hope that things would soon fall in place. Those who moved out also split in different directions. As a result, Syrian refugees can now be found in different parts of the world especially in Europe and the U.S.

Chose a metropolis or growing city. What does this specific city need to do in order to survive? What challenges will the urban society need to meet in the next 5 years? What innovations have they achieved to help with their growing population?

China’s urban society must address a number of issues in the next five years. Even though a large number of the population (62%) still live in rural areas, the rate of immigration is quite high, creating pressure on the existing infrastructure (“CIA Factbook,” 2014). The urban society must thus address issues related to housing, transportation and improvement of the existing social emenities such as hospitals and schools. The urban society must also address issues to with with environmental pollution. Air pollution is currently at its highest in the urban areas. Acid rain has also destroyed most parts of the country. Other environmental concerns include water pollution and soil pollution.

China must turn to clean sources of energy to meet its high energy demands driven by manufacturing actitivities and high population. Currently, China depends on fossil fuels as the main source of energy. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal has significantly contributed to air pollution in the country, making it one of the most air-polluted country in the world. A red alert has already been issued due to the critical air-pollution situation in China.

In order to help with their growing population, the Chinese have developed a number of innovations. Key among these innovations is the use of high speed trains to solve the transportation crisis. High speed trains enable fast and reliable movement of the masses at affordable prices to and from work. The Chinese are also renown for their architectural prowess. They have managed to build modern skycrappers which help house the large population. Their advanced building technology has helped solve a housing crisis which would result due to the high population density.