Why does the northeast have the highest population density

Photograph by Jodi Cobb. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Census Bureau: Population Estimates.

Learning Objectives Students will: create a thematic map showing population density in the United States describe the patterns on the thematic map and the reasons for them compare two thematic maps and recognize relationships between different layers of information. Teaching Approach Learning-for-use. Teaching Methods Discussions Hands-on learning. Connections to National Standards, Principles, and Practices National Council for Social Studies Curriculum Standards Theme 3 : People, Places, and Environments National Geography Standards Standard 1 : How to use maps and other geographic representations, geospatial technologies, and spatial thinking to understand and communicate information Standard 12 : The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement Standard 3 : How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth's surface.

Resources Provided The resources are also available at the top of the page. Background Information Geographers use maps to convey information to others. Prior Knowledge None.

Recommended Prior Activities None. Vocabulary population density. Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit.

Media If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Text Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Interactives Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Related Resources. Human Population. View Collection. Population Characteristics. MapMaker: Population Density. View Map. Calculating Population Density. View Activity. Population Density. View Article. View More Resources.

Educational Resources in Your Inbox. Together, these states make up over , square miles and have a combined estimated population of 55,, There are approximately The Northeast region is one of the most urban areas in the United States. It also leads the nation as the most economically developed and culturally diverse region. Based on Census Bureau estimates, New York is the most populous in the Northeast with a population of over Pennsylvania is second-most populous, with a population of over These are the only two states to have a population of over 10 million people.

As Vietnam continues to develop, it is to be expected that the population distribution will shift from rural to urban areas as well as to the new economic zones. By region, the pattern of migratory movements has been generally consistent, as reported in both the and censuses. Only two regions have received a net balance of in-migrants: the southeast and the Central Highlands. Overall, there has been a consistent net flow of migrants from the northern parts of the country to the southern.

Looking at migration by province provides a clearer picture of the destination of migrants. Ho Chi Minh City alone received a net balance of over , migrants between and , while its neighboring provinces, such as Binh Phuoc, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and Dong Nai, also proved attractive to new residents.

In contrast, provinces adjacent to Hanoi, the only Red River province to attract migrants, did not experience a net flow of migrants. Partially as a result of higher life expectancy, the number of people 60 years old and older has risen remarkably. In there were 3. This figure rose to 4.

Almost 60 percent of the elderly are female and about four-fifths of elderly people live in rural areas. The Red River Delta has the highest percentage of elderly. The health status of the elderly has greatly improved in the past few decades, but it remains one of their most significant concerns.

In the Survey on the Living Condition of the Elderly, the percentage of older people who reported they were in good health dropped from The percentage of older people who said their health condition was bad rose from Respect for the elderly is a fundamental, traditional value in Vietnam. Older people have an important role to play and make significant contributions to the development of the community through their experiences and abilities.

The government has paid considerable attention to care for the elderly and this is well reflected in many legislative documents. Since its foundation in May , the Vietnam Association of the Elderly has grown rapidly, with 6 million members, and has expanded its activities in every community. To further promote the roles of and care for the elderly, the Ordinance on the Elderly was approved by the National Assembly on April 28, This is the first time such a comprehensive policy dealing with issues of older people has been promulgated in Vietnam.

Females have drawn nearly even with males in literacy, a sharp divergence from the past, when only two-thirds of women ages 50 and over could read or write. Male sterilization is much lower than female 0. As a result, the National Population Strategy cites gender equality as an important factor in the achievement of replacement-level fertility, a better quality of life, and sustainable development.

Gender inequality still exists in many respects. The percentage of women ages 15 and over who never attended school is nearly triple that of men. It is clear from the graph that, once a woman begins to work in Vietnam, her involvement in economic activity is continuous and not interrupted by raising children.

Girls also appear to enter the labor force somewhat earlier than boys, most likely due to leaving school at earlier ages. Over the long term, the gap in educational qualification between men and women has narrowed dramatically.

In the population ages 55 and older, men are five times more likely to hold an educational qualification but, in the younger age groups, the male rate is only about 1. In fact, the level of equality of women in Vietnamese society and in the labor force has often been observed. Despite the improvement in the rate for those under age 55, however, there is little evidence that the gap in qualifications has continued to close.

It is interesting to note that, while men and women are nearly equal in the youngest age group , it may be expected that the male advantage will widen with time since men have a marked advantage in college and university qualifications. This advantage also has an effect on the comparative income of men and women. Even though women have gained greater workplace parity with men, this is not always followed by equal financial compensation.

This can be a complex issue resulting from the types of occupations men and women are likely to pursue, qualifications held, whether work is full- or part-time, and to the fact that men have traditionally held many higher positions. Not only do women supply a virtually equal share to the labor force, but they have gained a rapidly growing voice in national affairs. Vietnam now has the highest percentage of female parliamentarians in Asia. By the late s, women made up 26 percent of the National Assembly and nearly 90 percent of those had a higher education.

The total land area of Vietnam is , km 2. Population density rose from people per km 2 in to in and to in Density is the highest in the Red River Delta 1, people per km 2 and lowest in the northwest with only 62 people per km 2. Agricultural land per capita decreased from 0. Rapid population growth, migration, and urbanization in Vietnam have placed new pressure on the environment, particularly as a result of patterns of land use, forest exploitation, and depletion of water resources.

It is estimated that forest coverage in amounted to 43 percent of the country. Today, natural forest cover amounts to about 28 percent, or about 9. Each year, natural forest cover is lost to such activities as illegal cutting and forest fires. In many years, however, replanting programs have resulted in a net gain in the total forest area.

Because of past deforestation and illegal hunting, many species of mammals and flora have disappeared. A water supply from a safe source is a basic human need. By , nearly 80 percent of the population had access to a supply of hygienic water, a major public health advance. Across provinces, however, there are wide disparities. Very low access to safe water is still pervasive in more mountainous and remote provinces, as well as in the Mekong region.

Vietnam faces a challenge familiar to many developing countries: the rapid proliferation of motor vehicles, particularly in its cities. As personal incomes grow and vehicles become more affordable, problems associated with pollution have emerged as a major urban issue. In many cities, pollution levels are many more times above the acceptable national standard.

One solution that will likely emerge will be major improvements in public transportation systems so that such systems can compete with the appeal and convenience of motor vehicles. If fertility decline continues at the current rate, Vietnam will achieve fertility at the replacement level 2. According to the medium population projection, the population of Vietnam will reach million in the next 25 years and will stabilize at million by the middle of this century.

Vietnam has clearly made significant progress in slowing its once rapidly growing population growth.