GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

  The word population comes from the Latin word Populus meaning people. Population or human population refers to the total number of people found in a given area at a specified time. FACTORS AFFECTING POPULATION DISTRIBUTION Population distribution refers to the way people are spread out on the land. Population distribution is uneven since some areas are densely settled while others are not. sometimes population distribution can be described as being even or uneven, scattered or concentrated in a particular place. The distribution of population on 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. Physical factors The physical factors are divided into climate, relief, vegetation, soil, drainage, and diseases. they are explained hereunder: climate Temperature and rainfall are the two main influential climatic elements. People have a tendency to adapt to modera...

  THE FOLLOWING ARE FACTORS INFLUENCING POPULATION DISTRIBUTION IN EAST AFRICA Climate Areas that receive heavy and reliable rainfall which support the growth of crops have attracted people in large numbers e.g. shores of Lake Victoria, Kenya highlands, slopes of Mt. Elgon and Kigezi highlands while areas that receive low and unreliable rainfall attract very few people e.g. Karamoja, Turkana land and Miombo woodlands. Soils areas with deep and well-drained fertile soils that support agriculture have attracted dense settlements e.g. Mbale, Kabale, shores of Lake Victoria while areas with infertile soils have sparse populations e.g. Nyika plains, North Eastern Kenya and Masai land. Altitude/relief areas with very high altitudes e.g. top of Mt. Elgon and Rwenzori, Bundibugyo have a sparse population because of the high pressure, difficulty in constructing houses and roads. However low altitude areas have attracted large settlements due to ease in constructing settlements and roads. ...