1. Environmental disadvantages: The majority of underpopulated
countries have certain physical disadvantages e.g. climate, vegetation, soils,
etc. which discourage people from living there and without enough people,
economic development is restricted. Accessibility: Physical drawbacks often restrict the development of
communications, which result in underpopulation. If people and companies
find it difficult or costly to travel to an area, they are reluctant to make the
journey. The actual size or area of a country is relevant here. Many
underpopulated countries have large areas (Table 1) so the development of
a successful network of communications is obviously far more expensive
than in a small one. New Zealand is the exception to the rule here; it is small
and yet underpopulated. Communications: Establishing a basic communications network is
often a major problem in an underpopulated area.
This is very closely linked to accessibility. Many
underpopulated areas are a long way from large centres of population. On
a world scale this is shown by New Zealand which is a considerable distance
from its nearest sizeable neighbour. Such isolation can have social drawbacks,
discouraging large present-day population concentrations or past migrations.
It can also cause economic and trading difficulties when competing in
world markets. On a continental scale the most underpopulated areas in
Canada are those which are furthest from the more settled southern parts.
These peripheral areas have the problems common to any such region.
Roads, railways etc. do not pass through the area; they terminate there:
there is nowhere to go to beyond that point. This remoteness is an important
cause of underpopulation, as workers and their families want access to
varied shopping, educational, recreational facilities etc. which these areas
do not have. Potential workers are reluctant to move from a well-serviced
urban environment to live in a relatively backward frontier settlement.
Explanation:
