Chapter 3: The World's People

Culture is the way of life of a group of people who share similar beliefs and customs. Culture includes eight elements or traits: social groups, language, religion, daily life, history, arts, government systems, and economic systems. Cultures change over time as new ideas and technologies are introduced. New knowledge and skills also spread to other cultures in a process called cultural diffusion. Geographers divide the world into culture regions.

The decline in the death rate and increase in the birthrate have led to a rapid rise in the world's population. As the population has grown, problems such as famine and scarcity of resources have challenged governments in many parts of the world. Many factors, such as availability of resources or religious beliefs, affect where people live. Today people are moving in large numbers from rural areas to cities.

Natural resources can be described as renewable or nonrenewable. Because of the uneven distribution of resources around the world, people have engaged in trade. The terms "developed country" or "developing country" are determined by the resources, manufacturing, and wealth of each nation.

The world's growing population threatens the delicate balance of life on earth. Issues such as pollution, land use, and scarcity of freshwater create the need for policies to protect the environment.