This unit aims to familiarise students with knowledge of substantive topics in the field of human geography as they apply to sparsely populated or 'remote' parts of the developed world. The emphasis is on population dynamics in the north and centre of Australia, but examples are also drawn from the 'norths' of Canada and Europe and Alaska.
The unit will help students understand the fundamentals of population change and population issues (ageing, migration, settlement patterns and so on) affecting economic and regional development processes in northern areas. The unit covers demographic history and theory, population trends, population projections, sourcing and analysing demographic data, and research methods for understanding population issues in northern contexts.