GEOG 129 Human Geography: Resources, Development and Society - Winter 2024

November 15, 2022 -  The global population reached 8 billion people.  Up 1 billion people since 2010. Current indications are that growth in the size of the human population is slowing. It is estimated that it will take another 15 years to reach 9 billion people. 

Humankind has faced multiple events which have threatened its existence (war, famine, plague, natural disasters).

Two events that have nearly brought humankind to the brink of extinction have been extensively covered in the popular media.

900,000 - 800,000 years BCE (Before Current Era) - Using a new coalescent theory model to predict past human population sizes model detected a reduction in the population size of our ancestors from about 100,000 to about 1000 individuals. This smaller population persisted for approximately 100,000 years. The decline appears to have coincided with both major climate change and subsequent speciation events.

80,000 - 70,000 years BCE - Again using DNA studies, researchers estimated the size of the human population was significantly reduced in size to approximately 10,000 persons, creating an 'evolutionary bottleneck.' This sudden change in human population coincided with the eruption of the Toba Super Volcano. 

Or did it? The Toba Super Volcanic eruption is theorized to have had minimal impact on the scope and breadth of the global human population. 

Gilbert Bede, MLIS

Okanagan College Library Services

Room L101E

1000 KLO Road

Kelowna, BC, V1Y 4X8

Email: gbede@okanagan.bc.ca

Work Telephone: 250-762-5445 ext. 4751

Book an online research appointment.

This course guide is designed to assist students enrolled in GEOG 129 Human Geography: Resources, Development and Society, with their assignments.  

The Library provides the following resources and services:

• An extensive Library collection of Books, E-Books, E-Journals, Research databases, traditional video and Streaming Video, curated Internet Resources, etc. 
• Reference Service
• Research Service including Research Strategy formulation
• Data and Statistical Information
• Assistance with Citations
• Assistance with Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism
• InterLibrary Loan
• Copyright