#geography/y10/human-wellbeing
Environmental causes
The influence of climate
On a global scale, climate has largely determined where people have lived. Areas that are too cold, too hot or too dry have tended to be sparsely populated, while those with mild temperatures and reliable rainfall have tended to be more densely populated.
Variations in mineral wealth
Throughout human history, different minerals have provided people with the means to increase their wellbeing. In today’s world, oil is a vital commodity. It is used by billions of people for transport, manufacturing, heating and cooking. Oil is found only in a few places on Earth but often in vast quantities.
Location
Access to trade routes
In our increasingly globalised world, vast quantities of goods, services, people finances and ideas move quickly between countries. As a result countries with few natural resources can increase their wellbeing by engaging in these flows of goods and services.
Social causes
Demographics
The number of people living in a country is always changing. In some countries the population is growing rapidly and in others it is declining. The rate at which populations change is largely related to changes in wellbeing.
Countries tend to pass through a series