Zealand's Population Live In Urban Areas example essay topic

There are numerous factors that influence the location where people choose to live and the numbers in that specific area. In New Zealand, the relief of the land, weather climate throughout the year, employment availability, and urban centre locations are major aspects determining the distribution of people across the country. The relief of the land has a strong correlation to the concentration of people in an area. People tend to live in coastal lowlands where the land doesn't fluctuate as much making it easier to build homes in close proximity to one another. The major cities in New Zealand (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin) are all located on flatland relatively close to the ocean for easy access to ports, public beaches, fishing areas, sea views... etc. 75% of New Zealand's population is located on coastal plains despite the fact that only a small portion of the land is flat and near the sea.

Because New Zealand is situated right on top of tectonic plates a greater part of the country is made up of mountainous terrain and rough hill country. These areas tend to only have zero to ten percent of the population located in those areas because of the difficulties that come with living in the area. Recently however, the mountains and volcanoes are serving as a tourist attraction therefore job opportunities are created. Also places close to volcanoes are growing in population numbers because of the fertility of the soil in the area increasing farming opportunities. Weather conditions are another natural factor greatly influencing the populations spread around the country. People prefer to live in areas where the climate is warmer, which is why 75% of New Zealanders are situated in the North Island.

Despite the fact that weather conditions can often change at irregular periods during the day in the northern part of the country, it is favoured over the cold environment in the South Island. Snow is more common in the south island making mountainous areas like Queenstown near the Southern Alps ideal skiing resorts and tourist attractions. The amount of rain and wind in an area also affects where people choose to live. Even though Wellington is the capital city, Auckland still has a larger population and this may be due to the "windy city's" reputation. A cultural feature that has an effect on the population distribution is the location of various urban centres. In these areas better employment and education institutions are established in comparison to those available in the country as well as easy access to major airports / ports for travel in, out and around the country.

85% of New Zealand's population live in urban areas. These include towns and cities in various places across the country (not just coastal). Another reason for people living in cities is because of the family connections and ties. Some people live in the same areas their whole lives and for generations to come. People tend to live close to their relations, which is why in some areas there are more of a certain ethnic group then others. Obviously the greater the population the greater the need for different jobs to provide for those people.

In major cities the chance of getting a well-paying job is favourably higher because of the number of business's, factories and services to supply a growing city (Auckland alone inhabits a quarter of New Zealand's population). There is a rising need for jobs and people wanting to join the workforce to make more money and as a result more and more cities and towns are being populated (and less people around more isolated areas). The growing trend that these factors influence may not impact on the whole percentage of the population too radically in the near future but in a few decades or so New Zealand's major cities may find that they are over-populated therefore the problem will need to be addressed and a conclusion issued (Auckland's traffic problem for example is making it harder and harder for people to get where they need to go on time).