Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
5.1.3.
The United States in 2005
Estimated Population
10,000,000
0
5
00 km
5,000,000
1,000,000
Source: US Census Bureau
Designed and made by JM Zaninetti, University of Orleans, CEDETE Institute
Figure 5.6.
2005 population by county
Population growth is still strong today. The population of conterminous states
increased by 47% between 1970 and 2005, approached 300 million, and averaged a
growth rate of 1.1% per year (see Figure 5.6). Indicators show a contradictory trend
in population densities. The progression of cities with over one million inhabitants
continues, but if one considers the whole population, the Gini Index remains stable,
from just over 0.40 in 1970 to slightly less in 2005, indicating that the growing
population density within metropolitan areas is offset by the distribution of
population towards the bottom of the hierarchy of metropolitan areas as well as by
the urban sprawl which favors suburban counties located on the outskirts of cities.
Consequently, the geography of MSAs was transformed between 1970 and 2005.
The number of metropolitan areas increased from 232 to 276 (including Honolulu,
Hawaii and Anchorage, Alaska), but many MSAs which existed in 1970 were
absorbed into bigger MSAs as small satellite MSAs or following a “consolidation”
in the case of a few major cities where work markets joined forces, such as with
