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Frequently, when students are asked to make comparisons of one type of another, or to look for similarities or differences between different cultures or nations, they end up trying to compare totally unequal entities. This, obviously, can lead to serious misperceptions and invalid comparisons. A way to prevent this is to have students compare "equals," i. e., political units that appear to share a common characteristic. In this case political entities (US states and world nations) whose populations are approximately equal.
1998 US Population Figures
(in millions) |
| Arizona |
|
4.5 |
|
| Connecticut |
|
3.2 |
|
| Hawaii |
|
1.2 |
|
| Idaho |
|
1.2 |
|
| Kentucky |
|
3.9 |
|
| Massachusetts |
|
6.1 |
|
| Missouri |
|
5.4 |
|
| New Hampshire |
|
1.2 |
|
| New Jersey |
|
8 |
|
| North Carolina |
|
7.4 |
|
| Ohio |
|
11.2 |
|
| South Carolina |
|
3.8 |
|
| Texas |
|
19.4 |
|
| Utah |
|
2 |
|
| Virginia |
|
6.7 |
|
| Wisconsin |
|
5.2 |
|
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1998 Nations' Population Figures
(in millions) |
| Nicaragua |
|
4.6 |
|
| Uruguay |
|
3.3 |
|
| Mauritius |
|
1.2 |
|
| Guinea-Bissau |
|
1.2 |
|
| Lithuania |
|
3.6 |
|
| Hong Kong |
|
6.7 |
|
| Libya |
|
5.7 |
|
| Gabon |
|
1.2 |
|
| Dominion Republic |
|
8 |
|
| Switzerland |
|
7.2 |
|
| Zimbabwe |
|
11 |
|
| Ireland |
|
3.6 |
|
| Australia |
|
18.6 |
|
| Lesotho |
|
2 |
|
| Guinea |
|
7.5 |
|
| Israel |
|
5.6 |
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Have students select any pair and research the following questions:
- How large is each area, i.e., what is the density of population given the area's size?
- What type of climate does each have and what agricultural products are available?
- What is produced in each for sale elsewhere?
- How wealthy are people in each, i.e., what is the average income?
- What resources are available that produce income?
- How fast is the population growing?
- What other data can they fine that shows these two "equals," perhaps, are "unequal" in many ways?
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