Final answer:
Major population centers in the U.S. have been greatly influenced by economic development, industrialization, and climate, leading to urbanization and the growth of metropolitan areas. This has resulted in a significant rural-to-urban shift, with the majority now living in suburban areas around cities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The geographic factors that have most affected the locations of major population centers in the United States in the last 130 years encompass several key elements. First, economic development and industrialization have played a crucial role by creating job opportunities in urban areas, thus drawing people from rural to urban settings. The advent of trade growth has also been significant, particularly in coastal areas that have become more developed due to access to ports and global markets.
Additionally, the environmental influences such as the climate have had an impact. Regions like the Sunbelt have seen a population increase due to their more favorable climates, leading to a shift of population growth towards the South and the Southwest since the 1970s. Lastly, urbanization trends have been accelerated by the growth of suburban areas around major cities, where most Americans have been moving since the 1950s, leading to an 80% of the population now living in metropolitan areas.
These shifts are a result of both natural geographic appeal, such as favorable climates, and human-driven factors like economic opportunities that collectively influence migration patterns and the spatial distribution of populations. The trend of urbanization continues to impact the demographic landscape of the United States.