Final answer:
Mountains like Mount Everest and others around the world influence population distribution by creating natural barriers and affecting climate, which impacts agriculture and resource availability. The harshness of high elevations typically leads to sparser populations, while advancements in technology can lead to increased settlement in some mountainous regions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mountains such as Mount Everest and those in various regions have a significant impact on population distribution. The physical presence of mountain ranges, often the result of tectonic plate activity, creates natural barriers that can limit the expansion of human settlements due to their inaccessibility and harsh living conditions. Areas with high elevation, such as the Himalayas, host harsh climates making them uninhabitable or suitable for only temporary settlements, thus influencing the density of populations around them.
In regions with mountain barriers, climate can be heavily influenced, causing phenomena such as the rain shadow effect, where one side of the mountain receives heavy rainfall while the other remains arid. This affects agricultural potential and resource availability, further dictating where human populations can thrive. For instance, the Atlas Mountains contribute to favorable agricultural conditions in their valleys, hence, supporting larger populations there.
Conversely, the Rocky Mountains have witnessed population growth as urbanization and technological advancements make living and resource exploitation in such regions more feasible. However, this growth can be contrasted with the relatively sparse populations in the rugged terrains of the Western Highlands of the Congo or the high-elevation regions of New Guinea.