Difference between Population distribution and density

Difference between Population distribution and density

1. Population distribution- spread of people across a given region

   • clustered in large cities
   • in small populations across the country side
   • Ireland's population unevenly distributed
     • most in east and south, few in west
   • Densely populated- many people
     • habitable environments
       • e.g. a temperate climate, rich fertile soil
   • Sparsely populated- few people
     • inhospitable living environments
       • e.g. Mountainous, too cold, too hot

2. february 2022- UN wordometer- population of the world was 7.9 billion

   • unevenly distributed
   • bloomberg estimates half of the worlds people live on 1% of the land
     • according science daily 95% population concentrated on 10% of land
   • 75% (6 billion approx) live in developing world
   • 4 main clusters of people
     • 1. Central and NW Europe
     • 2. India
     • 3. SE Asia
     • 4. SE Canada and NE USA
     • these are mainly in Northern Hemisphere in temperate or subtropical latitudes
       • Regions are lowlying and have deep fertile soils on river floodplains

3. Two factors account for the uneven distribution of world population

   • Physical
     • 90% of world population live in the Northern Hemisphere in the temperate latitudes
       • climate is favourable, mild, sufficient rainfall
         • productive agricultural sector
           • supplies food
     • Extreme climates
       • sparsely populated
         • e.g. Sahara Desert too hot and too dry
     • lower altitude- more favourable
       • 80% live below 500m
         • climate is less extreme
         • Construction and provision of services is easier and cheaper
         • most choose flat land with deep fertile soils- river floodplains
           • e.g. Ganges valley in India allows for double cropping
     • 2/3 live with 500km of the coast
       • allows for transport and economic activities
     • close to natural resource
       • e.g. coal, timber
       • development of economic activities and jobs
         • e.g. Western europe in C19th large deposit of coal
       • very few not close
         • e.g. The Sahel in africa
   • Human
     • good job opportunities
       • high population
         • UN- 55% live in urban area
     • limited job opportunities
       • sparsely populated
         • e.g. The Amazon Rainforest
     • stable governments that offer support are desirable
       • higher population
       • e.g. UK
     • unstable corrupt governments
       • lower densities as people migrate
       • e.g. Syria, Afganistan
     • people want to live close to each other
       • social and security reasons
     • some prefer to be isolated
       • The Sami in Scandinavia
     • historical reasons- density may be high in particular place
       • e.g. Colonisation, alone coastal brazil portaguese colonists settled in C16
         • climate tolerable, transport was easier
     • World population distribution changes over time
     • areas once highly populated now thinly
       • e.g. decline in resources
     • areas once thinly populated now highly
       • e.g. Immigration

4. Population density is the average number of people living in a specific area- 1km squared

   • calculated by dividing the total population by the number of square kilometres
   • World population density- 58 per km squared
   • hides irregularities
     • e.g. India has 464 per km squared- Worldometer 2022
       • this hides slum areas with densities up to 200,000 per km squared and few live in The Himalayas
   • density of more than 100 per km squared described as dense/high/crowded
   • density of less than 10 per km squared described as low/sparse
   • Ireland's is 70 per km squared
   • highest is Monaco, 19000 per km squared
   • lowest is Mongolia, 2 per km squared
   • Cities and fertile land have high densities
   • Unsuitable regions for human habitation have low densities
     • e.g. Amazon Rainforest in Brazil
   • For most people 1/5 too hot, 1/5 too cold, 1/5 too dry, 1/5 to wet