Population Density & Distribution (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Environmental Management): Revision Note

The spread of people across a region is referred to as population distribution

It shows how people are distributed (spread) or concentrated in particular areas

• East/South/Southeast Asia and Europe are densely populated because they are fertile, temperate, and resource-rich areas with good transport, flat land and reliable water supplies

Sparse populations exist in extreme climates (deserts, poles) or challenging terrains, because of physical factors (poor soil, steep land or limited access to water) and human elements (lack of jobs, poor infrastructure, etc.)

• Examples include the Sahara Desert, Antarctica, the Amazon rainforest and the Himalayas

Most people live in towns and cities, lowland areas, along rivers, and coasts

• Approximately 55% of the world now lives in cities but this figure is projected to reach 65% by 2050 as urbanisation increases

• Most people live within 1000 km of the sea

• 90% of the population live on low ground below 500 m above sea level

Population density is the number of people living in a given area

It is usually measured in people per square kilometre (km²)

High population density means that a lot of people live in a small area

• Western Europe, Southeast Asia and the Northeast USA have high-density areas of over 200 people/km²

A low population density means that there are only a few people living in a large area