A very important term when studying geography (and history) is something called population density. When something is very “dense,” it is closely compacted and crowded together. In science you learn that everything has a density, and density is determined by the spacing of atom molecules. For example, a rock is more dense than a crumpled piece of paper, just as a ceramic cup is more dense than a styrofoam cup. While in science we look at the spacing of atom molecules to determine “density,” in geography we look at the spacing of people to determine a county, state, region, or country’s population density. To be exact, population density refers to the average number of people who live in a square mile.
Here is an example of population density on a very small scale. Which example do you think would be more “dense” with people - a shopping mall on a Saturday evening or a park on a Monday morning? In which example would you expect to find more people packed into a smaller space? In which example would you expect there to be much more space available to the people? Compared to the likely wide-open spaces and fewer people who visit a park on Monday morning, the shopping mall is likely to have a much higher population density.
Here are two examples of population density in two different sections of a city. Imagine the boxes are aerial pictures of a city and the dots represent people.
A section of a city's southeastern portion with 9 dots
A section of a city's northwestern portion with 28 dots
Which area of the city has a higher population density, and which one has a lower population density? What did you use to determine your answer?
What parts of your state or country might have a high and low population density?
What do you think are at least TWO characteristics of areas with high and low population densities?
The northwestern portion of the city has a higher population density because it has more dots representing people. I used the number of dots as a measure to determine the population density.
In my state or country, urban areas such as the capital city or major cities might have a high population density, while rural areas or areas with less developed infrastructure might have a low population density.
Two characteristics of areas with high population densities could be tall buildings and a lot of traffic congestion. On the other hand, areas with low population densities might have more open space and fewer amenities or services available.
The area of the city with 28 dots, the northwestern portion, has a higher population density, while the southeastern portion with 9 dots has a lower population density.
To determine this answer, I compared the number of dots, which represent people, in each section. The section with more dots indicates that there are more people living in that area, resulting in a higher population density.
In most states or countries, urban areas such as cities and metropolitan regions tend to have higher population densities than rural areas. This is because cities attract more people due to job opportunities, better infrastructure, and amenities.
Two characteristics of areas with high population densities are:
1. Urbanization: Areas with high population densities are usually highly urbanized with extensive infrastructure, including tall buildings and transportation networks.
2. Limited Space: High-density areas often have limited space available due to high demand for housing, commercial buildings, and public facilities. This results in the need for vertical expansion, such as high-rise buildings and multi-story apartments.
Two characteristics of areas with low population densities are:
1. Rural Environment: Low-density areas are typically characterized by a more rural environment, with larger open spaces, agricultural land, forests, and fewer built-up areas.
2. Limited Amenities: Areas with low population densities may have limited access to amenities and services, such as schools, hospitals, and shopping centers, due to the sparse distribution of population.
To determine which area of the city has a higher population density, you can compare the number of dots in each section. In this case, the southeastern portion of the city has 9 dots, while the northwestern portion has 28 dots. Therefore, the northwestern portion has a higher population density than the southeastern portion.
In terms of your state or country, areas with high population density are typically found in urban regions such as cities. These areas tend to have a large concentration of people living in a relatively small space. On the other hand, low population density areas are usually found in rural or remote regions, where there are fewer people spread out over a larger land area.
Two characteristics of areas with high population density are:
1. Infrastructure: High population density areas often have well-developed infrastructure such as transportation systems, housing, and utilities to accommodate a large number of people.
2. Economic activity: Urban areas with high population density often serve as centers of economic activity, with numerous job opportunities, businesses, and services available.
Two characteristics of areas with low population density are:
1. Natural environment: Low population density areas are often characterized by a vast natural environment, such as forests, mountains, or rural landscapes, with fewer human settlements.
2. Limited services: Due to the relatively low number of people, these areas may have limited access to services and amenities like healthcare facilities, schools, and shopping centers.