Why does a country have low population density?

Population density (in agriculture: standing stock and standing crop) is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume; it is a quantity of type number density. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key geographic term.[1]

Lists of population density of different countries are below. Lists of other population densities are in See also section.

Contents [hide]

1 Biological population densities

1.1 Human population density

1.1.1 Most densely populated countries/regions

1.1.1.1 By inhabited region

1.1.1.2 By political boundaries

1.1.2 Other methods of measurement

2 See also

2.1 Lists of entities by population density

3 References

4 External links

Biological population densities[edit]

Population density is population divided by total land area or water volume, as appropriate.[1]

Low densities may cause an extinction vortex and lead to further reduced fertility. This is called the Allee effect after the scientist who identified it. Examples of the causes in low population densities include:[2]

Increased problems with locating sexual mates

Increased inbreeding

Human population density[edit]

Monaco in South Europe, currently holds the record for being the most densely populated nation in the world.

Mongolia is the least densely populated country in the world.

This population cartogram of the European Union uses areas and colors to represent population.

Main article: List of sovereign states and dependent territories by population density

For humans, population density is the number of people per unit of area, usually quoted per square kilometer or square mile (which may include or exclude, for example, areas of water or glaciers). Commonly this may be calculated for a county, city, country, another territory, or the entire world.

The world's population is around 7 billion,[3] and Earth's total area (including land and water) is 510 million square kilometers (197 million square miles).[4] Therefore, the worldwide human population density is around 7 billion ÷ 510 million = 13.7 per km2 (35 per sq. mile). If only the Earth's land area of 150 million km2 (58 million sq. miles) is taken into account, then human population density increases to 47 per km2 (120 per sq. mile). This includes all continental and island land area, including Antarctica. If Antarctica is also excluded, then population density rises to over 50 people per km2 (over 130 per sq. mile).[1] However over half[citation needed] of the Earth's land mass consists of areas inhospitable to human habitation, such as deserts and high mountains, and population tends to cluster around seaports and fresh water sources. Thus this number by itself does not give any helpful measurement of human population density.

Several of the most densely populated territories in the world are city-states, microstates, and dependencies.[5][6] These territories have a relatively small area and a high urbanization level, with an economically specialized city population drawing also on rural resources outside the area, illustrating the difference between high population density and overpopulation.

Cities with high population densities are, by some, considered to be overpopulated, though this will depend on factors like quality of housing and infrastructure and access to resources.[7] Most of the most densely populated cities are in Southeast Asia, though Cairo and Lagos in Africa also fall into this category.[8]

City population and especially area are, however, heavily dependent on the definition of "urban area" used: densities are almost invariably higher for the central city area than when suburban settlements and the intervening rural areas are included, as in the areas of agglomeration or metropolitan area, the latter sometimes including neighboring cities. For instance, Milwaukee has a greater population density when just the inner city is measured, and the surrounding suburbs excluded.[9]

In comparison, based on a world population of seven billion, the world's inhabitants, as a loose crowd taking up ten square feet (one square metre) per person (Jacobs Method), would occupy a space a little larger than Delaware's land area.

Most densely populated countries/regions[edit]

By inhabited region[edit]

Region Population Area (km2) Density

(Pop. per km2)

Indo-Gangetic Plain (Punjab to Bangladesh and Assam) 1 billion 1,000,000 1000

Greater North China Plain 600 million 700,000 857

Sichuan Basin 110 million 250,000 440

Java Island 145 million 130,000 1115

Taiheiyo Belt (Japan) 85 million 60,000 1417

SE China coast (Guangdong, Hong Kong, Fujian) 140 million 100,000 1400

Nile Delta 50 million 50,000 1000

Southern India (Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Bengaluru, and Kerala) 120 million 170,000 706

West Indian Coast (Maharashtra and Gujarat Coast) 70 million 100,000 700

Colombian Andes (Colombia) 40 million 170,000 235

Northern Europe (Benelux, North Rhine-Westphalia) 44 million 110,000 400

NE US Coast 45 million 100,000 450

S Central England 40 million 60,000 667

Central Mexico 40 million 100,000 400

Luzon Island 50 million 105,000 476

South Korea 50 million 100,000 500

Southeastern Brazil Coast 50 million 100,000 500

By political boundaries[edit]

With population above 1 million

Rank Country/Region Population Area (km2) Density

(Pop. per km2)

1 Singapore 5,535,000 719 7698

2 Hong Kong 7,234,800 1,104 6553

3 Gaza Strip 1,816,379 360 5045

4 Bahrain 1,234,596 750 1646

5 Bangladesh 157,457,000 147,570 1067

6 Taiwan (R.O.C) 23,361,147 36,190 646

7 Mauritius 1,288,000 2,040 631

8 Lebanon 5,851,000 10,452 560

9 South Korea 49,115,196 99,720 493

10 Rwanda 11,262,564 26,338 428

With population above 10 million

Rank Country/Region Population Area (km2) Density

(Pop. per km2)

1 Bangladesh 157,457,000 147,570 1067

2 Taiwan (R.O.C) 23,361,147 36,190 646

3 South Korea 49,115,196 99,720 493

4 Rwanda 11,262,564 26,338 428

5 Netherlands 16,919,139 41,526 407

6 India 1,263,680,000 3,185,263 397

7 Haiti 10,413,211 27,750 375

8 Belgium 11,239,755 30,528 368

9 Philippines 102,078,300 300,076 340

10 Japan 127,290,000 377,944 337

Other methods of measurement[edit]

Although arithmetic density is the most common way of measuring population density, several other methods have been developed to provide a more accurate measure of population density over a specific area.

Arithmetic density: The total number of people / area of land (measured in square miles or square kilometers ).

Physiological density: The total population / area of arable land.

Agricultural density: The total rural population / area of arable land.

Residential density: The number of people living in an urban area / area of residential land.

Urban density: The number of people inhabiting an urban area / total area of urban land.

Ecological optimum: The density of population that can be supported by the natural resources.

Agricultural Density Of Countries

Most countries which have a low population density are unable to support large populations for one reason or another. For example, Greenland and Mongolia both have an extremely low population density despite being quite large in terms of area. Most of Greenland is covered in ice. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for habitation so most people live in small communities along the southern and western coasts. There isn't a lot of arable land and there are practically no trees. Vegetation is also quite sparse. This means that the amount of food that can be grown cannot support a large population as there isn't enough land to farm to feed a lot of people. There isn't enough vegetation to support large numbers of domesticated animals to raise for meat either. A cow requires about ten pounds of feed to yield one pound of meat. Pigs and sheep and goats require about half that amount. But when you can't grow enough feed to give animals, you simply cannot raise animals. If you can't raise a lot of animals you can't feed a lot of people. So despite its massive size, Greenland is home to only about 60,000 people.

Mongolia is also an incredibly large, sparsely populated country. While it is fairly temperate compared to a place like Greenland, it has had a relatively low population and population density since historical times. Culturally, Mongolians have always been nomads. The few cities that exist came about as trading centers and grew from there. The wide majority of the population was always on the move, migrating from one place to another with their animals. Most of Mongolia is comprised of a type of terrain called a steppe. The Mongolian steppes are vast areas of rolling hills covered in grass. There are few areas of woodland and the Gobi desert occupies a large percentage of Mongolia's area. Because the people traditionally didn't lead sedentary lives, they didn't farm on a wide scale. Usually cities develop around areas where a large amount of food is available so the biggest cities are usually located on the coast, along the bend of a river, in a fertile valley, beside a lake, etc. But in Mongolia, there weren't many areas that could support large populations so the population stayed low.

Other areas with low population densities are places like Arabia, North Africa, and Australia. With all three, the same factors come into play. Most of Arabia, North Africa and Australia is desert. Without enough water, large numbers of people cannot live. There isn't enough rainfall to grow food on a wide scale. Because the amount of food that can be grown is scant, it isn't possible to raise large numbers of livestock either. Other areas with low population densities are too mountainous such as the Andes and the Himalayas. And of course, Antarctica which is the least populous place on the planet and technically the world's largest desert. Antarctica has a permanent population of zero.

Because that country may lack the fundamentals to support a large population. e.g. that most important commodity - WATER. !!!!

Because they don't have many people and a lot of land.

not a lot of people