HUMAN GEOGRAPHY Calculating population density


Example The Republic of Ireland is 70.283km2


in size and its


total human population is 4,581,269. Calculate the population density of the Republic of Ireland.


Total population 4,581,269 = 65.2 Size of area


70,238 Ireland has a population density of 65 people per km2 .


Now calculate the population densities of each of the countries listed below.


Country Total population France 62,227,432 Haiti


9,203,083


Total land area (km2 545,630 27,560


Japan 127,704,000 374,744


Skills activity The table shows the population densities of selected countries in the world. Using graph paper, draw a suitable graph to illustrate the data shown in the table.


Country Brazil


Ireland Mali USA


Population per km2 22 65 10 32


South Africa 36 )


Population density Population density is used to help measure the


distribution of people throughout the world. It is calculated by dividing the total population of an area by the size of that area. It is usually represented as the average number of people per square kilometre. It is important to remember that the


calculation of population density averages may hide big population variations within areas. Canada, for example, has a very low population density of 3 people per square kilometre. But population densities within Canada vary greatly. Southern regions around Montreal and Toronto are densely populated while vast tracts of northern Canada are virtually uninhabited.


3


Examine this map extract of the Dingle area. (a) Explain, using evidence from the map, why the area to the east of easting 44 and north of northing 03 has such a low population density (LC Higher Level – 30 marks)


.


(b) Account for the low population density in the vicinity of the Milltown River north of northing 03.


(c) Explain three reasons for the development of the urban area of Dingle/An Daingean at this site.


4


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