AP Human Geography

Advanced Placement Human Geography exploring spatial relationships and human-environment interactions.

Advanced Topics

Population Distribution and Density

Where and Why People Live

Population geography studies how and why people are spread out across the planet. Density is a key concept, measuring how many people live in a given area.

Types of Population Density

  • Arithmetic Density: Total population divided by land area.
  • Physiological Density: Population divided by arable (farmable) land.
  • Agricultural Density: Number of farmers per unit of arable land.

Patterns and Influences

People cluster where resources, jobs, and favorable climates are found. Natural barriers—like mountains and deserts—limit where people live.

Applications

Understanding population density helps plan schools, hospitals, housing, and transportation.

Key Formula

\[Arithmetic\ Density = \frac{Population}{Land\ Area}\]

Examples

  • Bangladesh has high population density, while Canada is low.

  • Deserts and mountains have low population densities.

In a Nutshell

Population density shows how crowded or spread out people are in different places.

Key Terms

Arithmetic Density
The total population divided by the total land area.
Physiological Density
The number of people per unit of arable land.