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In Class 12 Geography, this topic explains population density as the number of people living in a unit area, usually a square kilometre. Within “The World Population – Distribution, Density and Growth,” students learn how density is calculated and how physical factors, economic opportunities, transport, urbanisation, and historical conditions create variations across regions. The topic also helps them interpret population-density patterns, compare densely and sparsely populated areas, and understand the relationship between population distribution and available resources.
TOPIC PRACTICE
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Expert · Level 3View options
420 persons per square kilometre
429 persons per square kilometre
440 persons per square kilometre
472 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
400 persons per square kilometre
420 persons per square kilometre
440 persons per square kilometre
470 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
528 persons per square kilometre
540 persons per square kilometre
552 persons per square kilometre
570 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
600 persons per square kilometre
640 persons per square kilometre
667 persons per square kilometre
700 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
50 percent
60 percent
66.67 percent
75 percent
Expert · Level 3View options
Density will increase
Density will decrease
Density will remain unchanged
Density will become zero
Expert · Level 3View options
600 persons per square kilometre
750 persons per square kilometre
900 persons per square kilometre
1200 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
500 persons per square kilometre
560 persons per square kilometre
600 persons per square kilometre
650 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
Average density does not fully describe spatial pattern
Both regions have identical settlement patterns
The clustered region must have higher arithmetic density
The dispersed region must have lower population
Expert · Level 3View options
2500 persons per square kilometre
2548 persons per square kilometre
2600 persons per square kilometre
2650 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
640 persons per square kilometre
672 persons per square kilometre
700 persons per square kilometre
720 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
425 persons per square kilometre
446 persons per square kilometre
450 persons per square kilometre
468 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
375 persons per square kilometre
400 persons per square kilometre
425 persons per square kilometre
450 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
650 persons per square kilometre
682 persons per square kilometre
716 persons per square kilometre
750 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
660 persons per square kilometre
685 persons per square kilometre
700 persons per square kilometre
720 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
350 persons per square kilometre
365 persons per square kilometre
375 persons per square kilometre
400 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
450 persons per square kilometre
500 persons per square kilometre
525 persons per square kilometre
550 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
580 persons per square kilometre
600 persons per square kilometre
620 persons per square kilometre
650 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
First by 50
Second by 100
Second by 150
Both equal
Expert · Level 3View options
275 persons per square kilometre
292 persons per square kilometre
315 persons per square kilometre
330 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
480 persons per square kilometre
500 persons per square kilometre
520 persons per square kilometre
540 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
1680 persons per square kilometre
1720 persons per square kilometre
1760 persons per square kilometre
1800 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
40 persons per square kilometre
50 persons per square kilometre
60 persons per square kilometre
80 persons per square kilometre
Expert · Level 3View options
360 square kilometres
420 square kilometres
480 square kilometres
600 square kilometres
Expert · Level 3View options
300 square kilometres
400 square kilometres
450 square kilometres
500 square kilometres
Question 1ExpertLevel 3
A region has a population of 720000 and an area of 1800 square kilometres. If population increases by 18 percent and area increases by 10 percent what will the new population density be approximately?
Correct answer: B
Population density is calculated by dividing population by area. The initial density is \(\frac{720000}{1800}=400\) persons per square kilometre. An 18% population increase multiplies the population by \(1.18\), while a 10% area increase multiplies the area by \(1.10\). Hence the new density is \(400\times\frac{1.18}{1.10}=429.09\), approximately 429 persons per square kilometre.
Therefore option B is correct. It is important to increase both quantities before dividing, because density depends on population and area together. The answer is not 472, which would overlook the effect of the enlarged area, and it is not 440 because the percentage changes do not transfer directly to density.
A region has a density of 560 persons per square kilometre. If population decreases by 16 percent and area increases by 12 percent what will the new density be?
Correct answer: B
Density means population divided by area. Let the original population be P and area be A, so the original density is \(P/A=560\). A 16 percent fall makes the new population \(0.84P\). A 12 percent increase makes the new area \(1.12A\). Therefore, the new density is \(\frac{0.84P}{1.12A}=560\times\frac{0.84}{1.12}\). Since \(0.84/1.12=0.75\), the result is \(560\times0.75=420\) persons per square kilometre.
Thus option B is correct. A common mistake is to subtract 16 percent and 12 percent directly from 560, but density changes through both the numerator and denominator. The area increase lowers density further than population decline alone, while the population decline also lowers it. The calculated value, 420 persons per square kilometre, exactly matches option B.
A region has a population density of 480 persons per square kilometre and an area of 1250 square kilometres. If 90000 people move in while area remains unchanged what will the new density be?
Correct answer: C
First find the original population from density multiplied by area: \(480\times1250=600000\). When 90,000 people move into the region, the population becomes \(690000\). Because the area remains 1,250 square kilometres, the new density is found by dividing the new population by that unchanged area.
The calculation is \(\frac{690000}{1250}=552\) persons per square kilometre. Therefore option C is correct. A quick check also works: the incoming population adds \(\frac{90000}{1250}=72\) persons per square kilometre to the original density of 480, giving \(552\). The unchanged area is essential; if it changed, the answer would be different.
A district has a population of 960000 and a population density of 800 persons per square kilometre. If 300 square kilometres are added to the district while population remains unchanged what will the new density be?
Correct answer: B
Population density means the number of people living in one square kilometre. First find the original area by dividing population by original density: \(960000\div800=1200\) square kilometres. The added land makes the total area \(1200+300=1500\) square kilometres.
The population does not change, so the new density is \(960000\div1500=640\) persons per square kilometre. Thus option B is correct. The density falls because the same number of people is now spread over a larger area. Option C is only a rough approximation, while 600 and 700 do not result from the required calculation.
If a region's population increases by 25 percent and its area decreases by 25 percent by what percentage will density increase?
Correct answer: C
Density is population divided by area. If the original values are P and A, the new population is \(1.25P\) and the new area is \(0.75A\). Therefore the new density compared with the old one is multiplied by \(1.25/0.75=1.6667\). This means the new density is about 166.67 percent of the original density. The increase is not 166.67 percent; it is the amount above 100 percent, namely about 66.67 percent. Thus option C is correct.
The area reduction makes each square kilometre represent an even larger share of the population, while the population itself also rises. Algebraically, \(D'=(1.25P)/(0.75A)=1.6667D\), so \(D'-D=0.6667D\). Option A incorrectly adds 25 percent and 25 percent without considering the ratio, while option D overstates the increase. Hence 66.67 percent is the correct change.
If both population and area of a region change but the population-to-area ratio remains unchanged what conclusion about density is correct?
Correct answer: C
Population density is defined as the ratio of total population to total area, written as \(D=P/A\). Both P and A may change, but if their ratio after the changes is exactly the same as before, then the value of D is unchanged. For example, if both population and area double, the quotient remains the same. Therefore option C follows directly from the definition.
The question does not ask whether population or area individually rises or falls. It asks about density, which depends on their relationship. A larger population alone would increase density, and a smaller area alone would also increase it, but simultaneous changes can offset one another. Since the population-to-area ratio is stated to remain constant, options A and B cannot be selected. Density does not become zero unless population is zero, so D is also incorrect.
A country's national density is 300 persons per square kilometre. If 60 percent of its population lives in only 20 percent of its area what is the density of that part?
Correct answer: C
Let the whole country have area \(A\). Its total population is therefore \(300A\), because national density is 300 persons per square kilometre. The selected part has 20% of the area, or \(0.20A\), and contains 60% of the population, or \(0.60\times300A\). Its density is therefore \(\frac{0.60\times300A}{0.20A}=900\) persons per square kilometre.
Thus, option C is correct. A quick way is to compare population share with area share: \(0.60\div0.20=3\). The selected part has three times the national average density, so \(300\times3=900\). The calculation assumes the percentages refer to the same total population and total area.
A region has an arithmetic density of 420 persons per square kilometre. If only 70 percent of its area is actually suitable for settlement and the entire population lives there what is the effective density?
Correct answer: C
Let the total area be represented by \(A\) square kilometres. An arithmetic density of 420 means that the population is \(420A\). Only 70 percent of the area is suitable for settlement, so the inhabited area is \(0.70A\). Effective density is therefore \(\frac{420A}{0.70A}=600\) persons per square kilometre. The total area cancels, so no particular value of \(A\) is needed.
Thus option C, 600 persons per square kilometre, is correct. The effective density is higher than the arithmetic density because the same population is concentrated on a smaller usable area. Option B, 560, would not result from dividing by 0.70, and 500 or 650 do not match the calculation. The calculation assumes that the entire population lives within the suitable area.
If two regions have the same arithmetic density but settlement is highly clustered in one and dispersed in the other which conclusion about average density is correct?
Correct answer: A
Arithmetic density is calculated as total population divided by total land area, expressed as an average such as people per square kilometre. It tells us how many people are present on average across the whole region, but it does not show where those people are located within that region. Population may be concentrated in one part and scattered in another while the average remains identical.
Thus, two regions can have the same total population and area, or simply the same population-to-area ratio, even though one has clustered settlements and the other has dispersed settlements. Option A is correct. The other choices make unsupported claims: clustering does not necessarily raise average density, and dispersion does not prove that population is lower.
A city has a population of 1500000 and an area of 600 square kilometres. Population increases by 6 percent while area increases by 4 percent. What is the new density approximately?
Correct answer: B
Population density means population divided by area. At the start, the density is \(\frac{1,500,000}{600}=2,500\) persons per square kilometre. A 6% population increase changes the population to \(1,500,000\times1.06=1,590,000\). A 4% area increase changes the area to \(600\times1.04=624\) square kilometres.
The new density is therefore \(\frac{1,590,000}{624}\), or equivalently \(2,500\times\frac{1.06}{1.04}\approx2,548.08\) persons per square kilometre. Rounded to the nearest whole number, this is about 2,548. Option B is correct. The density rises only slightly because both population and area increase, and the population percentage increase is larger than the area percentage increase.
A region has a density of 840 persons per square kilometre. If area increases by 40 percent and population increases by 12 percent what is the new density?
Correct answer: B
A population increase does not necessarily raise density if area grows faster. The original density is 840. Population is multiplied by (1.12) after a 12 percent increase, while area is multiplied by (1.40) after a 40 percent increase. Hence the new density is (840 times 1.12 divided by 1.40 = 840 times 0.8 = 672) persons per square kilometre.
Option B is correct. Although the population becomes larger, the land area grows proportionally much more, so people are spread over more space. The factor 0.8 means the new density is 80 percent of the old density, or a 20 percent decrease. Options with values near the original density do not account correctly for the larger denominator.
If a region has a density of 375 persons per square kilometre and area decreases by 16 percent while population remains unchanged what is the new density approximately?
Correct answer: B
When population remains constant, density changes inversely with area. A 16 percent reduction leaves 84 percent of the original area, so the new area is \(0.84A\). Because the same population is now contained in a smaller area, the numerical density must be higher than 375.
The unchanged population can be represented as \(375A\). Dividing it by the new area gives \(375A/(0.84A)=375/0.84=446.43\) persons per square kilometre. Rounded to the nearest whole number, this is approximately 446. Thus option B is correct. The answer 450 is close but not the appropriate result of the stated percentage change.
A region has a population of 680000 and an area of 1600 square kilometres. If 120000 people are added and area increases by 400 square kilometres what is the new density?
Correct answer: B
The new population is the original population plus the added people: \(680000+120000=800000\). The new area is the original area plus the additional area: \(1600+400=2000\) square kilometres. Density is population divided by area, so the new density is \(800000/2000=400\) persons per square kilometre.
Option B is correct. It is important to update both quantities before dividing; using the original area would give an incorrect result, and using only the added population would ignore the existing residents. The units are persons per square kilometre because people are divided by square kilometres. Therefore the region's new density is 400 persons per square kilometre.
A country has a density of 450 persons per square kilometre. Population increases by 40 percent and area decreases by 12 percent. What is the new density approximately?
Correct answer: C
A change in both population and area must be handled by applying both percentage factors. A 40 percent population increase multiplies population by 1.40. A 12 percent area decrease leaves 88 percent of the original area, so its factor is 0.88. Density rises more than population alone would suggest because the available area becomes smaller.
Starting with density 450, the new density is \(450\times\frac{1.40}{0.88}=715.909...\). Rounded to the nearest whole number, this is about 716 persons per square kilometre. Therefore option C is correct. Option 650 ignores the area decrease, while 682 and 750 do not result from applying the two factors correctly.
If a region has a density of 720 persons per square kilometre. Population decreases by 22 percent and area decreases by 18 percent. What is the new density approximately?
Correct answer: B
Density equals population divided by area. A population decrease of 22 percent leaves a factor of \(0.78\), while an area decrease of 18 percent leaves a factor of \(0.82\). The new density is therefore \(720\times(0.78/0.82)\). Since \(0.78/0.82\approx0.9512\), the result is about \(684.9\) persons per square kilometre. Rounding to the nearest listed value gives 685.
Option B is correct. The density does not fall by the full 22 percent because the area also becomes smaller; fewer people are spread over an even smaller area. Option A is too low, C is not the calculated result, and D incorrectly assumes that the ratio remains unchanged. Using percentage factors for both population and area prevents a common calculation error.
A region has a density of 312.5 persons per square kilometre and an area of 1920 square kilometres. If population increases by 120000 what is the new density?
Correct answer: C
First find the original population from density multiplied by area. The calculation is \(312.5\times1920=600,000\) people. After an increase of 120,000, the population becomes 720,000. The area is unchanged at 1,920 square kilometres, so the new density is \(\frac{720000}{1920}=375\) persons per square kilometre.
Therefore, option C is correct. A useful check is that the population rises by 20 percent, from 600,000 to 720,000, while the area remains fixed; the density must consequently rise by 20 percent, from 312.5 to 375. The result should not be found by adding 120,000 directly to the density, because population and density have different units.
A district has a population of 625,000 and a density of 625 persons per square kilometre. If its area increases by 250 square kilometres while the population remains unchanged, what is the new density?
Correct answer: B
Answer: B, 500 persons per square kilometre. First find the original area using A = P/D. Thus A = 625,000 ÷ 625 = 1,000 square kilometres. The area increases by 250, so the new area is 1,250 square kilometres. Population remains 625,000. New density = 625,000 ÷ 1,250 = 500 persons per square kilometre. Option B is correct. Option A is too low, while options C and D do not result from dividing the unchanged population by the new area. A shortcut also works: area rises from 1,000 to 1,250, which is 1.25 times the original; with fixed population, density becomes 1/1.25 = 0.8 times 625 = 500. Memory cue: when population is fixed, density and area move in opposite directions.
If a region has a density of 540 persons per square kilometre and 10 percent of its area is unavailable for settlement because of water bodies what is the effective density over the remaining 90 percent area?
Correct answer: B
The stated density uses the whole region’s area, including the part covered by water bodies. If 10% of the area cannot support settlement, only 90% remains available, but the same total population must be considered for effective density. Consequently, people are concentrated over a smaller usable area.
Let total area be A. The population is \(540A\). Usable area is \(0.90A\), so effective density is \(\frac{540A}{0.90A}=600\) persons per square kilometre. Therefore option B is correct. This assumes all residents are counted in the effective-density calculation.
Two regions have populations of 840000 and 675000. Their areas are 2100 and 1350 square kilometres respectively. Which has higher density and by how much?
Correct answer: B
Density is found by dividing population by area. For the first region, the calculation is \(840000/2100=400\) persons per square kilometre. For the second region, it is \(675000/1350=500\) persons per square kilometre. The second region therefore has more people for each square kilometre of land. The difference is \(500-400=100\) persons per square kilometre.
Option B is correct: the second region is denser by 100 persons per square kilometre. The comparison must use both population and area; a larger population alone does not guarantee greater density. Option A reverses the result and gives the wrong difference. Option C gives an excessive difference, while option D ignores that the two areas and populations produce different ratios. Checking the units also confirms that both answers are densities, not total populations.
A region has a density of 350 persons per square kilometre. Population increases by 15 percent and area increases by 38 percent. What is the new density approximately?
Correct answer: B
Density changes according to both population and area. If the original density is 350 persons per square kilometre, a 15 percent population increase makes population 1.15 times its original value. A 38 percent area increase makes area 1.38 times its original value. Therefore the new density is \(350\times 1.15/1.38\), which is about \(291.67\), or approximately 292 persons per square kilometre.
Option B is correct after rounding to the nearest whole number. Although population grows, area grows much faster, so density falls from 350 to about 292. Option A is too low, while options C and D are too high because they do not sufficiently account for the larger denominator. The calculation also illustrates that density is not changed by population growth alone; the relative percentage change in area must be included. Thus the ratio of the two growth factors is essential.
If a region has density 640 persons per square kilometre and population decreases by 35 percent while area decreases by 20 percent what is the new density?
Correct answer: C
Let the original population be P and the original area be A. The original density is 640 persons per square kilometre, so it equals P/A. A 35% population decrease leaves 65% of the population, or 0.65P. A 20% area decrease leaves 80% of the area, or 0.80A. The new density is therefore \(640\times\frac{0.65P}{0.80A}=640\times\frac{0.65}{0.80}=520\) persons per square kilometre.
Option C is correct. It is not enough simply to subtract both percentages from 640, because density changes according to the ratio of the new population to the new area. Although the population falls, the area also becomes smaller, which partly offsets the fall in density. The resulting density is 520, not 480, 500, or 540. The calculation assumes the original density and the stated percentage changes refer to the same region and comparable units.
A metropolis has a density of 1600 persons per square kilometre and a population of 1280000. If 128000 people are added while area remains unchanged what is the new density?
Correct answer: C
The original area can be found from density = population divided by area, so area = population divided by density. Thus the original area is \(1280000\div1600=800\) square kilometres. Adding 128,000 people gives a new population of 1,408,000. Since the area remains 800 square kilometres, the new density is \(1408000\div800=1760\) persons per square kilometre. Therefore, choice C is correct.
A quicker check is possible because 128,000 is one-tenth of 1,280,000. With area unchanged, density also rises by one-tenth of 1,600, which is 160. Adding 160 to 1,600 gives 1,760. The area must first be inferred because it is not directly stated. The other options do not match either the full calculation or this proportional check.
A region has an area of 3200 square kilometres and density of 625 persons per square kilometre. If population decreases by 160000 by how much will density fall?
Correct answer: B
With area fixed, a decrease in population produces a proportional decrease in density. The question gives an area of 3200 square kilometres and a population loss of 160000. The density fall can therefore be found directly by dividing the population decrease by the unchanged area: \(Change\ in\ density=Population\ change/Area\).
The calculation is \(160000/3200=50\) persons per square kilometre. The original density of 625 would become 575, but the question asks how much it falls, so the answer is 50 rather than 575. Therefore option B is correct. The unchanged area is essential for using this direct division.
If adding 120 square kilometres causes density to fall from 600 to 480 persons per square kilometre while population remains unchanged, what was the original area?
Correct answer: C
Answer: C, 480 square kilometres. Let the original area be A square kilometres. Since the original density is 600, the unchanged population is 600A. After 120 square kilometres is added, the area is A + 120 and the density is 480. Therefore 600A = 480(A + 120). Expanding gives 600A = 480A + 57,600. Subtracting 480A gives 120A = 57,600, so A = 480 square kilometres. Option C is correct. Option A, B, and D do not satisfy the equation. Check the result: original population = 600 × 480 = 288,000; new area = 600; new density = 288,000 ÷ 600 = 480. The check confirms the answer. Memory cue: with fixed population, equate old density × old area to new density × new area.
If the arrival of 36000 people raises density from 420 to 510 persons per square kilometre while area remains unchanged what is the area?
Correct answer: B
The area can be found from the increase in population and the corresponding increase in density. Since the area does not change, the added population is spread over that same area. Therefore, added population equals increase in density multiplied by area.
The density increase is \(510 - 420 = 90\) persons per square kilometre. Hence area = added population ÷ density increase = \(36000 \div 90 = 400\) square kilometres. Option B is correct. Using 420 or 510 alone would be wrong because only the difference in density is caused by the arriving people.
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