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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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Up to 25 questions from this page. Select your focus, then start.
25 questions
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Hard · Level 1View options
The plateau will automatically become a forest
The population will always remain zero
Only the climate will change
A local population cluster may form because of employees, services, and connectivity
Hard · Level 1View options
Trade towns will grow rapidly
There will be no effect on population
Only rainfall will change
Out-migration may increase as jobs decline
Hard · Level 1View options
Mineral wealth makes the law irrelevant
The population will always be dense
Only climate matters
Policy restrictions may limit population concentration
Hard · Level 1View options
The central area will remain only for high-income residents
Displacement of low-income households may decrease
Housing policy does not affect population distribution
Only commercial land use will change
Hard · Level 1View options
Fertility makes disease risk irrelevant
Health risks may reduce settlement concentration despite agricultural advantages
Rainfall always increases population
Disease and population have no relationship
Hard · Level 1View options
Remote regions always lose population
The internet affects only entertainment
Some workers may move from expensive cities to the region
Population depends only on local jobs
Hard · Level 1View options
Barriers always reduce population
Only tourism changes
Population is determined only by elevation
Reduced hazard risk may support population retention and further investment
Hard · Level 1View options
420 persons per square kilometre
440 persons per square kilometre
460 persons per square kilometre
480 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
260 persons per square kilometre
280 persons per square kilometre
300 persons per square kilometre
320 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
300000 people
320000 people
360000 people
400000 people
Hard · Level 1View options
Increase by 20 percent
Increase by 40 percent
Increase by 50 percent
Density remains unchanged
Hard · Level 1View options
72 percent
82 percent
90 percent
100 percent
Hard · Level 1View options
350 persons per square kilometre
375 persons per square kilometre
400 persons per square kilometre
425 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
Lower than 200
Equal to 200
Higher than 200
Zero
Hard · Level 1View options
350 persons per square kilometre
375 persons per square kilometre
400 persons per square kilometre
450 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
Their spatial distribution will be the same
Distribution may differ despite equal density
The first region must have higher density
The second region must have lower population
Hard · Level 1View options
1667 persons per square kilometre
1833 persons per square kilometre
2000 persons per square kilometre
2200 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
375 persons per square kilometre
400 persons per square kilometre
425 persons per square kilometre
450 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
400 persons per square kilometre
432 persons per square kilometre
450 persons per square kilometre
480 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
300 persons per square kilometre
320 persons per square kilometre
327 persons per square kilometre
350 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
288 persons per square kilometre
300 persons per square kilometre
313 persons per square kilometre
325 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
573 persons per square kilometre
587 persons per square kilometre
600 persons per square kilometre
613 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
292 persons per square kilometre
300 persons per square kilometre
308 persons per square kilometre
320 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
400 persons per square kilometre
437.5 persons per square kilometre
450 persons per square kilometre
475 persons per square kilometre
Hard · Level 1View options
450 persons per square kilometre
480 persons per square kilometre
500 persons per square kilometre
520 persons per square kilometre
Question 1HardLevel 1
If both a strategic military base and an airport are developed on a remote plateau, what change may occur in the local population pattern?
Correct answer: D
Answer: D, a local population cluster may form because of employees, services, and connectivity. A remote plateau may initially have few residents because access is difficult and economic opportunities are limited. A military base creates a need for personnel, housing, administration, maintenance, security, and supplies. An airport improves connectivity and may encourage shops, transport services, health facilities, schools, and other supporting activities. Together these functions can produce a settlement cluster around selected sites, even though the wider plateau remains sparsely populated. A is unrelated: development does not automatically turn a plateau into a forest. B is too absolute because institutions and infrastructure can attract residents. C is wrong because the question concerns human settlement, not a guaranteed change in climate. The cluster may be local rather than spread across the entire plateau. Memory cue: institutions plus transport can create settlement in otherwise remote places.
If trade stops in a border region because of strict security restrictions, what effect may occur on population distribution?
Correct answer: D
Answer: D, out-migration may increase as jobs decline. Border towns often develop around trade, transport, markets, storage, customs-related work, and services for travellers and traders. If security restrictions stop or sharply reduce trade, these activities may lose customers and income. Shops, transport operators, warehouses, and other businesses may reduce employment. Some residents may then leave for places offering more reliable work, causing increased out-migration and a possible decline or redistribution of population. A is wrong because stopping trade removes, rather than strengthens, the main economic attraction. B is too absolute because loss of employment can influence migration, although the size of the effect will vary. C is wrong because rainfall is not the direct issue in this situation. The outcome can also depend on government support, alternative industries, and how long restrictions continue. Memory cue: when a major economic link is cut, dependent settlements may lose people.
If strict conservation laws restrict mining and settlement, what effect will this have on population concentration despite rich mineral deposits?
Correct answer: D
Correct answer: D. Mineral deposits can create economic potential, but potential is not the same as actual extraction or employment. If conservation laws restrict mining, construction, roads, or permanent settlement, fewer jobs and services may develop around the deposits. The reasoning is: resources are present; policy limits their use; economic activity and infrastructure remain restricted; therefore, population concentration may stay low. D is correct because government policy and land-use regulation can modify the effect of natural resources. A is wrong because laws can legally restrict resource use. B is wrong because mineral wealth does not always create dense settlement. C is wrong because climate is only one possible factor and does not cancel policy effects. Memory cue: resources attract population only when access and permitted use create livelihoods.
If an affordable-housing policy succeeds in the central area of a city, what effect on population distribution is possible?
Correct answer: B
Answer: B. Affordable housing reduces the cost barrier that often prevents lower-income households from living in central areas. If suitable homes remain available, these households may continue to live near jobs, schools, hospitals, and transport. This can reduce displacement caused by rising rents or land values and may preserve a socially mixed residential pattern. A is incorrect because successful affordable housing does not reserve the centre only for high-income residents. C is incorrect because housing prices and availability directly influence where people can live. D is incorrect because the policy primarily affects residential access, although it may indirectly influence land use. Memory cue: housing policy changes who can access a place, not merely what buildings are used for.
If a region has fertile land and high rainfall but widespread tropical diseases, how may population distribution be affected?
Correct answer: B
Direct answer: B. Fertile land and adequate rainfall are favourable for agriculture because they can support crops and livelihoods. However, widespread tropical diseases may reduce the attractiveness and productivity of the area. Illness can affect household well-being, workers’ ability to work, costs of treatment, and people’s willingness to settle permanently. As a result, population may be less concentrated than the agricultural conditions alone would suggest. A is wrong because agricultural fertility does not remove health risks. C is wrong because rainfall is helpful only within suitable environmental and social conditions; it does not always increase population. D is wrong because disease environments can influence mortality, migration, productivity, and settlement decisions. The answer does not claim that the region must be empty; it states that health risks may weaken the expected concentration. Memory cue: favourable land can attract people, but unhealthy environments can repel them.
If high-speed internet enables remote work and housing is cheap in a region, what effect on population distribution is possible?
Correct answer: C
Direct answer: C. Traditionally, many people lived close to their workplaces because daily commuting was necessary. Reliable high-speed internet can weaken that link for jobs that can be performed remotely. If housing is affordable and the region also has basic services, safety and reasonable connectivity, some workers may move from expensive cities while continuing to work for distant employers. Option A is wrong because remote areas may gain residents under suitable conditions. B is wrong because digital connectivity can influence employment location and settlement decisions. D is wrong because remote work allows some people to earn from jobs located elsewhere. This does not mean every worker will move: family needs, service quality and the nature of the job still matter. Memory cue: digital connectivity can separate the place of work from the place of residence.
If storm-surge barriers are built in a densely populated coastal city, what effect on population distribution is possible?
Correct answer: D
Direct answer: D. A storm-surge barrier is a form of hazard-reduction infrastructure. By lowering the expected exposure of homes, businesses and transport systems to coastal flooding, it may make residents more willing to remain and investors more willing to maintain or expand activity. This can support population retention and possibly further concentration, provided that the protection is effective and other urban services remain adequate. Option A is wrong because protection does not necessarily push people away. B is wrong because the effects can include housing, business and migration decisions, not just tourism. C is wrong because elevation is one physical factor, not the sole determinant. The important caution is that a barrier reduces risk; it does not remove every coastal hazard or guarantee population growth.
A region has a population of 480000 and an area of 1200 square kilometres. If population increases by 15 percent while area remains unchanged what will the new population density be?
Correct answer: C
Population density means the average number of people living in one square kilometre. To find it, divide the population by the area. Since the area does not change, any percentage increase in population produces the same percentage increase in density. This is an important condition because density depends on both population and area.
The original density is \(480000 \div 1200=400\) persons per square kilometre. A 15% increase means the new population is \(480000\times1.15=552000\). Therefore, the new density is \(552000\div1200=460\) persons per square kilometre. Equivalently, \(400\times1.15=460\). Thus option C is correct; 480 would represent a 20% increase over the original density, not 15%.
A region has a population density of 320 persons per square kilometre and an area of 750 square kilometres. If 30000 people leave the region what will the new density be?
Correct answer: B
Population density is calculated by dividing total population by area. First find the original population: \(320\times750=240000\) people. When 30,000 people leave, the remaining population is \(240000-30000=210000\). The area does not change, so divide the remaining population by 750: \(210000\div750=280\) persons per square kilometre.
Therefore, option B is correct. A common mistake is to subtract 30,000 directly from the density, but people and density have different units. Another mistake is to change the area after migration; the question states that people leave, not that the region’s area changes. The new density is consequently 280 persons per square kilometre.
Regions A and B have the same population density. Region A has a population of 240000 and an area of 600 square kilometres. If region B has an area of 900 square kilometres what is the population of B?
Correct answer: C
First calculate region A's density using \(D=\frac{P}{A}\): \(D_A=\frac{240000}{600}=400\) persons per square kilometre. The question says both regions have equal density, so region B must also have a density of 400 persons per square kilometre. Its population is therefore \(P_B=D_B\times A_B=400\times900=360000\) people.
Hence, option C is correct. The population is larger in B because its area is larger while density remains equal. Option B might seem possible if one overlooked the change from 600 to 900 square kilometres, but equal density means population must increase in the same proportion as area. The calculation confirms 360,000 people.
If a region's population increases by 20 percent and its area decreases by 20 percent approximately how much will density change?
Correct answer: C
Density is found by dividing population by area. Let the original population be \(P\) and the original area be \(A\). After the changes, population is \(1.2P\), while area is \(0.8A\). The new density is therefore \(\frac{1.2P}{0.8A}=1.5\frac{P}{A}\). It becomes 1.5 times the original density.
An increase to 1.5 times the original value means an increase of 0.5 times, or 50 percent. Simply adding 20 percent and 20 percent gives 40 percent, but that ignores the fact that area is in the denominator and has decreased. The correct result is therefore option C, an approximate 50 percent increase.
A region has a density of 450 persons per square kilometre. If its population decreases by 10 percent and area increases by 10 percent what percentage of the old density will the new density be approximately?
Correct answer: B
Density means population divided by area. Let the original population be \(P\) and the original area be \(A\). The original density is \(P/A=450\) persons per square kilometre. A 10 percent population decrease gives \(0.9P\), while a 10 percent area increase gives \(1.1A\).
The new density is therefore \(\frac{0.9P}{1.1A}=\frac{0.9}{1.1}\frac{P}{A}\), which is about \(0.818\) of the old density. Expressed as a percentage, this is about 81.8 percent, normally rounded to 82 percent. Therefore option B follows. The value 90 percent ignores the simultaneous increase in area.
A region has 360000 people living in 900 square kilometres. If 100 square kilometres are separated into another administrative unit and population decreases by 40000 what will the new density be?
Correct answer: C
First find the population and area that remain in the original region after the separation. The new population is \(360000-40000=320000\) people because 40,000 people are removed. The new area is \(900-100=800\) square kilometres because 100 square kilometres form the separate unit. The required density is therefore \(\frac{320000}{800}=400\) persons per square kilometre.
Option C matches this result. It is important to subtract both quantities before dividing; using the original population or original area would describe the old region, not the changed one. The result is also reasonable because the removed population and area have been specified together, and the remaining region has 320,000 people across 800 square kilometres. Hence C is correct.
If a country's overall population density is 200 persons per square kilometre but 40 percent of its land is uninhabited how will the average density of only the inhabited land compare?
Correct answer: C
Total population density is calculated using the whole land area, including land where nobody lives. If 40 percent of the country is uninhabited, the population is concentrated on the remaining 60 percent. The same population is therefore spread over a smaller denominator when inhabited-land density is calculated.
For example, suppose the total area is 100 square kilometres and the population is 20,000. Overall density is 200 persons per square kilometre. If people live on only 60 square kilometres, the inhabited-area density is about 333.3 persons per square kilometre, which is higher than 200. Hence option C is correct. The exact value is not required to establish the direction of comparison.
A region has an arithmetic density of 300 persons per square kilometre. If only 75% of its land area is habitable and the entire population lives there, what is the density over the habitable land?
Correct answer: C
Correct answer: C, 400 persons per square kilometre. Arithmetic density means total population divided by the total geographical area. Let the total area be A square kilometres. The population is therefore 300A. Only 75% of the area is habitable, so the habitable area is 0.75A. Because the population does not change and all of it occupies the smaller habitable area, the new density is 300A ÷ 0.75A = 300 ÷ 0.75 = 400 persons per square kilometre. A is wrong because it does not apply the full area reduction. B is wrong because it simply adds 25% to 300; density does not increase by the percentage of unusable land in that way. C correctly divides by the remaining area. D is too high and has no correct calculation behind it. Memory cue: with fixed population, a smaller effective area produces a higher density.
If two regions have the same arithmetic density but one has population concentrated in a few cities while the other is evenly spread which statement is correct?
Correct answer: B
Arithmetic density is an average for the whole region. It is found by dividing total population by total area, so it gives no information about the internal pattern of settlement. Two regions can have the same average even when one has people concentrated in a few large cities and the other has people spread more evenly across villages and towns.
Hence, option B is correct. Equal arithmetic density does not mean equal spatial distribution. The first region does not necessarily have a higher density, and the second does not necessarily have a smaller population. To understand internal concentration, we would need more detailed information such as settlement maps, population by subregion, or measures of urban concentration.
A city has a population of 600000 and an area of 300 square kilometres. If area increases by 20 percent and population increases by 10 percent what will the new density be?
Correct answer: B
Population density is calculated by dividing population by area. The original population is 600,000 and the original area is 300 square kilometres. A 10 percent population increase gives \(600000\times1.10=660000\). A 20 percent area increase gives \(300\times1.20=360\) square kilometres. The new density is therefore \(\frac{660000}{360}=1833.33\) persons per square kilometre.
Rounding to the nearest whole person gives about 1,833 persons per square kilometre, so option B is the matching choice. It is important to apply each percentage to the correct original quantity before dividing. The density does not remain 2,000 because population and area do not rise by the same percentage: area rises faster than population, causing the average number of people per square kilometre to fall.
A region has a density of 500 persons per square kilometre. If area increases by 25 percent while population remains unchanged what will the new density be?
Correct answer: B
Let the original area be \(A\) and population be \(P\). The original density is \(\frac{P}{A}=500\). A 25 percent increase makes the new area \(1.25A\), while population remains \(P\). The new density is therefore \(\frac{P}{1.25A}=\frac{500}{1.25}=400\) persons per square kilometre. Increasing area without adding people spreads the same population over more space.
Thus, option B is correct. The density falls, but it does not fall by simply subtracting 25 percent from 500; the denominator is multiplied by 1.25. Option A, 375, would represent a different calculation. The reciprocal factor is important: a 25 percent larger area makes the density 80 percent of the old value, which is 400.
If density is 360 persons per square kilometre and area decreases by 20 percent while population remains unchanged what is the new density?
Correct answer: C
Density is calculated by dividing population by area. When population stays unchanged and area becomes smaller, the same number of people is concentrated in less space. The density must therefore rise. A reduction of 20 percent does not mean subtracting 20 percent directly from the original density, because the denominator changes.
Let the original area be A. After a 20 percent reduction, the new area is \(0.8A\). The original density is 360 persons per square kilometre, so the unchanged population is \(360A\). The new density is \(\frac{360A}{0.8A}=\frac{360}{0.8}=450\) persons per square kilometre. Hence option C is correct. The value 432 comes from an incorrect direct percentage adjustment.
A region has a population of 420000 and an area of 1400 square kilometres. It gains 70000 people and its area increases by 100 square kilometres. What is the new density?
Correct answer: C
For a changed population density, both new population and new area must be calculated first. It would be incorrect to use the original density or to add the population increase without also updating the area. Density is always the final population divided by the final area.
The new population is \(420000+70000=490000\). The new area is \(1400+100=1500\) square kilometres. Therefore, \(\text{Density}=\frac{490000}{1500}=326.67\) persons per square kilometre. Rounded to the nearest whole person, this is 327. Hence option C is correct. The value 320 is not the result of the required division.
A country has a density of 250 persons per square kilometre. If its population increases by 30% and its area increases by 4%, what will the new density be approximately?
Correct answer: C
Correct answer: C, approximately 313 persons per square kilometre. Density equals population divided by area, so both percentage changes must be included. A 30% population increase multiplies population by 1.30, while a 4% area increase multiplies area by 1.04. Thus new density = 250 × 1.30 ÷ 1.04 = 250 × 1.25 = 312.5, which rounds to approximately 313. A, 288, is too low and does not follow the correct ratio of the two changes. B, 300, does not reflect the stated changes accurately. D, 325, effectively gives too much importance to the population increase and neglects the area increase. The important rule is to use multiplication factors, not to add or subtract percentage changes directly from density.
If a region has a density of 600 persons per square kilometre and population decreases by 12 percent while area decreases by 10 percent what is the new density approximately?
Correct answer: B
Density changes according to the relative changes in population and area, not according to either percentage alone. A population decline of 12 percent leaves 88 percent of the original population, so its factor is \(0.88\). An area decline of 10 percent leaves 90 percent of the original area, giving a factor of \(0.90\).
Starting with density 600, the new value is \(600\times\frac{0.88}{0.90}=586.67\) persons per square kilometre, which rounds to about 587. The population falls slightly more, proportionally, than the area, so density decreases but does not fall by the full 12 percent. Therefore option B is correct; 573 would incorrectly apply the population reduction directly to density.
A region has a density of 280 persons per square kilometre and an area of 1500 square kilometres. If population increases by 42000 what is the new density?
Correct answer: C
First find the original population using \(Population=Density\times Area\). It is \(280\times1500=420000\) people. The population then increases by 42,000, so the new population is \(420000+42000=462000\). Because the area stays 1,500 square kilometres, the new density is \(\frac{462000}{1500}=308\) persons per square kilometre.
Thus option C is correct. A quick check is useful: an increase of 42,000 people over 1,500 square kilometres adds \(42000\div1500=28\) persons per square kilometre. Adding 28 to the original density 280 gives 308. Options A, B, and D do not reflect this exact increase and would imply different population changes.
A district has a population of 350000 and density of 500 persons per square kilometre. If its area increases by 100 square kilometres while population remains unchanged what is the new density?
Correct answer: B
Population density is calculated by dividing population by area. First, the original area must be found because the question gives the original population and density. The original population is 350,000 and the original density is 500 persons per square kilometre. When the population stays unchanged but the area becomes larger, the density must become lower.
Original area = \(350000 \div 500 = 700\) square kilometres. After an increase of 100 square kilometres, the new area is \(700 + 100 = 800\) square kilometres. The new density is therefore \(350000 \div 800 = 437.5\) persons per square kilometre. Hence option B is correct. A value such as 500 would ignore the increase in area.
If a region has a density of 400 persons per square kilometre and 20 percent of total area is uninhabitable what is the effective density on usable land if the entire population lives there?
Correct answer: C
The stated density of 400 persons per square kilometre is based on the entire area. If 20 percent is uninhabitable, only the remaining 80 percent can support the population. Removing part of the denominator while keeping the same population makes the density on usable land higher than the overall density.
Let total area be A. The population is \(400A\), and usable area is \(0.8A\). Thus effective density is \(400A/(0.8A)=500\) persons per square kilometre. Therefore, option C is correct. The value is not 480 because the usable area is 80 percent, so the original density must be divided by 0.8, not multiplied by it.
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