Population Density

Population density describes how many people live in a given unit of area. The words dense and sparse describe opposite patterns of settlement. A dense area has many people living close together, while a sparse area has relatively few people spread over a large area. The word selected in the question is therefore a vocabulary clue about low population density, not a calculation of the exact number of people.

Option B, “sparse,” is correct because it means thinly scattered or not closely packed. A sparsely populated desert, mountain region or remote area may have very few people in each square kilometre. “Dense” in option A means the opposite and suggests a high concentration. “Overcrowded” implies too many people for available space or facilities, and “concentrated” also suggests gathering in a limited area. Thus only B directly expresses low density.

The word dense indicates high population or high density. Exam tip: connect dense with more people per area.

A harsh climate, such as extreme cold, extreme heat, or very low rainfall, can make living and farming difficult. Therefore, such areas may have low population density. More employment opportunities usually attract people, so they are associated with higher rather than lower density. Exam tip: Climate, relief, and water availability are natural factors affecting population density.

Employment opportunities attract people to an area. Exam tip: write employment as a human factor.

(1000 \div 10 = 100) so the density will be 100 persons per square kilometre. Exam tip: divide total population by area.

(500 \div 5 = 100) so the density is 100 persons per square kilometre. Exam tip: write the unit after calculation.

Density increases when more people live in the same area. Exam tip: understand the effect of population change.

When the same population spreads over a larger area the number per square kilometre decreases. Exam tip: remember the effect of area.

Density is based on two things total population and area. Exam tip: treat both as the main base.

Density is not a list of names but a measure of population per area. Exam tip: keep the definition clear.

Settlement is difficult in inaccessible snowy mountains so density can be low. Exam tip: link inaccessibility with low density.

River valleys can support settlement due to water and fertile land. Exam tip: connect river valleys with high density.

Travel and transport needs can rise in dense population. Exam tip: connect density with demand for services.

Distance can make service delivery difficult in sparse population. Exam tip: remember challenges of low density too.

The direct answer is A: population density helps us understand the pressure of people per unit area. Density compares population with land area, so it helps planners estimate demand for water, housing, roads, schools, hospitals, food and other services. Step by step, find how many people live in a given area; compare that number with available land and facilities; a higher value generally means greater human pressure and a greater need for careful planning. Option A is correct. Option B is wrong because density cannot tell the taste of a river. Option C is wrong because it does not decide a mountain’s colour. Option D is wrong because it does not measure the height of the sky. Density may not describe every resource detail, but it is useful for settlement and resource planning. Memory cue: density connects people, land and planning.

Facilities and resources help people settle. Exam tip: remember favourable factors as a group.

High density tells only number of people per area not quality of management. Exam tip: understand the limit of an indicator.

Even with low density there can be water or service shortage. Exam tip: understand density and resource availability separately.

Census gives an official basis to understand population and area data. Exam tip: treat census as a main source.

Density tells the average number per square kilometre. Exam tip: do not confuse total population with density.

Both unit and area are necessary to understand density. Exam tip: do not hastily treat total number as density.

Population density is generally expressed as persons per square kilometre. Exam tip: write the unit carefully.

Density is found by dividing total population by total area. Exam tip: remember the formula in the correct order.

More people in a small area make density high. Exam tip: connect more people and less area with high density.

Population density means the average number of people living in one unit of area, usually one square kilometre. It depends on both population and area, not on population alone. If a very large area contains only a small number of people, those people are spread thinly across the land. The number of people per square kilometre will therefore be small. This is called low population density, even though the region itself may cover a large space.

Option C is correct because few people living in a large area produce a low density. Option A and option B would require many people in relation to the available area. Option D, “equal,” does not describe the level of density and would only be relevant to a comparison between areas. The key relationship is that density decreases when population is small compared with area.