In geopolitics, there is such a concept as "population density". It defines the demographic and economic potential of a country or a specific region. Of course, this indicator is considered conditional, and its value depends on the area of ​​the analyzed territory.

Explanation of the term

In geography, population density is determined by the number of people per unit area (1 square km). The more people live in a city, country, region, the greater this density.

At the same time, this is a purely statistical indicator that depends on the area of ​​the study area. Thus, the number of people per unit area throughout Russia is significantly less than in Moscow, and much more than in Siberia, although both of these indicators are taken into account when determining the nationwide density.

And this applies not only to Russia, but also to the entire area of ​​the Earth. People on it are not evenly distributed. There are regions that are not populated at all, but there are places where the number of people exceeds 1000 per unit area.

Population distribution over the planet

According to statistics, the density of the world's population is very uneven. In general, the planet is home to about 40 people per square kilometer. Moreover, about 10% of the land is not inhabited at all.

90% of the world's inhabitants are concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere and 80% in the Eastern. Moreover, about 60% of all people on earth live in Asian countries.

Consequently, the number of people in the Southern and Western Hemispheres will be lower than the average on the planet.

In the northern regions of the Earth, the number of people is falling noticeably, and in Antarctica there are practically none, except for single research groups. At the same time, the coasts of the seas and large rivers are very densely populated, which was facilitated by various factors of history and ecology.

Thus, we can safely say that the population on Earth has a heterogeneous nature, which was influenced by a variety of factors. It is noteworthy that the migration processes never stop. This gives the right to assert that the population density of countries is a very dynamic indicator.

Factors on which the density of the world's population depends

Scientists argue that the nature of the population of certain territories depends on many factors. Some of them are subject to man, and to some he must submit.

First of all, these are climatic conditions. The more favorable the weather conditions for human life, the more people will settle in such a territory. Consequently, in tropical countries, places close to water bodies, people settle more often. This also explains why very cold regions are practically not developed by humans.

Geographic conditions include proximity to fresh water. The larger the river, the greater the population on its banks. In deserts, a person will not survive, because he constantly needs water.

The highlands are also uninhabitable. In such places, there is little oxygen, without which it is also difficult for people to live normally.

Environmental factors determine the areas where it is safest to live. For example, the area around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is practically deserted, since there is a high radiation background on its territory.

Economic factors contribute to the fact that people flock to places where there is work, and hence the opportunity to get more money for their work.

Population density indicators in Russia

The large territory of the country guarantees us that the population density of Russia is very uneven. Its overall figure is close to 9 people per square kilometer. But this is a very generalized data.

Thus, the European part of the country is populated by 75%, although it makes up about 25% of the entire area of ​​the country. Conversely, 25% of people live on 75% of the area of ​​its Asian part.

In large cities, the number of people is increasing significantly, while in the villages there are practically no people left. The closer to the south, the more Russians we will meet per unit area. The only exception will be desert regions, poorly suitable for life.

The uneven settlement of people in Russia is explained by the presence of different climatic conditions over a large area of ​​the state. It also happened historically that in some regions the resettlement took place more actively than in others. Even today, migration processes further exacerbate the situation with uneven settlement.

european part of Russia

The territory belonging to the European continent in Russia is no more than 25%. But it is here that most of its citizens are concentrated. Together with the Urals, this is 75% of all people living in the country.

This is due to the fact that there are large cultural and economic centers such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Veliky Novgorod. Thus, it turns out that the average population density here is almost 37 people per unit area.

Living conditions are also more favorable in the European part of the country. The climate is mild. It promotes the development of agriculture and industry. Like a chain reaction, such features attract more and more people. Cultural life and infrastructure are developing. The population density is growing like a snowball. This is especially evident in the dynamics of the example of large cities, to which thousands of new residents come every year.

Sparsely populated regions

Sadly, but most of the territory of Russia has a very low population density. In Russian Asia, on average, it is 2.4 people per square kilometer. This is significantly lower than in the entire country as a whole.

The most uninhabited area, Chukotka, is also located here. Here, there are 0.07 people per unit area.

This is explained by the fact that the Far Eastern and Northern regions are practically unsuitable for life. At the same time, there are many minerals here. Modern people settle around their places of occurrence. Of the indigenous people, nomadic peoples predominate here, who have learned to live without agriculture in the usual sense of the word.

Desert regions are also not very attractive for human migration. Therefore, the population density in Russia is extremely uneven. Today, there are many federal programs that facilitate resettlement in sparsely populated regions.

One of the most crowded cities in the world

There is also a record-breaking city on the map of Russia. It has a very high population density even in comparison with other cities in the world. The ten most densely populated settlements are closed by the capital - Moscow.

As of the beginning of 2015, the population density in this city was 4858 people per square kilometer. This is a very high population density. And every year it only grows. In addition, statistics are based on the official registration of residents and people temporarily residing in the capital. But there is also a contingent of illegal migrants not only from the near abroad, but also from the hinterland of the country itself. Therefore, it can be argued that the real picture of overpopulation is much higher than the statistics show.

At the same time, the entire Moscow region is also very overpopulated. Together with Moscow, it is 320 people per unit area. This is almost five times more than in the entire country.

Ways of resettlement of people

To avoid overpopulation and develop unpopulated areas, there are several programs. The easiest way is to make the desert region attractive for migration. In this case, it is best to use labor migrants.

In history, there have been cases when new cities very quickly acquired a high population density.

To do this, at first, highly qualified personnel were attracted, who were offered high salaries and benefits for housing. In parallel with this, the infrastructure developed, providing jobs for their relatives. For several years in the previously deserted regions, a large population density was formed.

An example of such a rapid settlement is the city of Pripyat near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. For several years it was filled with people, although before that there were only forests and swamps, unsuitable for life.

Population density concept

According to experts, at the end of 2017, 7.5 billion people lived on the planet.

The majority of people live within the temperate, subtropical, subequatorial zones. Low-lying areas up to 500 m high and the coasts of the seas and oceans are much better populated than other regions of the planet.

Areas not developed by humans occupy 15% of the land. These areas have extreme natural conditions and are not populated by people.

On the surface of the Earth, people are distributed unevenly - 86% of the population lives in the Eastern Hemisphere, while only 14% in the Western Hemisphere.

90% of the population is concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere, and only 10% in the Southern.

Figure 1. Density of the world population. Author24 - online exchange of student papers

On the continents, the population is also not constant and changes over time. Antarctica has no permanent population.

The degree of population and development of the territory, the intensity of the economic activity of people and the territorial structure of the economy, is its density, which is the main indicator of the distribution of the population.

Definition 1

Population density shows how many people live per 1 sq. km of this or that territory.

The population of the territory is a consequence of the economic development of the country.

The population density of different countries differs significantly, and inside the country there may be areas that are sparsely populated or completely uninhabited.

Population density is a dynamic indicator, which is associated with the ongoing processes of population migration.

In recent decades, places with a huge congestion of people have appeared on Earth - these are conurbations, where the population is constantly increasing.

Definition 2

Conurbation refers to a group of closely spaced large cities that are interconnected.

One of these conurbations is Boston, located in the United States. There is also a second conurbation called California.

There are such areas in Germany, Great Britain, Japan.

The existing differences between regions in the rate of population growth change the population map of the planet very quickly. The modern regime of population reproduction, when the birth rate becomes low and mortality in all regions is gradually decreasing, will lead to the fact that the population density in the countries will not increase, but will remain at the same level.

In terms of density, the countries of the world are divided into 4 types:

  1. countries where the population density is low - 0-2 people per sq. km;
  2. countries with an average density - 2-40 people per sq. km;
  3. countries, countries with a high population density - 40-200 people per sq. km;
  4. countries with the maximum population density - more than 200 people per sq. km.

Remark 1

Today, the most populated regions of the planet are East, South, Southeast Asia, Western Europe, and the Northeast of the United States.

Factors affecting the settlement of people

The uneven distribution of the population on the Earth's surface is explained by a number of factors.

First of all, this is the natural and climatic factor, which includes the terrain, the climate of the territory, the presence of fresh water sources, the swampiness of the territory, etc.

The historical factor plays an important role in the settlement - the territories that have long been inhabited by humans, as a rule, are populated more densely.

Demographic factor - in some regions the natural population growth is high, in other regions it is low or very low, and hence there are regional differences in population density.

In the last 2-3 centuries, the influence of the economic factor has greatly increased. Large economic regions with a large number of cities, businesses and infrastructure attract the attention of people because they can find work and provide for their families.

In areas with labor-intensive sectors of agriculture and industry, the population density will be much higher.

The population density is also increasing in areas where mining operations are taking place, where there are navigable rivers and ice-free seas.

The smallest states of the world - the dwarf states are the most densely populated and the leader here can be called Monaco, where the population density is 18,680 people per sq. km.

The high population density is typical for Singapore, Malta, Maldives, Barbados, Mauritius, San Marino and amounts to 7605, respectively; 1360; 665; 515 people per sq. km.

Such a high density is due to the favorable climate and favorable transport and geographical location.

Bahrain is in a separate row, with a density of 1,720 people per sq. km - the development of the state and the high population density are explained by oil production.

The reason for the high population density of the Vatican dwarf state - 1,913 people per sq. km, is not the population, but a small area of ​​the territory, amounting to only 0.44 sq. km.

Bangladesh has been holding the palm in terms of density among large countries for ten years - 1200 people per sq. km, the main reason for this density is the development of rice cultivation.

The culture is very labor intensive and requires a lot of labor.

Of course, there are countries in the world where the population density is low, they are called "spacious" countries. There are a lot of such countries, where you will not meet a single person for tens or even hundreds of kilometers.

The countries with the lowest population density indicators include Mongolia, Namibia, Australia, Suriname. Iceland, Mauritania, Libya, Botswana, Canada, Guyana, the average density of which is 2.0, respectively; 2.6; 2.8; 3.0; 3.1; 3.1; 3.2; 3.4; 3.5; 3.5 people per sq. km.

At any level, the settlement of people is a reflection of long-term historical processes of development of society and society. Modern densely populated centers, as a rule, are places of residence of people either in the immediate historical period or in ancient times, as evidenced by archaeological excavations.

For example, modern Berlin is the site of an ancient Slavic settlement, and in the area of ​​Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Tagil, archaeological monuments of the Neolithic era were found.

Remark 2

Most of the territories had their own periods of both active settlement and prolonged "oblivion".

Population density of the largest cities in the world

Not only can countries have a high density, but also cities.

The most populated cities on the planet are Shanghai, Karachi, Istanbul, Tokyo, Mumbai, Manila, Buenos Aires, Delhi, Dhaka, Moscow.

One of the most populated cities in the world is Chinese Shanghai, which as of January 1, 2009 had a population of 18.8 million. The city covers an area of ​​6340 sq. km, and hence the population density will be 2683 people per sq. km.

Since historical times, the city has been westernized and today it takes on the role of the main center for communication with the West - an information center for the exchange of medical knowledge between Western and Chinese health institutions has been opened in the city.

The densely populated city of Pakistan has become Karachi - the economic center and seaport of the country. In the 18th century, it was just a fishing village. Having become a political and economic center, the city began to develop rapidly.

The growth of the urban population was mainly due to the influx of immigrants from outside. The population in 2009 was 18.1 million people, and the area of ​​the city was 3530 square meters. km, hence the population density at that time was 5139 people per sq. km.

The former capital of Turkey, Istanbul is the only city in the world located in Europe and Asia. It is very difficult to define the actual boundaries of the city, because it merges with the city of Izmit to the east.

The number of Istanbul is increasing annually by 5% and every 5th resident of the country lives in Istanbul.

The city's population was estimated at 16.7 million in 2009, and some Turkish sources say the current population has reached 20 million.

The area of ​​the city is 2106 sq. km - the population density is 6521 people per sq. km.

The capital of Japan - the city of Tokyo is officially one of the prefectures, or rather a metropolitan area. The territory of the city includes part of the island of Honshu, several small islands located to the south, as well as the islands of Izu and Ogasawara.

Tokyo - the largest administrative, financial, cultural, industrial center of the country covers an area of ​​2,187 sq. km, which is home to 15.6 million people, hence the population density in the city is the highest among the prefectures and amounts to 5740 people per sq. km. km.

The most populous Indian city of Mumbai in 2009 was home to 13.9 million people. Greater Mumbai is 603.4 sq. km. Also, the densely populated cities of the world include Manila, Buenos Aires, Delhi, Dhaka, Moscow.

Monaco, a dwarf state, has 18,700 inhabitants per square kilometer. By the way, the area of ​​Monaco is only 2 square kilometers. What about the countries with the lowest population densities? Well, such statistics are also available, but the indicators may change slightly due to the constant change in the number of inhabitants. Nevertheless, the countries presented below end up on this list anyway. Let's take a look!

Don't say you've never heard of such a country! The small state is located on the northeastern coast of South America, and this, by the way, is the only English-speaking country on the continent. Guyana's area is the same size as Belarus, with 90% of people living in coastal areas. Almost half of the population of Guyana is Indians, as well as Negroes, Indians and other peoples of the world live here.

Botswana, 3.4 people / sq. Km

The state in South Africa, bordering South Africa, is 70% the territory of the harsh Kalahari Desert. The area of ​​Botswana is quite large - the size of Ukraine, but the population there is 22 times less than in this country. Botswana is mostly populated by the Tswana people, and other African peoples, most of whom are Christians, are represented in small groups.

Libya, 3.2 people / sq. Km

The state in North Africa on the Mediterranean coast is quite large in area, however, the population density is small. 95% of Libya is desert, but cities and towns are distributed relatively uniformly across the country. Most of the population is Arabs, in some places there are Berbers and Tuaregs, there are small communities of Greeks, Turks, Italians and Maltese.

Iceland, 3.1 people / sq. Km

The state in the north of the Atlantic Ocean is completely located on a fairly large island of the same name, on which mostly Icelanders live, descendants of the Vikings who speak Icelandic, as well as Danes, Swedes, Norwegians and Poles. Most of them live in the Reykjavik area. Interestingly, the level of migration in this country is extremely low, despite the fact that many young people leave to study in neighboring countries. After graduation, most of them return to their beautiful country for permanent residence.

Mauritania, 3.1 persons / sq. Km

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is located in West Africa, washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, and borders Senegal, Mali and Algeria. The population density in Mauritania is about the same as in Iceland, but the country's territory is 10 times larger, and there are also 10 times more people living here - about 3.2 million people, among whom most of all are the so-called black Berbers, historical slaves, and also white Berbers and African-speaking blacks.

Suriname, 3 persons / sq. Km

The Republic of Suriname is located in the northern part of South America.

A country the size of Tunisia is home to only 480 thousand people, but the population is constantly growing a little (maybe Surinami will be on this list in 10 years, say). The local population is represented mainly by Indians and Creoles, as well as Javanese, Indians, Chinese and other nations. Probably, there is no other country where so many languages ​​of the world would be spoken!

Australia, 2.8 people / sq. Km

Australia is 7.5 times larger than Mauritania and 74 times larger than Iceland. However, this does not prevent Australia from being one of the countries with the lowest population density. Two thirds of Australia's population lives in 5 major cities on the mainland, located on the coast. Once, before the 18th century, this continent was inhabited exclusively by Australian Aborigines, Torres Strait Islanders and Tasmanian Aborigines, who were very different from each other even in appearance, not to mention culture and language. After moving to a distant "island" of immigrants from Europe, mostly from the UK and Ireland, the number of inhabitants on the mainland began to grow very rapidly. However, it is unlikely that the scorching heat deserts, which occupy a decent part of the mainland, will ever be mastered by humans, so only the coastal parts will be filled with residents - which is happening now.

Namibia, 2.6 people / sq. Km

More than 2 million people live in the Republic of Namibia in southwestern Africa, but due to the huge problem of HIV / AIDS, the exact number is constantly in flux.

Most of the population of Namibia is the Bantu people and several thousand mestizos, who live mainly in the community in Rehoboth. About 6% of the population is white - the descendants of European colonists, some of whom retain their culture and language, but still, most of them speak Afrikaans.

Mongolia, 2 persons / sq. Km

Mongolia is currently the country with the lowest population density in the world. The area of ​​Mongolia is large, but only a little more than 3 million people live in the desert territories (although at the moment there is a small increase in the population). 95% of the population are Mongols, Kazakhs are represented to a small extent, as well as Chinese and Russians. More than 9 million Mongols are believed to live outside the country, mostly in China and Russia.

the degree of population, the density of the population of a given territory. It is expressed by the number of permanent residents per unit of the total area (usually 1 km2) of the territory. When calculating P. n. sometimes uninhabited territory is excluded, as well as large inland bodies of water. Density indicators are used separately for rural and urban populations. P. n. varies greatly across continents, countries and parts of the country, depending on the nature of the settlement of people, the density and size of settlements. In large cities and urbanized areas, it is usually much higher than in rural areas. Therefore, P. n. any area is the average of the population levels of individual parts of this area, weighted by the size of their territory.

As one of the conditions for population reproduction, P. n. has some influence on the rate of its growth. However, P. n. does not determine population growth and, moreover, the development of society. Increase and unevenness of P.'s increase of N. in individual parts of a given country is the result of the development of productive forces and the concentration of production. Marxism denies the views according to which P. n. characterizes the absolute overpopulation.

In 1973 the average P. of N. inhabited continents was 28 people. per 1 km2, including Australia and Oceania ≈ 2, America ≈ 13 (North America ≈ 14, Latin America ≈ 12), Africa ≈ 12, Asia ≈ 51, Europe ≈ 63, USSR ≈ 11, and in the European part ≈ 34, in the Asian part - about 4 people. per 1 km2.

See also Art. Population.

Lit .: The national economy of the USSR in 1973, M., 1974, p. 16-21; Population of the countries of the world. Handbook, ed. B. Ts. Urlanis, M., 1974, p. 377-88.

A. G. Volkov.

Uneven distribution of the world's population

The population of the Earth has already exceeded 6.6 billion people. All these people live in 15–20 million different settlements - cities, towns, villages, villages, farms, etc. But these settlements are located on the earth's land area extremely unevenly. So, according to available estimates, half of all humanity lives on 1/20 of the inhabited land area.

Rice. 46. Cultural regions of the world (from the American textbook "Geography of the World")

The uneven distribution of the population on the globe is explained by four main reasons.

The first reason is the influence of a natural factor. It is clear that vast areas with extreme natural conditions (deserts, ice spaces, tundra, highlands, tropical forests) do not create favorable conditions for human life. This can be demonstrated using the example of Table 60, which shows well both general patterns and differences between individual regions.

The main general pattern is that 80% of all people live in lowlands and hills up to 500 m high, which occupy only 28% of the earth's land surface, including in Europe, Australia and Oceania, more than 90% of the total population live in such areas. Asia and North America - 80% or so. But, on the other hand, in Africa and South America 43–44% of people live in territories exceeding 500 m in height. This unevenness is also typical for individual countries: the most "low" include, for example, the Netherlands, Poland, France, Japan , India, China, USA, and to the most "sublime" - Bolivia, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Mexico, Iran, Peru. Moreover, most of the population is concentrated in the subequatorial and subtropical climatic zones of the Earth.

The second reason is impact historical features settling the earth's land. After all, the distribution of the population on the territory of the Earth has evolved throughout the entire history of mankind. The process of the formation of modern humans, which began 40-30 thousand years ago, took place in South-West Asia, North-East Africa and Southern Europe. From here, people then spread throughout the Old World. Between the thirtieth and tenth millennia BC, they populated North and South America, and at the end of this period - and Australia. Naturally, the time of settlement to some extent could not but affect the population.

The third reason is the differences in modern demographic situation. It is clear that the number and density of the population increase most rapidly in those countries and regions where its natural increase is highest.

Table 60

DISTRIBUTION OF THE EARTH'S POPULATION BY HIGH ZONES

Bangladesh is a prime example of this. This country with a small territory and very high natural population growth already has a population density of 970 people per 1 km 2. If the current birth rate and growth rate here will remain in the future, then, according to calculations, in 2025 the population density of the country will exceed 2000 people per 1 km 2!

The fourth reason is impact socio-economic conditions life of people, their economic activities, the level of development of production. One of its manifestations is the “attraction” of the population to the coasts of seas and oceans, more precisely, to the “land-ocean” contact zone.

The zone located at a distance of 50 km from the sea can be called a zone of direct coastal settlement. It is home to 29% of all people, including 40% of all urban residents in the world. This share is especially high in Australia and Oceania (about 80%). This is followed by North America, South America and Europe (30–35%), Asia (27) and Africa (22%). The zone 50-200 km from the sea can be considered as indirectly associated with the shore: although the settlement itself here is no longer seaside, economically it feels the daily and significant influence of the proximity of the sea. Approximately 24% of the world's population is concentrated in this zone. The literature also notes that the proportion of the population living at a distance of up to 200 km from the sea is gradually increasing: in 1850 it was 48.9%, in 1950 - 50.3, and now it reaches 53%.

It is possible to concretize the very thesis about the uneven distribution of the population over the territory of the globe using many examples. In this respect, one can compare the Eastern and Western Hemispheres (80 and 20% of the population, respectively), the Northern and Southern Hemispheres (90 and 10%). The least and most populated areas of the Earth can be distinguished. The first of them include almost all the highlands, most of the giant deserts of Central and South-West Asia and North Africa, to some extent and the tracts of tropical forests, not to mention Antarctica and Greenland. The second group includes the historically formed main population clusters in East, South and Southeast Asia, in Western Europe, and in the Northeast of the United States.

Different indicators are used to characterize the distribution of the population. The main one, the indicator of population density, allows one to more or less clearly judge the degree of population density in a territory. It determines the number of permanent residents per 1 km 2.

Let's start with the average population density for the entire inhabited land mass of the earth.

As you might expect, during the twentieth century. - especially as a result of the population explosion - it began to increase especially rapidly. In 1900, this figure was 12 people per 1 km 2, in 1950 - 18, in 1980 - 33, in 1990 - 40, and in 2000 already about 45, and in 2005 - 48 people per 1 km 2.

It is also interesting to consider the differences in average population density that exist between parts of the world. The highest density indicator (120 people per 1 km 2) is in the populous Asia, quite high (110) in Europe, in the rest of the large parts of the Earth the population density is below the world average: in Africa about 30, in America - 20, and in Australia and Oceania - only 4 people per 1 km 2.

The next level is a comparison of the population density of individual countries, which allows the implementation of Figure 47. It also provides the basis for a three-member grouping of countries in the world for this indicator. A very high population density for a single country can obviously be considered an indicator of over 200 people per 1 km 2. Examples of countries with such a population density are Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, India, Israel, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, El Salvador. The average density can be considered an indicator close to the world average (48 people per 1 km 2). As examples of this kind, let us name Belarus, Tajikistan, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire, Ecuador. Finally, the indicators of the lowest density include 2-3 people per 1 km 2 or less. The group of countries with such a population density includes Mongolia, Mauritania, Namibia, Australia, not to mention Greenland (0.02 people per 1 km 2).

When analyzing Figure 47, it should be borne in mind that very small, mainly insular, countries could not find a reflection on it, and it is precisely they that are distinguished by especially high indicators of population density. Examples are Singapore (6450 people per sq km), Bermuda (1200), Malta (1280), Bahrain (1020), Barbados (630), Mauritius (610), Martinique (350 people per sq km) , not to mention Monaco (16,900).

In educational geography, the study of contrasts of population density within individual countries is quite widely used. The most striking examples of this kind are Egypt, China, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan. At the same time, one should not forget about the archipelagic countries. For example, in Indonesia, the population density on the island. Java often exceeds 2000 people per 1 km 2, and in the interior regions of other islands it drops to 3 people per 1 km 2. It should be noted in passing that, given the availability of relevant data, it is better to analyze such contrasts on the basis of comparing the density of the rural population.

Russia is an example of a country with a low average population density of 8 people per sq km. In addition, there are very large internal differences hidden behind this average. They exist between the Western and Eastern zones of the country (respectively 4/5 and 1/5 of the total population). They also exist between individual districts (the population density in the Moscow region is about 350 people per 1 km 2, and in many regions of Siberia and the Far East - less than 1 person per 1 km 2). This is why geographers usually distinguish in Russia The main settlement strip, stretching a gradually narrowing area across the European and Asian parts of the country. About 2/3 of all inhabitants of the country are concentrated within this strip. At the same time, Russia has huge unpopulated or very sparsely populated areas. They occupy, according to some estimates, about 45% of the entire area of ​​the country.

Rice. 47. Average population density by countries of the world

The population on Earth is unevenly distributed. This is due to various reasons:

a) the influence of a natural factor: deserts, tundra, high mountains, territories covered with ice, and tropical forests do not contribute to the settlement of people;

b) the effect of the historical features of the settlement of the earth's land;

c) differences in the modern demographic situation: features of population growth on the continents;

d) the influence of the socio-economic conditions of people's life, their economic activities, the level of development of production.

The countries with the highest population density have 200 people per 1 km2. This group includes: Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Lebanon, Bangladesh, India, Republic of Korea, Japan, Philippines. Countries with a population density close to the world average - 46 osib / km2: Cambodia, Iraq, Ireland, Malaysia, Morocco, Tunisia, Mexico, Ecuador. Low population density - 2 individuals / km2 have: Mongolia, Libya, Mauritania, Namibia, Guinea, Australia.

The general density of the Earth's population is constantly changing. If in 1950 it was 18 osib / km2, in 1983 - 34, in the early 90s - 40, and in 1997 - 47. About 60% of humanity lives in low-lying areas of the Earth no higher than 200 m, and 4/5 - at altitudes up to 500 m above sea level. Sparsely populated or completely unpopulated territories (including the continental glaciers of Antarctica and Greenland) occupy almost 40% of the land area, 1% of the world's population plays here.

In the most populated areas of the world, occupying up to 7.0% of the territory, up to 70% of the total population of the Earth live.

Significant congestions of the population have formed both in old agricultural and new industrial areas. The population density is especially high in the industrially developed regions of Europe, North America, as well as in the ancient regions of artificial irrigation (Ghana, Nile and Great China lowlands). Here, in the most densely populated regions of the world, they occupy less than 10% of the land, and about 2/3 of the world's population lives. The most populated part of the world is Asia. The demographic center in Asia is located in the Hindustan subcontinent. The most populated here are areas of intensive agriculture, in particular rice cultivation: the Ganges delta with Brahmaputra, Ayeyarwaddy. In Indonesia, the majority of the population is concentrated on the island of Java with fertile volcanic soils (population density exceeds 700 osib / km2).

The rural population of Southwest Asia is concentrated along the foothills of Lebanon, Elbrus, in the interfluve of the Tigris and Euphrates. A fairly high population density on the coast of the Persian Gulf, which is associated with oil production, as well as around the Sea of ​​Japan (on the Japanese islands - more than 300 osib / km2, in South Korea - about 500 osib / km2).

Europe is also unevenly populated. One region of high population density stretches from north to south - from Northern Ireland through England, the Rhine Valley to Northern Italy - and is interrupted only in the Alps. This belt concentrates many industries and intensive agriculture, developed infrastructure. The second runs in the west of Europe from Brittany, along the Sambor and Meuse rivers through the north of France and Germany. The high concentration of the population in North-Western Europe is explained by the fact that it was here that industrial areas originated, which led to an increase in natural population growth and an influx of labor. In Western, Central, South-Western and Southern France, on the Iberian, Apennine peninsulas, on the islands of the Mediterranean Sea, about 130 million people live. The average population density here reaches 119 osib / km2.

Among the countries of Central-Eastern Europe, Ukraine has a high population density - 81 individuals / km2, Moldova - 130 osib / km2. The average population density in Russia is 8.7 individuals / km2.

A fairly high population density is typical for a number of Central European countries, but it is distributed unevenly. Mountainous areas and forests are sparsely populated. The usual population density of Poland is 127 osib / km2, the maximum - more than 300 - in the industrial regions of Upper and Lower Silesia. The population density of the Czech Republic is 134 individuals / km2, Slovakia - 112, Hungary - 111. Many of the population of eastern southern Europe is concentrated on the Adriatic coast, per 1 km2 there are: in Serbia, Montenegro - 42 people, Slovenia - 100, Macedonia - 4 , Croatia - 85, Bosnia and Herzegovina - 70 osib / km2.

The distribution of the population in North America largely depends on the time of settlement of individual territories. The bulk of the population of the United States and Canada is concentrated east of 85 ° N. in the region bounded by the Atlantic coast, a narrow strip of the border between the United States and Canada (up to the Great Lakes), the southern shores of the Mississippi and Ohio lakes in the year. This part of the mainland is home to about 130 million people.

In the region of Central America, the Antilles are especially densely populated: in Jamaica there are 200 people per 1 km2, in Trinidad, Tobago and Barbados - 580 people. Low rates of population density in the desert regions of northwestern Mexico.

A significant number of South Americans live in coastal areas on the western and eastern edges of the continent. Large areas of the equatorial forests of the Amazon and savannas (Chaco), as well as Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego are underpopulated.

The population density on the African continent is very low. Particular reasons - natural conditions (deserts, humid equatorial forests, mountainous areas), as well as colonization, the slave trade in the past. Most of the population is concentrated in coastal areas, where large cities or plantations are concentrated. These are the Mediterranean regions of the Maghreb, the shores of the Gulf of Guinea from Côte d'Ivoire to Cameroon, as well as the plains of Nigeria.

Australia has the most densely populated areas in the eastern, southeastern edge of the continent.

The harsh climatic conditions prevented the settlement of the Arctic and subarctic zones; less than 0.1% of the world's population lives here.

True, in modern conditions the role of contrasts caused by natural conditions is decreasing. In connection with industrialization, the introduction of scientific and technological progress, socio-economic factors have an increasing influence on the distribution of the population.

The world's population is distributed very unevenly across the territory. This can be easily tracked using such a concept as average population density, that is, the number of inhabitants of the world, country or city per square kilometer. The average density of countries is hundreds of times different. And inside countries there are absolutely deserted places or vice versa cities in which several hundred people live per square meter. Especially densely populated are East and South Asia, Western Europe, and poorly - the Arctic, deserts, tropical forests and high mountains.

The world's population is extremely uneven. About 70% of the world's population lives on 7% of the land area. At the same time, almost 80% of the world's population lives in its eastern part. The main parameter that shows the distribution of the population is the population density. The average world population density is 40 people per square km. At the same time, this indicator varies depending on the location, and can be equal to from 1 to 2000 people per kilometer.

The lowest population density (less than 4 people per kilometer) is Mongolia, Australia, Namibia, Libya and Greenland. And the highest population density (from 200 people per square kilometer or more) is in Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Israel, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Korea, El Salvador. Average population density in countries: Ireland, Iraq, Morocco, Malaysia, Ecuador, Tunisia, Mexico. There are also areas with extreme conditions that are not suitable for life, they belong to undeveloped territories and occupy about 15% of the land area.

Over the past ten years, in several places around the world, huge congestions of people, called conurbation, have appeared.

They are constantly increasing, and the largest such entity is the Bostonians, located in the United States.

Gigantic differences between regions in the rate of development and population growth are rapidly changing the population map of the planet.

Russia can be classified as a sparsely populated country. The population of the state is disproportionate compared to the vast territory. Most of Russia is occupied by the extreme north and areas equated to it, the average population density of which is 1 person per square meter.

The world is gradually changing, and at the same time comes to a modern mode of reproduction, in which there is a low birth rate and low mortality, which means that soon the number, and therefore the density of the population of countries, will stop increasing, but will remain at the same level.

According to the latest data on the territory of the globe, on average, about seven billion people live. Their placement is characterized by extreme unevenness: more people live in one part of the world, and fewer in another. Today we are talking about the average population density of Europe Abroad.

General information

Before proceeding to the consideration of the topic "Density of Europe Abroad", it is necessary to define the concepts of "Abroad Europe" and "population density". The countries of Foreign Europe include 40 sovereign states located on the European part of the Eurasian continent.

The term "population density" means the ratio of the number of inhabitants per 1 sq. km. This indicator is calculated according to the following formula: the population of a country, region, world is divided by the total land area, which is favorable for habitation.

So, if we divide the population of planet Earth - 6.8 billion people, for its total area - 13 million square meters. km, we get an average population density of 52 people per 1 sq. km.

Rice. 1 Population density of Europe on the map

Population of Europe

Foreign Europe belongs to one of the most densely populated regions in the world. If we take for comparison the indicator of the average population density on the globe - 52 people per 1 sq. Km, then a completely different picture emerges here - more than 100 people per 1 sq. Km. km. In addition, the distribution of people in Europe is relatively uniform: there are no unpopulated or large, sparsely populated regions here. A distinctive feature of settlement in Europe is the urbanization of the population. In other words, there are ten times more urban dwellers than residents of rural settlements (more than 70%, and 98% in Belgium).

Rice. 2 Map of Europe at night from satellite

Countries of Foreign Europe

The population density of the countries of Foreign Europe is presented in the following table:

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Country

Capital

Density

Andorra la Vella

Brussels

Bulgaria

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Budapest

United Kingdom

Germany

Copenhagen

Ireland

Iceland

Reykjavik

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Macedonia

Valletta

Netherlands

Amsterdam

Norway

Portugal

Lisbon

Bucharest

San Marino

San Marino

Slovakia

Bratislava

Slovenia

Finland

Helsinki

Montenegro

Podgorica

Croatia

Switzerland

Stockholm

Countries by population density can be divided into three groups:

  • High density (more than 200 people per 1 sq. km): Belgium, Germany, Great Britain and others;
  • Average density (from 10 to 200 people per 1 sq. km): Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia, France and others;
  • Low density (up to 10 people per sq. km): Iceland.

As can be seen from the table, the northern territories of Europe are poorly populated - Finland, Sweden, Norway. This is primarily due to the unfavorable natural and climatic conditions for life and economy. Conversely, the concentration of the population is observed in Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands and further south to the Mediterranean coast, where the geographical position (access to the sea), relief, climate are favorable for the development of agriculture, trade, and industry.

The population density of Monaco is 16,500 people per sq. km, is the highest not only in Europe, but in the whole world.

Rice. 3 Monaco is the most crowded place on the planet

What have we learned?

Foreign Europe includes 40 countries, the average population density of which is 100 people per 1 sq. km. This figure is quite high. In general, the settlement of people in Europe is uniform. There is only one country with a low population density in this region - Iceland.

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10

  • Density: 635.19 people / km 2
  • Square: 2040 km 2
  • Population: 1 295 789 people
  • Motto:"Star and Key of the Indian Ocean"
  • Form of government: Parliamentary republic
  • Capital: Port louis

An island nation in East Africa. Located in the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean, about 900 km east of Madagascar. The republic includes the islands of Mauritius (the largest, 1865 km 2) and Rodrigues (104 km 2), which are part of the Mascarene archipelago, as well as the Kargados-Carajos archipelago, the Agalega islands and many small islets. The capital is the city of Port Louis, located on the island of Mauritius.

The economy of Mauritius is based on sugar production (sugar cane is grown on about 90% of agricultural land), tourism and the textile industry, which makes it the third country in terms of living standards in Africa (after Libya and Seychelles) and 7 in GDP per capita (after Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Seychelles, Gabon, Botswana and Tunisia). Recently, offshore and banking business has been developing, as well as the extraction and processing of seafood and fish. In terms of competitiveness in Africa, it ranks 5th (after South Africa, Libya, Botswana and Gabon).

Mauritius has an armed forces of about 20 thousand people, which are used to eliminate the consequences of natural disasters (typhoons), and are a kind of analogue of the Emergencies Ministry, there is a police force, police special forces and a maritime patrol service.

9

  • Density: 648 people / km 2
  • Square: 35 980 km 2
  • Population: 23 299 716 people
  • Form of government: mixed republic
  • Capital: Taipei

A partially recognized state in East Asia, formerly a one-party system, widespread diplomatic recognition and control over all of China, now a democracy with limited diplomatic recognition and control only of Taiwan and the surrounding islands. She is one of the founders of the UN and was previously a member of the UN Security Council (in 1971, the place of the Republic of China in the UN was transferred to the People's Republic of China). The Republic of China is recognized by 22 UN member states, but in fact maintains relations with most countries of the world through its missions.

8

  • Density: 660 people / km 2
  • Square: 439 km 2
  • Population: 277 821 people
  • Motto:"Pride and Industry"
  • Form of government: independent state within the Commonwealth led by Great Britain
  • Capital: Bridgetown

State in the West Indies on the island of the same name in the Lesser Antilles group, in the east of the Caribbean Sea. Located relatively close to the South American continent, 434.5 km northeast of Venezuela.

Barbados is one of the leading developing countries in terms of living standards and literacy of the population according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), being in fourth place. Education is based on the British model. It costs about 20% of the country's annual budget. The literacy rate is close to 100%.

The country has a well-developed tourism (suitable climate, well-developed transport infrastructure), the sugar industry. Information technology and financial services are new directions of economic development.

Barbados is more influenced by English culture than other islands in the West Indies. The national sport of cricket is an excellent example of this.

7

  • Density: 1154.7 people / km 2
  • Square: 147 570 km 2
  • Population: 168 957 745 people
  • Form of government: Unitary republic
  • Capital: Dhaka

Bangladesh is an agro-industrial country with a dynamically developing economy. It has a significant ethno-cultural diversity and has a rich culture that has absorbed elements of various traditions of the region.

It is one of the poorest countries in Asia, 63% of the working population is employed in agriculture. The humid tropical climate allows for farming all year round, although droughts do occur in the west of the country. Residents grow rice, jute, tea (in the northeast), wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, legumes, sunflowers, spices, fruits (including mango). The population periodically suffers from hunger due to floods that destroy rice crops. Also in the country they are engaged in breeding cattle (bulls and buffaloes), poultry, and fish and seafood are caught in the rivers and the Bay of Bengal (the main fishing port is Chittagong). Fish, along with rice, is the main element of the diet of the country's inhabitants. The country is producing natural gas. The main industries are cotton, jute, sewing, tea, paper, cement, chemical (fertilizer production), sugar, textile machinery.

6

  • Square: 300 km 2
  • Population: 341,256 people
  • Density: 1 359 people / km 2
  • Form of government: Presidential republic
  • Capital: Male

The Republic of Maldives belongs to the states of South Asia and is located on a group of atolls, consisting of 1192 coral islets, in the Iidian Ocean to the south of India.

The islets rise slightly above ocean level: the highest point of the archipelago is on the southern Atoll of Addu (Siena) - 2.4 m. Thanks to this, the Maldives are known as the lowest located state.

The total area is 90 thousand km2, the land area is 298 km2. The capital Male - the only city and port of the archipelago - is located on the atoll of the same name.

As for tourism, it is worth noting that all the main beauties of the Maldives are located below sea level, while on land there are no special attractions. There is the unremarkable capital of Male, many similar uninhabited islands where people like to have picnics, as well as a kind of "action" - a fishing excursion. Perhaps the only remarkable surface excursion is the "Photo-flight", a flight over the islands by seaplane. Other popular excursions are yacht cruises or submarine dives. The most common way of spending time among tourists in the Maldives is diving, since there are coral reefs near every island. Also popular are windsurfing, catamaran, water skiing, snorkelling, beach volleyball, tennis, billiards, squash and darts.

5

  • Density: 1432 people / km 2
  • Square: 316 km 2
  • Population: 429 344 people
  • Motto:"By virtue and constancy"
  • Form of government: Parliamentary republic, democracy
  • Capital: Valletta

The Republic of Malta is an island state in the Mediterranean Sea. The name comes from the ancient Phoenician malat ("harbor", "refuge").

In 1964, Malta gained independence from Great Britain, and since 1974 a republic was proclaimed, however, until 1979, when the last British naval base was liquidated in Malta, the British queen was still considered the head of state.

The territory of Malta is represented by the Maltese archipelago, consisting mainly of the islands of Malta and Gozo. It also includes the uninhabited islands of St. Paul and Filfla, the sparsely populated island of Comino, and the tiny Cominotto and Filfoletta. Malta is 27 km long and 15 km wide (less than the diameter of the Moscow Ring Road). Gozo is half the size and Comino is only 2 km long. Malta is the only country in Europe that lacks permanent rivers and natural lakes.

4

  • Density: 1626 people / km 2
  • Square: 765 km 2
  • Population: 1,343,000 people
  • Form of government: dualistic monarchy
  • Capital: Manama

An island state on the archipelago of the same name in the Persian Gulf in South-West Asia, the smallest Arab state. Bahrain occupies three relatively large and many small islands 16 km east of the coast of Saudi Arabia and is connected to this country by a road bridge.

The kingdom is home to the main operating base of the US Fifth Fleet at Juffair, near Manama.

Before the discovery of oil fields in 1932, pearl fishing was a branch of Bahrain's economy (which still remains one of the main ones). Oil production and refining used to be 60% of GDP, now it is 30%. Bahraini's "black gold" deposits are being depleted. Despite this, in 2015 the country produced 18.462 million barrels of oil, which is 3.7% higher than the level of 2014. The country also produces and processes natural gas, the reserves of which are significant. Offshore banking business is developed.

3

  • Density: 1900 people / km 2
  • Square: 0.44 km 2
  • Population: 842 people
  • Form of government: absolute theocratic monarchy
  • Capital:

And, undoubtedly, the title of the smallest state in the world belongs to the Vatican. The Vatican is a dwarf enclave state (the smallest officially recognized state in the world) within the territory of Rome, associated with Italy. The status of the Vatican in international law is an auxiliary sovereign territory of the Holy See, the seat of the highest spiritual leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.

Foreign diplomatic missions are accredited to the Holy See, not to the Vatican city-state. Foreign embassies and missions accredited to the Holy See, due to the small territory of the Vatican, are located in Rome (including the Italian embassy, ​​which is thus located in its own capital.

In antiquity, the territory of the Vatican (lat.ager vaticanus) was not inhabited, since in ancient Rome this place was considered sacred. Emperor Claudius held circus games at this place. In 326, after the arrival of Christianity, the Basilica of Constantine was erected over the supposed tomb of St. Peter, and since then this place has been inhabited.

The Vatican is a theocratic state ruled by the Holy See. The sovereign of the Holy See, in whose hands the absolute legislative, executive and judicial powers are concentrated, is the Pope, who is elected by the cardinals for a life term. After the death or abdication of the Pope and during the conclave until the enthronement of the new Pope, his duties (with significant restrictions) are performed by the Camelengo.

The Vatican has a non-profit, planned economy. The sources of income are primarily donations from Catholics around the world. Part of the funds is tourism (sale of postage stamps, Vatican euro coins, souvenirs, museum visits). Most of the workforce (museum attendants, gardeners, janitors, etc.) is made up of Italian citizens.

The Vatican's budget is $ 310 million.

The Vatican has its own bank, better known as the Institute for Religious Affairs.

2

  • Density: 7 437 people / km 2
  • Square: 719.1 km 2
  • Population: 5,312,400 people
  • Motto: Go Singapore
  • Form of government: parliamentary republic
  • Capital:

Singapore is a city-state located on islands in Southeast Asia, separated from the southern tip of the Malacca Peninsula by the narrow Strait of Johor. It shares borders with the Sultanate of Johor, which is part of Malaysia, and the Riau Islands, which is part of Indonesia.

The name Singapore comes from the Malay singa (lion), borrowed from the Sanskrit sinha (lion), and the Sanskrit pura (city).

Singapore's area is gradually increasing thanks to the land reclamation program in place since the 1960s. Currently, the state of Singapore consists of 63 islands. The largest of them are Singapore (main island), Ubin, Tekong Besar, Brani, Sentosa, Semakau and Sudong. The highest point is Bukit-Timakh hill (163.3 m).

Singapore maintains diplomatic relations with 186 countries of the world, although many of them do not have its embassies. It is a member of the UN, British Commonwealth, ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Singapore is characterized by a favorable investment climate, a highly competitive environment, leading places in the ratings of economic freedom, a highly educated and disciplined population, and a greatly increased level of well-being. But here, unfortunately, there is also a dependence on imported supplies of almost all food, water and energy.

1

  • Density: 18 679 people / km 2
  • Square: 2.02 km 2
  • Population: 30 508 people
  • Motto:"With God's help"
  • Form of government: dualistic constitutional monarchy
  • Capital:

A dwarf state associated with France, located in southern Europe on the coast of the Ligurian Sea near the French Cote d'Azur, 20 km northeast of Nice; on land it borders on France. It is one of the smallest and most populous countries in the world. The principality is widely known for its casino in Monte Carlo and the stage of the Formula 1 championship, the Monaco Grand Prix, held here. The length of the coastline is 4.1 km, the length of the land borders is 4.4 km. Over the past 20 years, the country's territory has increased by almost 40 hectares due to the drainage of marine areas.

The first people built their settlements on the territory of Monaco in the X century BC. e., these were the Phoenicians. The Greeks and Monoiks joined much later.

The history of modern Monaco begins in 1215 with the founding of a colony of the Republic of Genoa on the territory of the principality and the construction of a fortress.

As of 2014, the population of Monaco is 37,800 people, but it is worth noting that most of the full citizens of the state are Monegasques. They are exempt from taxes and have the right to settle in the area of ​​the old city.

The economy of Monaco is developing mainly due to tourism, gambling, the construction of new residences, as well as due to media funds covering the life of the princely family.