Define ‘Population density’. Explain any four geographical factors that affect the distribution of the population in the world.

Population density is the measurement of population per unit of area.

It is calculated as: Population Density: Number of people living in an area / Per unit of area.

The four geographical factors that affect the distribution of the population in the world are :

● The climate of the area: This is the most important criteria for selecting an area to live. People usually prefer to reside in areas with a good climate. Uncomfortable climatic situations are not favoured. They cannot live in extremely hot or extremely cold situations. For example, people might not wish to reside in areas with low temperatures or high level of rainfall.

● Landforms: people prefer living on the plains instead of the mountains or hilly regions. This is mainly because of the ease of access of commuting from one place to another. This is the reason why the Gangetic plains are more populated than the Himalayan region.

● Soil: Those areas are densely populated which have fertile soil. This makes the land suitable for farming and cultivation. For example, The Gangetic plains.

● Water availability: people prefer to live in water where there is ease of access to drinking water as well as water for other purposes. For example, The Gangetic plains.