Population density facts for kids

Mong Kok in Kowloon, part of Hong Kong, is one of the most crowded places in the world.

Mongolia is one of the least crowded countries in the world.

Population density tells us how crowded a place is. It's a number that shows how many people live in a certain amount of space. We figure it out by taking the total number of people (the population) and dividing it by the size of the area (the area).

For example, France has about 60.5 million people and covers 551,695 square kilometers. So, its population density is about 109.8 people per square kilometer. This means, on average, about 110 people live in an area the size of one square kilometer in France.

What Affects Population Density?

Many things can change how crowded a place is. The climate is a big one. For instance, Greenland has a very low population density. It's super cold there, so not many people choose to live in such a harsh environment.

Natural resources also play a role. Many cities grew up near rivers. Early settlers needed water for drinking, farming, and travel. Because of this, areas around rivers often have a high population density.

Examples of Crowded and Empty Places

Some places, like big cities, have very high population densities. This means they are quite crowded. For example, New York City has about 10,292 people per square kilometer. That's a lot of people in a small space!

Other places, especially large countries, can have very low population densities. Canada is a huge country. It has a population density of only about 3.8 people per square kilometer. This shows how much open space there is in Canada compared to its population.

The country with the highest population density in the world is Monaco. It has an amazing 16,620 people per square kilometer. On the other hand, Greenland has the lowest. It only has about 0.03 people per square kilometer, meaning there are vast empty areas.

Images for kids

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  Living population density by country

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  Population density (people per km2) map of the world in 1994. Most people live in the Northern Hemisphere.

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  Population density (people per km2) map of the world in 2005

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  World environments map for comparison.

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  Monaco is currently the most densely populated nation in Europe.

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  Mongolian Steppes. Mongolia is the least densely populated country due to its harsh climate.

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  This population cartogram of the European Union (2007–2012) uses areas and colors to show population.

See also

In Spanish: Densidad de población para niños