Population Distribution & Population Density

Population density and population varies throughout the Caribbean and the world. We can determine this by observing the population of a place. Before we do this however, we must understand what each term means. Population distribution means the actual location of the people spread out through a country or region. In other terms, population distribution is the way in which a population is dispersed.

On the other hand, population density is a measure of the concentration of people within a country or region, expressed as persons per square kilometer or square mile. So when we talk about the number of people per square mile or square kilometer we are talking about population density.

The key difference between population distribution and population density is that population distribution describes how people is spread out over an area while density describes the number of people per square mile or square kilometer.

Factors Affecting Population Distribution and Density
There are several factors affect where people live and therefore influence patterns of population distribution and population density. Some factors include physical factors (relief), resources, climate and rivers. Let us consider these factors:   

Physical Geography:

Some places such as deserts, mountainous regions and dense forest are unbearable to live. These environments tend to have fewer people than areas with natural advantages such as flat land, rivers etc. for example, in China few people live in the Himalayan Mountains because it is extremely cold and with steep hillsides and the soil is not conducive to farming whereas the flat fertile valley of the Yangtze River is heavily populated. 

Climate:

Some regions experience climatic extremes. Places such as northern Canada, Alaska and Siberia are Polar Regions, they are extremely cold. On the other had the Sahara desert in Africa is very hot. Few people tend to live in these areas where it is hard to make a living. Other places where the climatic conditions are temperate and tropical tend to have a higher population concentration. 

Proximity to the Coast:

Approximately two-third of the world’s population lives within 500 km of the coast and many live on the coast itself. The main reason for this are trade with other countries, the developing of fishing, and more recently, the development of tourism. 

Resources:

The presence of resources especially energy resources has influences the distribution and density of the population. People are attracted to these areas to take advantage of them as long as they have the necessary technology to do so. Many Caribbean settlements have grown as a result of resources. Resources provide jobs and economic activity which attract population. For example, in the UK, most major cities grew close to coalfields, coal being vital for the development of industry.