According to the Merriam – Webster’s dictionary, population is defined as:
· The whole number of people or inhabitants in a country.
· The total individuals occupying an area or making up a whole.
· The organism inhabiting a particular locality.
So the world’s population, or total number of people, is spread unevenly on the earth’s surface.
Why is population spread unevenly?
Population distribution is defined as the way the population is spread over the Earth.
Try to answer the introduction question. Why is population distribution uneven?
Well, to answer this question you must understand the earth’s surface. Many of the Earth’s landforms are rugged mountains, hot deserts, and dry land with little vegetation, that’s why few people live there.
Most major civilizations have started near bodies of water (rivers and lakes), this is because rivers will supply fresh water for drinking and farming. Many people also prefer flat land, with fertile soil, for there, it would be easy for farming and building. Therefore flat plains and valley are easy to settle. Flat coastal areas make it easy for people to trade by ship with other countries. Some other factors also affect where people live. People prefer places where climate is not too hot and not too cold, and where there is an adequate rainfall. People also prefer places with natural resources to build houses and make products.
*People in charge or studying where people live are called Demographers.
