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People are unevenly distributed around the world. The difference in distribution is measured by comparing population density - that is, the number of people per square kilometre (km²).
Population density is determined less by economic development than by environmental factors, which make an area more or less attractive to settlers.
Population patterns
A street in Cairo
The way in which people are spread across a given area is known as population distribution. Geographers study population distribution patterns at different scales: local, regional, national, and global.
Patterns of population distribution tend to be uneven. For example, in the UK there are more people living in the southeast of England and London than in Wales.
Population density
Population density is the average number of people per square kilometre. It is a way of measuring population distribution. It shows whether an area is sparsely or densely populated. Population density is calculated using the following formula:
Population density = total population divided by total land area in km²
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