Calculating Population Density
Name: __________________________________________________________________________ Hour: ___________
Directions: In this assignment, you will calculate the population density of several different areas of the world, and then
use this information to answer the questions that follow.
Step 1: Calculate the population density for each of the following countries in the table.
Population density = population / area
Population density formula:
Write it as: ______ people per km²
Country
Area (km²)
Population
Afghanistan
647,500
31,056,997
Bangladesh
144,000
153,546,896
Brazil
8,511,965
188,078,227
Chad
1,284,000
9,944,200
China
9,596,960
1,330,044,544
Finland
338,145
5,231,372
India
3,287,340
1,147,995,904
Iraq
437,072
26,783,383
Thailand
514,000
64,631,595
United States
9,631,420
298,444,215
Population Density
(people/km²)
Step 2: Use an atlas, such as the one in your textbook (pages A12-A37), to help you with this step.
Find each country from your table on the world map below and label them. Create a color-coded key for population
density. The key should have a title, a range of people that will fall into each color category, and that color next to it.
(See page 62 in your textbook for a sample.) Then color each country from the table based upon its population density.
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Over _________
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Step 3: Answer the following questions about population density. Use your textbook and the table and map above to
help you. Write your answers using COMPLETE SENTENCES.
1. Which of the countries listed had the highest population?
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2. Which of the countries listed had the highest population density?
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3. How is it possible that a country can have the highest population but not the highest population density?
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4. How is the population distribution of the world changing?
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5. Why is the world's population growing?
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6. How do natural resources affect a country's population distribution and economy?
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