population density

[pop-yuh-ley-shuhn den-si-tee]

noun

plural

population densities 

1. the number of people, or members of a particular plant or animal species, living in a specified unit of area: a measure of how crowded or spread out inhabitants are.

   At the time of this research, the city had a population density of 537 persons per square mile.

   Our free-range chickens are raised without antibiotics and in low population densities, with plenty of room to roam around.

Word History and Origins

Origin of population density¹

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

Retained firefighters - predominantly based in rural areas with a lower population density than bigger cities - are on-call emergency responders who live near their local fire station and jump in an appliance when needed.

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Census figures from 2021 show that population density in the area around Clonavon Terrace was approximately 51 times the Northern Ireland average, and four times the average for Ballymena as a whole.

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The team also identified hotspots in areas with higher population density, greater homelessness and more overcrowding.

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“But over time, those natural enemies or pathogens appear, and their population density decreases.”

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Mr Hodder adds that there is a high population density in Mogadishu - people driven into the city by drought and conflict.

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Related Words

• anthropology