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

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.

From BBC

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

From BBC

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

From Los Angeles Times

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

From BBC

The population density is highest in this area, so there is more waste, and fewer people have access to cars to take their rubbish to the tips.

From BBC

Related Words

• anthropology