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Difficulty: Very hardPopulation Distribution, Density, and Settlement Patterns in Nigeria

Arrange the following geographical zones of Nigeria in DESCENDING order of their average population density, starting from the zone with the highest population density down to the zone with the lowest population density.

  1. 1Lagos Coastal Industrial Zone
  2. 2Orlu-Okigwe Uplands of Southeastern Nigeria
  3. 3Kano Close-Settled Zone of Northern Nigeria
  4. 4Borgu Plains of the Middle Belt

Answer

The correct sequence from highest to lowest population density is: Lagos Coastal Industrial Zone, followed by the Orlu-Okigwe Uplands of Southeastern Nigeria, then the Kano Close-Settled Zone of Northern Nigeria, and finally the Borgu Plains of the Middle Belt.
The correct order follows the established empirical population density gradient of Nigeria: the Lagos Coastal Industrial Zone has the highest overall density (>2,500 persons/km²); the Orlu-Okigwe Uplands represent the peak rural density belt (800-1,000 persons/km²); the Kano Close-Settled Zone forms the main northern high-density agricultural region (300-500 persons/km²); and the Borgu Plains fall within the sparsely populated Middle Belt (<50 persons/km²).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary urban megacity hub with national peak population density
Lagos Coastal Industrial Zone is ranked 1st (>2,500 persons/km²).
Lagos functions as Nigeria's chief economic and urban industrial center, resulting in unmatched population concentration.
2
Identify the highest rural-agricultural population density belt
Orlu-Okigwe Uplands of Southeastern Nigeria is ranked 2nd (800-1,000 persons/km²).
Southeastern Nigeria features the highest rural population densities in Sub-Saharan Africa due to favorable environmental conditions and intensive land-use systems.
3
Identify the major high-density savanna agricultural zone
Kano Close-Settled Zone of Northern Nigeria is ranked 3rd (300-500 persons/km²).
Although densely populated relative to the Sudan Savanna, it is less dense than the core urban coast of Lagos and the high-density rural heartland of the Southeast.
4
Identify the sparsely populated Middle Belt zone
Borgu Plains of the Middle Belt is ranked 4th (<50 persons/km²).
The Middle Belt of Nigeria contains large uninhabited or sparsely settled tracts due to historical slave raiding, physical soil limitations, and disease vectors.

Key Concept

Spatial variation of population density zones across Nigeria and their driving physical and socio-economic factors.
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Topics

Population Distribution, Density, and Settlement Patterns in Nigeria

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