Population Distribution and Density Factors Practice Questions — JAMB UTME

Question 1Question →

Which of the following physical factors is primarily responsible for the high population density observed on the Jos Plateau in Nigeria?

Cooler highland temperatures and freedom from tsetse flies

Severe drought in surrounding origin regions acting as an attractive pull factor

An inverted dependency ratio where dependent age groups form the primary labor workforce

Linear settlement alignment restricted strictly along major river channels

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Cooler highland temperatures and freedom from tsetse flies

Answer

Cooler highland temperatures and freedom from tsetse flies

High population density on the Jos Plateau is primarily sustained by its high altitude, which yields a cooler temperate climate and creates an environment free of tsetse flies, making the region highly suitable for dense human habitation and cattle rearing.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Analyze physical environment factors influencing human settlement on the Jos Plateau.

Identified high altitude resulting in temperate climatic conditions and disease vector reduction.

Altitude reduces ambient temperature and eliminates vectors like tsetse flies that cause trypanosomiasis.

2

Evaluate how these physical conditions affect population concentration.

The favorable health environment and temperate weather attract high population density relative to surrounding lowlands.

Physical health conditions and climate directly control regional carrying capacity and human settlement.

Key Concept

Physical factors affecting population distribution and density

Question 2Question →

Match each population density zone with the primary physical, historical, or socio-economic factor that determines its settlement density.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct matches pair Industrial-Urban Conurbations with commercial and industrial economic opportunities; Intensive Alluvial Farming Basins with fertile soils and irrigation capacity; Highland Refuge Belts with historical defensive needs and terrace farming; and Equatorial Rainforest Interior with leached soils and disease vectors.

Each zone is correctly matched with its primary controlling factor: industrial-urban corridors attract population via economic pull factors; alluvial basins support high density through fertile soils and water resources; highland refuge belts maintained high historical densities for defense and terrace agriculture; and equatorial rainforests exhibit low density due to leached soils, heavy canopy cover, and insect vectors.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Analyze the urban-industrial zone (Industrial-Urban Conurbations).

Identify that modern urban growth and high density stem from industrialization, commercial services, and job availability.

Socio-economic factors drive urban population concentration.

2

Examine rural agricultural high-density zones (Intensive Alluvial Farming Basins).

Connect fertile fadama soils and river water supply to high agricultural carrying capacity.

Physical water availability and soil fertility govern rural agricultural settlement.

3

Evaluate historical highland settlements (Highland Refuge Belts).

Associate mountain environments with defense against historical slave raids/conflict and hillside terrace cultivation.

Historical security factors can override physical constraints to create localized high densities.

4

Evaluate rainforest interior constraints (Equatorial Rainforest Interior).

Identify physical barriers like soil leaching, dense canopy, and tsetse fly infestation.

Harsh physical environments and vector-borne diseases restrict human population density.

Key Concept

Factors Influencing Population Distribution and Density

Question 3Question →

Which of the following migration mechanisms is primarily responsible for increasing urban population density when severe environmental degradation and lack of economic opportunities compel rural residents to leave their homeland?

Push factors operating in rural origin areas

Pull factors operating in rural origin areas

Nucleated settlement formation along rural transport corridors

Inversion of the demographic dependency ratio in rural areas

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Push factors operating in rural origin areas

Answer

Push factors operating in rural origin areas

Push factors represent adverse physical or socio-economic conditions at the place of origin—such as agricultural failure, environmental degradation, or lack of jobs—that force people to relocate, leading to high population density in receiving urban centers.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Analyze the scenario described in the stem

Identified that negative rural conditions (environmental degradation, lack of economic opportunities) drive people away from rural regions.

Determining whether the driver originates from negative conditions at the origin or positive features at the destination distinguishes push from pull migration factors.

2

Evaluate demographic migration definitions related to population distribution

Negative origin attributes are classified as push factors, which force outflow and subsequently increase population density in receiving urban areas.

Push factors drive population redistribution from rural hinterlands to cities.

Key Concept

Push and Pull Factors Influencing Population Redistribution

Question 4Question →

An administrative state in West Africa covers a total area of $120,000\text{ km}^2$ . Environmental surveys indicate that $65\%$ of the terrain is non-arable (comprising rocky highlands, water bodies, and urban infrastructure), while the remainder is arable land suitable for farming. The state has a total population of $16,800,000$ inhabitants, of which $75\%$ are actively engaged in rural agricultural production. What is the agricultural population density of this state in persons per square kilometer of arable land?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: 300

Answer

The agricultural population density of the state is

300\text{ persons/km}^2

.

Agricultural population density measures the ratio of the agricultural population to the area of arable land. First, determine the arable land area:

100\% - 65\% = 35\%

of

120,000\text{ km}^2

, which equals

42,000\text{ km}^2

. Next, determine the rural agricultural population:

75\%

of

16,800,000

, which gives

12,600,000

agricultural inhabitants. Finally, dividing the agricultural population by the arable land area (

12,600,000 / 42,000

) yields

300\text{ persons/km}^2

.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Calculate Arable Land Area

Arable land area is

42,000\text{ km}^2

.

Agricultural density requires using arable land area rather than total surface area.

2

Calculate Agricultural Population

Agricultural population is

12,600,000

inhabitants.

Agricultural density considers only the segment of the population engaged in farming rather than the total population.

3

Calculate Agricultural Density

Agricultural population density is

300\text{ persons/km}^2

.

Dividing the agricultural population by the arable land area yields the density of farmers per unit of cultivated land.

Key Concept

Agricultural Population Density

Estimated Time:3m 0s

Question 5Question →

Match each geographic region in West Africa with the primary factor that influences its population density.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Show answer & explanation

Answer

Niger Delta matches with abundant petroleum resources and coastal commerce; Sahel Zone matches with arid climate restricting agriculture; Jos Plateau matches with temperate climate and historical tin mining.

Each region correctly aligns with its dominant density driver: the Niger Delta is densely populated due to economic opportunities in the oil sector and coast; the Sahel is sparsely populated due to harsh arid climate; the Jos Plateau is densely populated due to favorable cool weather and mining history.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Identify the primary economic and physical geographic characteristics of the Niger Delta region.

Recognize that oil exploration and coastal trade create dense settlement opportunities.

Economic activities associated with crude oil draw large populations despite swampy terrain.

2

Analyze the climatic conditions of the Sahel Zone.

Identify aridity and limited water availability as physical constraints.

Low rainfall and desertification limit crop yields, resulting in sparse population density.

3

Evaluate the environmental and economic factors of the Jos Plateau.

Match the highland altitude and mineral history to human settlement patterns.

Favorable cool climate and historic economic pull from mining encourage high population density.

Key Concept

Physical and socio-economic factors influencing regional population density

Question 6Question →

Match each geographic factor or historical process in Africa with its corresponding effect on regional population density.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The geographic factors and historical processes correspond to their population outcomes as follows: Tsetse fly prevalence restricted pastoral and human settlement leading to low density; mineral exploitation on the Jos Plateau created an island of high population concentration; the Lower Nile Valley supports exceptionally high density through fertile soils and irrigation; and historical slave raiding in the Middle Belt created a persistent sparsely populated corridor.

Each factor is correctly matched to its demographic impact: disease vectors limit human and animal habitation; mineral resources attract dense settlement; fertile irrigated river valleys sustain maximum agricultural density; and historical warfare causes lasting depopulation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Analyze environmental disease vectors as density controls

Tsetse flies act as a biological barrier to livestock rearing and dense settlement in humid savannas.

Health hazards lower habitability and discourage long-term population concentration.

2

Evaluate economic attraction against physical constraints

Commercial mining of tin and columbite pulled labor to the Jos Plateau.

Economic incentives can overcome topographical challenges, creating high-density mineral enclaves.

3

Examine agricultural carrying capacity of river valleys

Alluvial deposits and perennial irrigation in the Nile Valley maximize crop yield per unit area.

High soil fertility and water security support dense rural and urban populations.

4

Assess historical impacts on spatial population distribution

Slave raids displaced communities in the West African Middle Belt.

Historical conflict can cause long-term depopulation independent of physical environmental capacity.

Key Concept

Physical, economic, and historical factors influencing population distribution and density

Estimated Time:2m 0s

Question 7Question →

The East African Highlands support one of the highest rural population densities on the African continent. Which physical factor is primarily responsible for attracting and sustaining this dense settlement despite the rugged terrain?

Highly fertile soils derived from weathered volcanic deposits

Extensive flat floodplains suitable for large-scale mechanized wheat farming

High annual temperatures that naturally eradicate agricultural pests

Abundant subsurface petroleum deposits driving industrial urbanization

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Highly fertile soils derived from weathered volcanic deposits

Answer

Highly fertile soils derived from weathered volcanic deposits

Weathered volcanic rocks in the East African Highlands produce exceptionally fertile soils rich in essential minerals, enabling continuous crop production and supporting high rural population densities despite steep slopes.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Identify the main physical characteristics and economic baseline of the East African Highlands

The region features high elevation, steep relief, and an economy centered on intensive smallholder agriculture.

Understanding land use helps distinguish physical environmental factors from industrial or urban drivers.

2

Analyze how volcanic geology impacts agricultural carrying capacity

Weathering of volcanic ash and basalt yields mineral-rich soils that retain high fertility under continuous cultivation.

High agricultural productivity allows small areas of land to feed dense rural populations, overriding slope limitations.

Key Concept

Physical factors influencing population density: Volcanic soil fertility and carrying capacity

Question 8Question →

A administrative district in West Africa covers a total land area of $50,000\text{ km}^2$ , of which $35\%$ is classified as arable land suitable for farming. The district has a total population of $7,000,000$ inhabitants, and farmers with their immediate dependents (the agricultural population) make up $60\%$ of this total. What is the agricultural population density of this district in persons per $\text{km}^2$ of arable land?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: 240

Answer

The agricultural population density of the district is

240\text{ persons/km}^2

.

Agricultural population density measures the number of farmers per unit of arable land. First, calculate arable land area (

50,000 \times 0.35 = 17,500\text{ km}^2

). Next, find the agricultural population (

7,000,000 \times 0.60 = 4,200,000

). Dividing

4,200,000

by

17,500

yields

240\text{ persons/km}^2

.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Determine the total arable land area in

\text{km}^2

.

Arable land area =

50,000 \times 0.35 = 17,500\text{ km}^2

.

Agricultural population density evaluates population relative specifically to cultivated or arable land, not total land surface.

2

Calculate the total agricultural population.

Agricultural population =

7,000,000 \times 0.60 = 4,200,000\text{ persons}

.

Agricultural density isolates the farming population rather than using total population.

3

Compute agricultural population density by dividing agricultural population by arable land area.

\frac{4,200,000}{17,500} = 240\text{ persons/km}^2

.

Agricultural density formula =

\frac{\text{Agricultural Population}}{\text{Arable Land Area}}

.

Key Concept

Distinction between arithmetic density, physiological density, and agricultural density

Question 9Question →

An administrative district in West Africa has a total population of $450,000$ people and a total surface area of $3,000\text{ km}^2$ . If $1,000\text{ km}^2$ of the district's land area is arable and used for crop cultivation while the remaining $2,000\text{ km}^2$ is non-arable, what is the physiological population density of this district?

450\text{ persons per km}^2

150\text{ persons per km}^2

225\text{ persons per km}^2

0.0022\text{ km}^2\text{ per person}

Show answer & explanation

Answer: $450\text{ persons per km}^2$

Answer

The physiological population density of the district is

450\text{ persons per km}^2

.

Physiological density is defined as the ratio of total population to the area of arable land. Dividing the total population of

450,000

inhabitants by the

1,000\text{ km}^2

of arable land yields

450\text{ persons per km}^2

.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Identify the given demographic and land area values

Total population =

450,000

; Total land area =

3,000\text{ km}^2

; Arable land area =

1,000\text{ km}^2

.

Physiological density specifically relates population to arable (cultivable) land.

2

Apply the physiological density formula

\text{Physiological Density} = \frac{\text{Total Population}}{\text{Arable Land Area}} = \frac{450,000}{1,000\text{ km}^2} = 450\text{ persons per km}^2

Unlike arithmetic density, physiological density evaluates population pressure specifically on agricultural land resources.

Key Concept

Physiological Population Density vs Arithmetic Population Density

Estimated Time:1m 30s

Question 10Question →

Match each geographic factor on the left with its corresponding impact on regional population density on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Show answer & explanation

Answer

Fertile alluvial river valleys correspond to high population density via farming and water; Extreme desert aridity corresponds to sparse population density from water shortages; Major industrial and mining complexes correspond to dense clusters driven by employment; Steep mountain slopes correspond to low population density due to physical terrain constraints.

Population density is determined by a combination of physical factors (climate, soil, water supply, relief) and human factors (employment, industrialization, infrastructure). Fertile valleys and industrial centers attract dense populations, whereas arid deserts and steep slopes restrict human habitation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Identify physical factors favoring high human settlement concentration.

Abundant freshwater and arable alluvial soils in river valleys create ideal environmental conditions for high population density.

Water availability and food production capability are fundamental physical controls on population distribution.

2

Identify physical factors restricting human settlement density.

Deserts and steep mountain slopes impose severe ecological and logistical limits, leading to low population density.

Aridity limits agriculture, while steep relief hinders construction and transportation.

3

Identify human socio-economic factors driving high population density.

Industrialization and mineral exploitation generate economic opportunities that pull populations into dense urban-industrial nodes.

Economic incentives can overcome minor physical limitations to create high-density human agglomerations.

Key Concept

Physical and socio-economic factors influencing population distribution and density

Question 11Question →

Despite possessing moderate annual rainfall and a central location within Nigeria, the Middle Belt historically displayed a much lower population density than both the northern Sudan savanna and the southern forest zone. Which of the following combinations of factors best accounts for this historical anomaly in population distribution?

Historical slave depopulation, endemic tsetse fly infestation, and thin, heavily leached soils

High pull factors in adjacent coastal port cities that continuously drew working-age agricultural populations away from the region

An inverted age-dependency ratio where an overwhelming proportion of elderly dependents reduced agricultural productivity across the region

The rapid expansion of dense nucleated settlements along major rail corridors, which artificially reduced overall regional density measurements

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Historical slave depopulation, endemic tsetse fly infestation, and thin, heavily leached soils

Answer

Historical slave depopulation, endemic tsetse fly infestation, and thin, heavily leached soils

The low population density of the Middle Belt of Nigeria (often referred to as the 'middle belt sparse zone') is historically rooted in a combination of environmental and historical factors. Slave raids during the 18th and 19th centuries heavily depopulated the region. Additionally, the wooded savanna environment favored tsetse flies, which transmitted trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) to humans and livestock, limiting pastoralism and settlement. Poor, heavily leached lateritic soils further constrained intensive agriculture compared to the rich volcanic soils of the Jos Plateau or the alluvial soils of major river valleys.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Analyze the spatial anomaly in population density presented in the stem.

Identified that the Middle Belt of Nigeria has lower population density relative to its surrounding ecological zones despite moderate rainfall and central positioning.

Resolving population distribution questions requires comparing physical, historical, and socio-economic influences across regions.

2

Evaluate the physical and historical constraints operating specifically within the Middle Belt zone.

Determined that 19th-century slave raids (from northern emirates and southern kingdoms) caused widespread depopulation, while dense woodland vegetation harbored tsetse flies (causing human and animal trypanosomiasis) and soils suffered severe leaching.

Physical factors (vectors, soil quality) and historical factors (slave raiding) combined to suppress human carrying capacity.

3

Distinguish the true causative controls from demographic and settlement pattern misconceptions.

Confirmed that historical depopulation, vector disease, and low soil fertility provide the comprehensive explanation for the region's sparse population density.

Excludes options that attribute low density to modern economic pull factors, inverted dependency ratios, or settlement nucleation.

Key Concept

Physical, Historical, and Ecological Controls on Regional Population Density

Question 12Question →

An agricultural province in West Africa covers a total land area of $80,000\text{ km}^2$ . Arable land suitable for crop cultivation accounts for $25\%$ of this total land area. If the physiological population density of the province is $200\text{ persons per km}^2$ of arable land, what is the total population of the province?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: 4000000

Answer

The total population of the province is

4,000,000

people.

Physiological density measures the population relative to the amount of arable land available (

200\text{ persons per km}^2

). First, finding

25\%

of the total

80,000\text{ km}^2

gives

20,000\text{ km}^2

of arable land. Multiplying this arable area by the physiological density of

200\text{ persons/km}^2

yields a total population of

4,000,000

people.

Step-by-Step Solution

1

Calculate the total area of arable land in the province

Arable land area =

20,000\text{ km}^2

Physiological density is calculated strictly based on arable (cultivable) land area, not total surface area.

25\%

of

80,000\text{ km}^2

equals

20,000\text{ km}^2

.

2

Apply the physiological density equation to calculate the total population

Total population =

4,000,000

people

Since

\text{Physiological Density} = \frac{\text{Total Population}}{\text{Arable Land Area}}

, multiplying the physiological density (

200\text{ persons/km}^2

) by the arable land area (

20,000\text{ km}^2

) gives the total population (

200 \times 20,000 = 4,000,000

).

Key Concept

Physiological Population Density

Population Distribution and Density Factors

Answer

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Common Mistakes

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Common Mistakes

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Common Mistakes