Population Density…

Thinking of getting far from the madding crowd? Bohemians keen to find space in an ever increasing populated world should research into the best options.

For those who can't be bothered to trawl through the statistics I've done the work for you. Though frankly, if you haven't bothered before now, you are probably content with your lot.

I find population density a fascinating subject, but unless other factors are considered such as land area, the figures can be misleading. The average population density of the world is 43 people per square kilometre. It's a fairly simple equation. eg the global population is 6.5 billion sharing a land mass of 148m sq km.

England has 350 people per km² whereas by comparison the 48 contiguous states of the USA each have the same as the average density of the world, yet has an area of over 8 million km² or 40 times more than the UK.

But if you are really desperate for space, where should you go, or in other words where should you go to avoid nosey and annoying neighbours without fear of them popping round to borrow some sugar? Taking Antarctica and Greenland out of the equation, the best bets are countries with between 1 and 3 people per km²

So here are your choices:

Alaska – pop 655,000, area 1.5m sq km = less than half a person per km²  Negatives: you have a fair chance of meeting Sarah Palin.

Australia – pop 20,000.000, area 7.6m sq km = 2.6 people per km². Negatives: your neighbours are likely to be winging Poms who will still travel 200 miles to borrow some sugar.

Botswana – pop 1,600,000, area 0.6m sq km = 2.7 people per km². Negatives: there are a lot of lady detectives agencies who may spy on you.

Canada – pop 33,000,000, area 10m sq km = 3.3 people per km². Negatives: Maple Syrup, Quebec, and lumberjacks.

Iceland – pop 300,000, area 0.1m sq km = 2.9 people per km². Negatives: significant fiscal debt and active volcanoes which hold up your flight when boredom forces you leave.

Libya – pop 5,800,000, area 1.7m sq km = 3.3 people per km². Negatives: Colonel Gaddafi may pitch a tent in your front garden when the fancy chooses.

Mongolia – pop 2,800,000, area 1.5m sq km = 1.8 people per km². Negatives: Yaks, totally landlocked and stuck in the middle of Russia and China.

Namibia – pop 2,030,000, area 0.8m sq km = 2.5 people per km². Negatives – corned beef.

Oceania – pop 31,000,000, area 7.7m sq km = 4 people per km². Negatives: (how hard are you to please? Sun, sea, sand, tropical islands etc…)

And finally…

Western Sahara – pop 273,000, area 0.25m sq km = 1 person per km². Negatives – well, its a bit of a desert.

So there you have it – getting away from it all is not that simple.

However, if your bag is living on top of others consider the following:

Bangladesh – pop 144,000,000, area 0.14sq km = 1000 people per km². Negatives: insufficient resources to feed its people and recurrent natural disasters.

Gaza Strip – pop 1,400,000, area 0.0360 sq km = 4000 people per km². Negatives: dont you watch the news?

Hong Kong – pop 6,900,000, area 1m sq km = 6,310 people per km². Negatives: chow mein, noodles and bankers.

Malta – pop 398,000, area 0.0316 sq km = 1,300 people per km². Negatives: not sure, maybe they get cross.

Singapore – pop 4,420,000, area 0.0693 sq km = 6,400 people per km². Negatives: clinically clean, no spitting or public drunkenness. This may prevent certain Brits from settlement.

And where does China, India, Russia and Brazil fit in? After all they are, or perceive to be, over populated. China has a population of 1.3 billion, area nearly 10m sq km = 136 people per km². Less than half that of England.

India has a population of 1.08 billion, area 3.2m sq km = 328 people per km². About the same as England.

Russia has a population of 145,000,000, area 17m sq km = 8 people per km² (yes !That's "8")

Brazil has a population of 186,000,000, area 8.5m sq km = 22 people per km².

The European Union has a population of 500,000,000, area 4.3m sq km = 115 people per km², of which England and the Netherlands have the greatest density.

The USA is relatively very lowly populated. Not including Alaska it's population is 300,000,000, area 8.2m sq km = 36 people per km².

The UK has a population of 60,000,000, area 0.25m sq km = 243 people per km². The Philippines has nearly 30 million more people than the UK, slightly more area and a similar population density.

Now, where was it you were thinking of going?

Thanks to without hotair.com for the figures.