This Map Shows How Tightly Humanity Is Concentrated Around the World

Half the world's population lives in about 1 percent of the land.

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The map above was created by entrepreneur Max Galka, who creates infographics using data available from organizations like the U.N. and NASA. It shows where human populations are concentrated, with half of the world's population in the yellow areas and the other half dispersed throughout the black.

Galka used gridded population data compiled by NASA to create this map. Rather than separating population numbers by state or municipal boundaries, the map represents a grid of 28 million square-shaped cells that measure about 3 miles by 3 miles. Yellow cells have a population of 8,000 or more, or a population density of at least 889 people per square mile. The populations within the yellow cells can be much higher though, as the population density of Manhattan is about 67,000 people per square mile. The black cells have fewer than 8,000 people living within them.

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The large amount of open space makes the U.N.'s prediction that the world's population will grow from 7 billion to 11 billion by 2100 a little less dispiriting. Especially considering that almost all of that growth is projected to happen in Africa where there is a significant amount of land with low population densities.

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Most of the world's population is concentrated in China, India, and the surrounding countries. The United States is similar to the world map in that about half of the national population lives in yellow areas and half live in the black areas. The single cell with the highest population? Right in the middle of Cairo where more than a million people live in an area of about 9 square miles.

Source: Metrocosm via The Washington Post

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