3 ms·

This is the way people have always lived (except for very modern times)

bobthepanda 4y ago
I think they mean to say that comparing the Pakistani figures (which include low population mountains and deserts) to Belgium (which is pretty much entirely arable and flat as a pancake) is a bit silly.
- kurupt213 4y ago
  Human societies have always crowded riverbanks. Until very recent times.
  - bobthepanda 4y ago
    Both statements can be true at the same time * this is a common pattern of settlement * the different geographies of two countries make a very simple (population / land area) density figure misleading, because Belgium is nearly 100% riverbank or floodplain and Pakistan is not This is such a known problem that the US Census already has a different density measurement method, population-weighted density: https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollective/census-bureau-embraces-weighted-density/69236/ https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollecti...
    - seszett 4y ago
      Although Belgium certainly isn't as rugged as Pakistan, it's far from flat and especially in Wallonia population is very concentrated along one valley (the sillon Sambre et Meuse): https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kobe-Boussauw/publication/293641051/figure/fig1/AS:348457123500032@1460090060752/Population-density-in-Belgium-Source-Statistics-Belgium-2010.png https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kobe-Boussauw/publicati... As a result, the region has a population density of 240/km² (only slightly less than Pakistan) but about 2/3rds of the population is in this valley representing 1/16th of the area of Wallonia. Flanders is mostly flat and more evenly settled. This is actually more similar than I expected to the population distribution in Pakistan, with Punjab being a flat plain with an evenly distributed population, and the rest of the country being mostly settled along one river. By the way, Belgium also suffered a large flooding event last year in this valley, although nowhere near as deadly as what is happening in Pakistan.

I think they mean to say that comparing the Pakistani figures (which include low population mountains and deserts) to Belgium (which is pretty much entirely arable and flat as a pancake) is a bit silly.

kurupt213 4y ago
Human societies have always crowded riverbanks. Until very recent times.
- bobthepanda 4y ago
  Both statements can be true at the same time * this is a common pattern of settlement * the different geographies of two countries make a very simple (population / land area) density figure misleading, because Belgium is nearly 100% riverbank or floodplain and Pakistan is not This is such a known problem that the US Census already has a different density measurement method, population-weighted density: https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollective/census-bureau-embraces-weighted-density/69236/ https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollecti...
  - seszett 4y ago
    Although Belgium certainly isn't as rugged as Pakistan, it's far from flat and especially in Wallonia population is very concentrated along one valley (the sillon Sambre et Meuse): https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kobe-Boussauw/publication/293641051/figure/fig1/AS:348457123500032@1460090060752/Population-density-in-Belgium-Source-Statistics-Belgium-2010.png https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kobe-Boussauw/publicati... As a result, the region has a population density of 240/km² (only slightly less than Pakistan) but about 2/3rds of the population is in this valley representing 1/16th of the area of Wallonia. Flanders is mostly flat and more evenly settled. This is actually more similar than I expected to the population distribution in Pakistan, with Punjab being a flat plain with an evenly distributed population, and the rest of the country being mostly settled along one river. By the way, Belgium also suffered a large flooding event last year in this valley, although nowhere near as deadly as what is happening in Pakistan.