Main concepts
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Population distribution is the term we use to describe where people are spread out across the globe.
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Here's an interesting fact! 75% of the global population live within 1000 km of the sea. That's around the same distance as a road trip from Los Angeles to Denver, or from London to Vienna!
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Another astonishing fact: 85% of the population live in areas less than 500 m high! That's less than the height of the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa.
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Now, imagine the Earth as an apple cut in half, and we're only considering latitudes between 68°N and 20°N. This band, from the Arctic Circle down to just a bit above the equator, is home to the same 85% of the world's population. It's like the Earth wearing a crowded belt!
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Now let's take a glance at the Southern Hemisphere. Less than 10% of the global population live there, making it feel like a quiet, spacious neighborhood compared to the crowded Northern Hemisphere.