Read a population-density map and explain where people live

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Dot map of Kanawha County, West Virginia. Key: each dot = 10,000 people. 18 dots are drawn inside Kanawha County, West Virginia. Data: US Census Bureau, 2020.

2. 1.

   Jun counts the dots inside Kanawha County, West Virginia, on a dot map. About how many people live there?

   • About 1,800
   • About 180,000
   • About 18
   • About 28,000

3. Use this

   Dot map of Pima County, Arizona. Key: each dot = 100,000 people. 10 dots are drawn inside Pima County, Arizona. Data: US Census Bureau, 2020.

4. 2.

   Kira counts the dots inside Pima County, Arizona, home of Tucson. About how many people live there?

   • About 100,000
   • About 1,000,000
   • About 110,000
   • About 10

5. Use this

   Dot map of Maricopa County, Arizona. Key: each dot = 100,000 people. 44 dots are drawn inside Maricopa County, Arizona. Data: US Census Bureau, 2020.

6. 3.

   Luz counts the dots inside Maricopa County, Arizona, home of Phoenix. About how many people live there?

   • About 4,400,000
   • About 144,000
   • About 44
   • About 440,000

7. Use this

   Shaded map of the United States by state, people per square mile, 2020. Key: lightest shade = fewer than 50 people per square mile; next = 50 to 100; next = 100 to 400; darkest = more than 400. New Jersey is outlined. Data: US Census Bureau.

8. 4.

   On Milo's shaded map, New Jersey has the darkest shade. Using the key, what does that tell Milo?

   • Fewer than 50 people per square mile
   • The most people of any state
   • More than 400 people per square mile
   • A very large area of land

9. Use this

   Shaded map of the United States by state, people per square mile, 2020. Key: lightest shade = fewer than 50 people per square mile; next = 50 to 100; next = 100 to 400; darkest = more than 400. West Virginia is outlined. Data: US Census Bureau.

10. 5.

    On Pia's shaded map, West Virginia has the second-lightest shade. Using the key, how crowded is it?

    • Fewer than 50 people per square mile
    • 50 to 100 people per square mile
    • More people than any nearby state
    • 100 to 400 people per square mile
11. 6.

    The Nile valley and delta shaded green and crowded with dots; the deserts on both sides almost empty. On a map of Egypt, Ren sees almost everyone living in a thin green band along the Nile. Why do most Egyptians live there?

    • People live evenly across the whole country
    • The river gives water for farms and towns
    • The coast has the factories
    • The desert land is cheaper to build on

12. Map of Greenland

    The inland ice sheet shaded white; small towns marked along the coast, most in the southwest. Data: World Bank, 2023 (about 57,000 people).

13. 7.

    Tala reads that about four-fifths of Greenland lies under an ice sheet, and its towns sit along the coast. Why do so few people live inland?

    • People there live evenly spread out
    • The coast is too crowded to build on
    • The inland is too close to the equator
    • The inland is covered by thick ice
14. 8.

    Dots crowded along the east and southeast coasts; the dry center almost empty. Zee sees that most Australians live in cities near the coast, and few live in the middle of the country. Why?

    • The coasts are colder than the middle
    • The middle is dry desert with little water
    • People are spread evenly across it
    • The middle is covered by ocean

15. Use the table

    Country	People (2023)	People per km²
    Netherlands	17,877,117	531.0
    Australia	26,659,922	3.5

    Data: World Bank, 2023.

16. 9.

    Ari compares two countries from the table. Which one is more crowded?

    • They are equally crowded
    • You need a map to tell
    • Australia
    • The Netherlands
17. 10.

    Esme checks one last pair from the table. Which country is more crowded?

    • Indonesia
    • A map would be needed
    • Japan
    • They are just about the same