Read a population-density map and explain where people live
Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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
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).
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
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
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.
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
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

