UK Population & Major Cities Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

Describe the distribution of population in the UK.

Population is densest in lowland England, especially the south-east around London, and in conurbations such as the West Midlands, north-west England and central Scotland; it is sparsest in upland areas such as the Scottish Highlands and mid Wales.

Where in the UK are most of the major cities found?

Mostly in England, concentrated in the south-east, the Midlands and the old industrial north, with Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast the main cities elsewhere.

Why is population density low in upland parts of the UK?

Steep relief, poor soils and a harsh wet climate make farming, building and transport difficult, so few people settle there.

Why did many large UK cities grow up on or near coalfields?

During the Industrial Revolution coal powered factories, so industry located near the coal and people moved there for work, creating large industrial cities.

Give one reason many major UK cities are on the coast or an estuary.

Sheltered coastal and estuary sites made good ports for trade and shipping, which attracted industry and people.