The ten states in Mexico with the highest population density in 2010

The table below shows the ten states in Mexico with the highest population density (people per square kilometer) in 2010.

Question:

• Find a blank map of Mexico [click here for a printable pdf map of Mexico] and locate each of these ten states.
• What do these ten states have in common?
• Can you suggest a reason or reasons for any pattern you have found?

[the answer appears at the end of this post; no peeping until you have come up with an answer!]

Rank	State	Population density, 2010 (people/square km)
1	Federal District	5,936.8
2	State of Mexico	678.9
3	Morelos	364.2
4	Tlaxcala	292.6
5	Aguascalientes	211.0
6	Guanajuato	179.2
7	Puebla	168.5
8	Querétaro	156.2
9	Hidalgo	128.0
10	Colima	115.5

Did you suggest that these states are all small in area? If so, well done! The list of the ten states with the highest population density includes the eight smallest states in Mexico in terms of area, and all ten of the states are in Mexico’s twelve smallest states. The other two small  states, neither of which has a very high population density, are Nayarit and Tabasco; they are both smaller than either Puebla or Guanajuato.

Why should small states have higher population densities than large states? The main reason is because it is likely that a higher percentage of their area will be used for villages, towns and cities, and there will be less countryside (where population densities are usually very low) than is likely in large states. Of course, many other factors also play a part, including the location of resources (minerals, soil, water, biodiversity), the opportunities for employment and the relative wealth of the area (people may migrate from poorer areas to areas which they think are richer or offer more opportunities).

In a future post, we will take a look at which states in Mexico have the lowest population density.But, before we do, which states do YOU think will have the lowest population density? Choose your “top ten”, make a list or mark them on your map, and come back to Geo-Mexico next week to see if you are right…