Characteristics of the UK

• Population density is highest in cities, where its about 5500 people per km^2

  • also around major cities

  Low population in countrysides and mountainous regions
• problems of high population density:

  • housing shortage
  • increasing house prices
  • pressure on social services
• The north and west of the UK have high rainfall - 1470mm annually

  The south and east have lower rainfall - 560mm annually

  Areas with high populations use a lot of water but if they receive low rainfall this causes water stress, such as in London

  
• land use - farming

  growing crops (arable farming) happens in the south and east

  grazing animals in the north and west

  70% of the UK is agricultural land
• land uses

  less than 10% of the UK is built on, and these urban areas are expanding

  forest covers 13% of the land

  some areas are not used by humans are in a fairly natural state (eg areas in north scotland)