DISTRIBUTION OF WORLD’S POPULATION 23 
varies greatly. The differences, however, are not by 
any means solely due to the physical differences of that 
surface. They are affected by the degree of civilisa- 
tion attained, by the capacity for civilised life, by the 
prevailing standards-of-living, and by the nature of 
human activities. Japan and her dependencies have 
no less than 320 per square mile; British India has 226; 
Ceylon has 198; Tongking has 182. These are instances 
where the standards-of-living do not make great 
demands upon the natural resources of the territory. 
The very elementary wants of the inhabitants make it 
possible for large numbers to occupy very small areas, 
a common phenomenon in China, India and Japan. 
When a comprehensive survey of the densities of 
existing human populations is made, it becomes 
evident that the natural resources of the areas they 
occupy cannot of themselves support these popula- 
tions in foodstuffs. In other countries the territories 
can support them, but the natural resources are only 
just sufficient; in others again the resources are but 
moderately drawn upon; in some cases the natural 
resources greatly exceed the population requirements. 
In general, it may be said that no simple relation 
exists between a territory’s capacity to carry population 
and its actual population-density. It does not depend 
solely upon the physical characters of the territory 
itself. 
It is worthy of note here, that increasing knowledge 
of the nature of the earth’s crust, and of the forms of 
life existing upon its surface, have made territories, 
formerly useless, now available for human occupation. 
The discoveries, for example, of artesian supplies in 
America, Africa and Australia, have opened up regions 
which had appeared to be quite useless. Great irriga- 
tion schemes have successfully met various dangers to 
human life, and have enormously increased the numbers 
that can live in the territories served by them. Again,