Question

The tundra region has a very low density of population. Give reasons.

Answer 1

The tundra has a very low population density because its environment is extremely hostile to settled life: temperatures are very low with long, severe winters and weeks of polar darkness, and the warmest month seldom rises above about 10°C, so the growing season is very short and true agriculture is impossible; permafrost and shallow, waterlogged soils prevent deep rooting and make construction and drainage difficult; vegetation is limited to mosses, lichens, sedges and dwarf shrubs so there are few local food or fuel resources; precipitation is low and the region is remote with poor transport and infrastructure, so economic opportunities and services are scarce; consequently only small, often semi‑nomadic indigenous groups live there, keeping densities typically under one person per square kilometre.