This lesson introduces students to how and why the UK’s population is unevenly distributed. Using maps, choropleths and real‑world examples, pupils explore the contrast between densely and sparsely populated regions and investigate the physical and human factors that shape where people live. The lesson also links historical change to modern patterns, showing how the Industrial Revolution transformed settlement, employment and population growth.

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Describe the distribution of population across the UK

Identify densely and sparsely populated regions

Explain how physical and human factors influence where people live

Understand the historical impact of the Industrial Revolution

This ready‑to‑teach PPT and worksheet set strengthens map‑reading skills, builds geographical explanation and provides a strong foundation for later lessons on settlement, migration and urbanisation.

Some visuals in this resource were made with AI to help bring ideas to life and support student understanding.