# Population (human biology)

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For broader coverage of this topic, see [Population (biology)](/source/Population_(biology)).

For other uses, see [Population (disambiguation)](/source/Population_(disambiguation)).

"Human population" redirects here. For the human population of the whole world, see [World population](/source/World_population).

A **human population** is the set of [people](/source/Human) living in a particular [geographic area](/source/Region), increasing or decreasing in [size](/source/Population_size) over time,[1][2] but in [human biology](/source/Human_biology), a human population may be defined more precisely as "a group of individuals who are more likely to [mate](/source/Mating) among themselves than among others",[3] which is influenced by a number of social and cultural factors.[2] Thus, a larger *geographic population* can be considered as made of smaller *breeding populations* that coexist together,[2] but in practice, a population is usually defined by a geographic area,[4] which can be based on a [settlement](/source/Settlement_hierarchy), or larger territories (a country, region, city, or the [whole world](/source/World_population)).[2]

[Population genetics](/source/Population_genetics) studies differences between populations and differences inside a population. 99.9% of the human genome remains the same across all human populations, but the other genes can be different.[5] Populations tend to have different [phenotypic traits](/source/Phenotypic_trait) based on their geographical location[5] and so may carry varying gene pools,[6] but physical traits are not often used to define a population.[5] Aside from the term "population", humans can also be grouped as [races](/source/Race_(human_categorization)) and [ethnic groups](/source/Ethnic_groups).[7]

[Demography](/source/Demography) is the [statistical](/source/Statistical) study of human populations.[1][5] Additional criteria may be used to define a demographic population or subpopulation, such as sex and age, as in the female population over 60 years of age. [Demographic statistics](/source/Demographic_statistics) may involve the structure[8] (like [age and sex distribution](/source/Population_pyramid)),[1] [spatial distribution](/source/Species_distribution), and size of a population, or involve [population dynamics](/source/Population_dynamics) (the change of the size and age of a population).[8] However, demographers use the term "population" differently from biologists, even if there are some similarities between these definitions: biologists study the number of individuals in a particular area and its evolution over time under varying conditions, while demographers count individuals by some certain criteria at a given time in a specific region.[9][10]

## Etymology

The word population evolved from the Latin word *"populus"*, which means "people"[9] and which was originally used in the context of [citizens](/source/Citizenship) of a specific place.[11] Initially, population was a [verbal noun](/source/Verbal_noun) describing a process or a state (such as an increase of inhabitants), but this definition later became archaic.[9] The first known usage of the term dates back to the 1500s.[12] [Francis Bacon](/source/Francis_Bacon) is credited to be the first who used it in its modern sense.[13][14]

## Background

In [biology](/source/Biology), one definition of "population" is about [interbreeding](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/interbreed) individuals,[2] and in [genetics](/source/Human_genetics), a definition may be about a common [gene pool](/source/Gene_pool).[15] More specifically, in biology the term "population" usually describes members of a species that can interbreed with each other and are [geographically isolated](/source/Allopatric_speciation) from the other populations of the same species[citation needed].

## Definition

Since all humans belong to the same species (*Homo sapiens*), they are all able to interbreed. Nevertheless, they represent different populations, separated from each other geographically, though modern global migration and transportation reduces boundaries between populations.[5]

A single geographic area does not have to contain only one human population.[5] Multiple human populations can coexist on the same territory because mating between them could be limited by such factors as [ethnicity](/source/Ethnicity), [education level](/source/Education_level), [social status](/source/Social_status), and [religion](/source/Religion).[5][2] Although [nations](/source/Nation) and populations may overlap, their boundaries can be different.[5] In [biological anthropology](/source/Biological_anthropology), the definition of "population" also considers the [culture](/source/Culture) shared between individuals and the time period in which a population lived, since the shared culture influenced [mating](/source/Mating) behavior.[16]

Physical characteristics (like eye color) are not typically used by biologists to define a population, since grouping people by one physical trait does not make them similar in other traits. If this was the case, a single individual would be a member of numerous groups. [Human races](/source/Human_races) are not considered populations either, because races can include smaller populations and definitions of some of the races are originally based on physical characteristics.[5] Although the opposite opinion exists, thinking of a race as being of a population subdivided into [demes](/source/Deme_(biology)).[17]

## Difference from other animals

There are three main factors that limit the size of a population in humans and other animals: available food sources, [diseases](/source/Disease) and the environment. Humans differ from other animals in that they have cultural, social, and technological factors that influence [reproduction](/source/Reproduction) and [population growth](/source/Population_growth). Among technological factors, [medicine](/source/Medicine) has improved overall health and lowered [mortality rate](/source/Mortality_rate).[1]

## See also

- [Community (ecology)](/source/Community_(ecology))
- [Human ecology](/source/Human_ecology)

## References

1. Relethford, John H. (2012-03-27). [*Human Population Genetics*](https://books.google.com/books?id=AuSvIa2xNHQC&pg=PA18). John Wiley & Sons. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-470-46467-0. geography is a usual starting point in defining a human population

1. Miller, Elmer S. & Weitz, Charles A. (1979). [*Introduction to Anthropology*](https://books.google.com/books?id=TJAgAQAAMAAJ&q=%22as+a+group+of+individuals+who+are+more%22). Prentice-Hall. p. 182. ISBN 978-0-13-478008-5.

1. Wikidata item [Q138201602](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138201602)

1. Minkoff, Eli & Hood-DeGrenier, Jennifer K. (2023-07-24). [*Biology Trending: A Contemporary Issues Approach*](https://books.google.com/books?id=Ab69EAAAQBAJ&pg=PA238). CRC Press. pp. 237–239, 324. ISBN 978-1-000-87794-6.

1. Serrano Sanchez, C. (1996-04-01). ["Introduction: The concept of population"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226825761). *International Journal of Anthropology*. **11** (2): 15–18. [doi:10.1007/BF02441407](https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02441407). [ISSN 1824-3096](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1824-3096)

1. Manglik, Mr Rohit (2023-11-23). [*Biological Diversity in Human Population: \[9789368751571\]*](https://books.google.com/books?id=CFAzEQAAQBAJ&pg=PA14). EduGorilla Publication. p. 14. ISBN 978-93-6875-157-1.

1. Carey, James R. (1993-02-04). [*Applied Demography for Biologists: with Special Emphasis on Insects*](https://books.google.com/books?id=FL2mPHUhrvcC&pg=PA3). Oxford University Press. pp. 3–4. ISBN 978-0-19-802314-2.

1. Petersen, William (2017-07-05). [*From Birth to Death: A Consumer's Guide to Population Studies*](https://books.google.com/books?id=PiIxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA1). Routledge. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-351-51888-8.

1. [*Comprehensive Biology XII*](https://books.google.com/books?id=RSZkrxT9aAYC&pg=PA826). Firewall Media. p. 826. ISBN 978-81-7008-754-0.

1. Kreager, Philip; Winney, Bruce; Ulijaszek, Stanley; Capelli, Cristian (2015-03-05). [*Population in the Human Sciences: Concepts, Models, Evidence*](https://books.google.com/books?id=wUW0BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA25). OUP Oxford. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-19-151249-0.

1. ["Population"](https://www.oed.com/dictionary/population_n1?tl=true&tab=factsheet). *Oxford English Dictionary*. Retrieved 2025-09-14.

1. Young, T. Kue (2005). [*Population Health: Concepts and Methods*](https://books.google.com/books?id=pdnnCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA9). Oxford University Press. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-19-515854-0.

1. Namboodiri, Krishnan (2013-06-29). [*A Primer of Population Dynamics*](https://books.google.com/books?id=HROkBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA46). Springer Science & Business Media. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-4757-8994-2.

1. Ohtsuka, Ryutaro; Kawabe, Toshio; Inaoka, Tsukasa; Akimichi, Tomoya; Suzuki, Tsuguyoshi (1985). ["Inter- and Intra-Population Migration of the Gidra in Lowland Papua: A Population-Ecological Analysis"](https://www.jstor.org/stable/41463631). *Human Biology*. **57** (1): 33–45. [ISSN 0018-7143](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0018-7143). [JSTOR 41463631](https://www.jstor.org/stable/41463631). [PMID 3988269](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3988269)

1. DiGangi, Elizabeth A. & Moore, Megan K. (2012-09-25). [*Research Methods in Human Skeletal Biology*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ckV-Xx9kb1sC&dq=population+in+humans,+population+differs+biology+in+humans&pg=PA5). Academic Press. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-12-385189-5.

1. Vogel, Friedrich & Motulsky, Arno G. (2013-04-17). [*Vogel and Motulsky's Human Genetics: Problems and Approaches*](https://books.google.com/books?id=mbjtCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA608). Springer Science & Business Media. p. 610. ISBN 978-3-662-03356-2.

## External links

- [United Nations Population Division](https://www.un.org/esa/population/unpop.htm)
- [CICRED homepage](http://www.cicred.org/Eng/Publications/IndexPublications.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100126044646/http://www.cicred.org/Eng/Publications/IndexPublications.htm) 26 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine a platform for interaction between research centres and international organizations, such as the United Nations Population Division, [UNFPA](/source/UNFPA), [WHO](/source/WHO) and [FAO](/source/FAO).
- [Population Reference Bureau](http://www.prb.org/) analyzes demographic data and research providing objective, accurate, and up-to-date population information in accessible formats.
- Baines, Jervoise Athelstane. Vol. 22. pp. 92–100.
- Hooper, Wynnard. Vol. XIX. pp. 513–517.
- [Current World Population](https://web.archive.org/web/20080205020959/http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/popclockworld.html)
- of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
- [Populations du monde](http://www.populationsdumonde.com/). (in French)
- [Understanding the World Today](http://gsociology.icaap.org/) Reports about world and regional population trends
- Lee, Ronald Demos (2008). ["Population"](http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/Population.html). *[Concise Encyclopedia of Economics](/source/Concise_Encyclopedia_of_Economics)*. 2nd ed. David R. Henderson (ed.). Indianapolis: [Library of Economics and Liberty](/source/Library_of_Economics_and_Liberty). ISBN 978-0-86597-665-8. [OCLC 237794267](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/237794267)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Population (human biology)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_(human_biology)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_(human_biology)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.