Paper 2 · population mapping techniques
Which population-mapping technique shades administrative units (such as districts or provinces) according to population density, giving a map that is easy to read at a glance but risks masking variation within each unit and creating a false impression of uniform density across it?
Model answer
density shading
Also accepted: choropleth, choropleth mapping, the density shading method
Explanation: The density shading (choropleth) method colours or shades each administrative unit according to its population density; it is quick to read and works well for administrative-unit data, but because the whole unit is shaded uniformly it can mask real variation in density within the unit and imply the population is spread evenly across it, which is rarely true.
Derived from ZIMSEC Geography Paper 2, November 2003, Q2
