Square feet per person

This image schematizes population density in various areas of the planet, calculating the space available for each inhabitant. Note that this area refers to usable land, meaning it excludes lakes and rivers.

The measurements are in square feet, but a quick conversion to square meters gives:

Australia 3939175 ft², = 365961 m², which are equivalent to a square with a side equal to approximately 605 m
Canada 2947401 ft² = 273823 m², idem 523
Russia 1300329 ft² = 120805 m², 348
USA 324623 ft² = 30158 m², 174
South Africa 269196 ft² = 25009 m², 158
Mexico 188271 ft² = 17491 m², 132
China 75724 ft² = 7035 m², 84
Italy 53486 ft² = 4969 m², 70
UK 42676 ft² = 3965 m², 63
Japan 31689 ft² = 2944 m², 54
Bangladesh 9388 ft² = 872 m², 30
Hong Kong 1674 ft² = 156 m², 12.5
Monaco 639 ft² = 59 m², 7.7

but the image expresses the differences better.

All this also means that, if humans were distributed with maximum regularity, in Australia they would be at least 605 m apart, while in the Principality of Monaco each would have four immediate neighbors about 7.7 m apart.

Obviously, it must also be considered that, while it is true that, for example, in Australia, each person has 365,961 m², much of this territory consists of deserts that are difficult to inhabit, just as in Canada much of the land is frozen.

However, the presence of such a vast territory has an effect. When driving in Russia or Canada, I often had the sense of the largely empty vastness that began just beyond the city limits, while in Hong Kong (before returning to China), I realized it was impossible to escape the crowds.

A similar, albeit less oppressive, feeling accompanies me here in Italy. Driving up and down the Po Valley or the Adige Valley, or even climbing the mountains of Trentino, it's almost impossible not to see buildings and other obvious signs of human presence.

And it's no coincidence, in my opinion, that the most visionary land art projects originate from the minds of people living in sparsely populated towns.

The image represents a recent work by Jim Denevan, a land artist we have already covered.

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