population

All the people who live in a particular place.

• The town has a small population.
• The population has doubled in twenty years.
• Most of the population lives near the coast.

How to use it: population of somewhere (The population of the island is falling.)

Similar words: inhabitants, residents

Common phrases: local population, population growth, population of something

All the people who share a particular feature.

• The student population is growing.
• The survey focused on the adult population.
• The city has a large population of Spanish speakers.

How to use it: population of someone (The region has a growing population of retired people.)

Similar words: group

Common phrases: student population, elderly population, population of something

A group of living things of the same kind, usually living in the same area.

• The fish population is falling.
• Scientists counted the island’s bird populations.
• A small population of wolves lives in this forest.

How to use it: population of something (We found a healthy population of frogs.)

Common phrases: fish population, wild population, population of something