underpeopling

English

Etymology

under- +‎ peopling

Noun

underpeopling (uncountable)

1. The state of having too sparse a population.
   • 1910, The Economic Journal:

     They would both lead to the overpeopling of the portions of the world which are highly endowed by nature and the underpeopling of those which are poorly endowed.

   • 1934, Curtis Putnam Nettels, The Money Supply of the American Colonies Before 1720:

     The interest of France in the fur trade resulted in the underpeopling of Canada, so that by 1754 her settlers in North America were outnumbered fourteen to one by the inhabitants of the English colonies nearby.

   • 1999, Wil Roebroeks, Hunters of the Golden Age:

     It will suffice here to underline that chronic underpeopling must have been a serious problem for prehistoric bands, and more so in the Italian territory, geographically much partitioned because of mountain ranges and sea arms.