24 FOREIGN COUNTRIES 



far less land available for cultivation in some 

 cases than in others. Norway and Sweden 

 are the most conspicuous instances and form 

 obvious exceptions. Three-fourths of Nor- 

 way and one-third of Sweden are sterile. 

 But it is equally evident that this does not 

 account for other cases. The United States, 

 for instance, make an extremely poor show. 

 With a density only one-tenth that of 

 Germany they occupy about the same place 

 with regard to agriculture. Italy is an ex- 

 ception in the opposite direction. With the 

 same density as Germany it has a far larger 

 proportion of its population engaged in 

 agriculture. The actual number is nearly the 

 same in both — namely, a little short of ten 

 millions. When the density of the popu- 

 lation, which is about the mean, and the 

 amount of mountainous land is taken into 

 consideration, Italy's position is remarkable ; 

 and, it must be remembered, the agricultural 

 population is increasing there both relatively 

 and absolutely. The conditions prevailing 

 in Italy would evidently repay closer study. 



Countries of High Density. 



The countries at the bottom of the list, 

 however, reveal a distinct correspondence 

 between density and agriculture. They are 

 the Netherlands, Belgium, the United King- 

 dom and its parts. All these are distinguished 



