Techniques for analysing the relationship between population density and geographical features of interest

This paper presents a study that aimed to explore a range of techniques for analysing the spatial relationship between population density and geographical features of interest. Three categories of spatial analysis techniques were explored: traditional methods including descriptive statistics and spatial distribution maps, spatial autocorrelation statistics namely Moran's global I and Anselin's local I and regression analysis incorporating ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and error residual testing using the global Moran's I autocorrelation statistic. The correlation between the spatial distribution of Australian cinema screens and a global gridded population density dataset were used as the case study for the analysis. All three categories of spatial analysis techniques were found to be useful, each with its' own strengths and weaknesses. The analysis was able to visually and statistically identify the spatial distribution of cinema screens and population density, as well as establish the degree to which the two features were correlated. The study concluded that a methodology which utilises the above spatial analysis techniques in conjunction with a global gridded population dataset, provides a sound framework for investigating the correlation between population distribution and a geographical feature of interest