inhabitants

Inhabitants are the people who live in a particular place, such as a city, region, or country. The term focuses on occupancy and presence rather than legal status, and is widely used in demographic, historical, and geographic descriptions. While most commonly applied to humans, the word can describe any beings that inhabit a place in ecological or fictional contexts.

In demography, the number of inhabitants is used to measure population size and density. Data sources include censuses, population registers, and household surveys. Researchers may distinguish between permanent inhabitants and temporary or seasonal residents, and between native inhabitants and migrants who have settled in the area.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin habitare, to dwell. Related terms include residents, who often denotes legal residence; citizens, denoting membership of a political community; and denizens, which can imply familiar but sometimes informal status. Distinctions vary by language and jurisdiction.

Applications: Knowledge of inhabitants supports urban planning, public services, and political representation. Historical lists of inhabitants illuminate past settlement patterns, migration, and demographic change. In ecology or fantasy literature, inhabitants describe the people or beings occupying a place within a given environment or narrative.