pop·u·la·tion 
(pŏp′yə-lāshən)
(pŏp′yə-lāshən)n.
1.
a. All of the people inhabiting a specified area.
b. The total number of such people.
2. The total number of inhabitants constituting a particular race, class, or group in a specified area.
3. The act or process of furnishing with inhabitants.
4. Ecology All the organisms of a given species interacting in a specified area.
5. Statistics The set of individuals, items, or data from which a statistical sample is taken. Also called universe.