pop ‧ u ‧ lous /ˈpɒpjələs, ˈpɒpjʊləs $ ˈpɑː-/ BrE AmE adjective formal
[ Word Family: adjective : populated ≠ UNPOPULATED , ↑ populous ; verb : ↑ populate ; noun : ↑ population ]
a populous area has a large population in relation to its size:
Hong Kong is one of the most populous areas in the world.