Select the most appropriate option for blank No. 4.

Comprehension:

In the following passage some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Select the most appropriate option for each blank. Canada is three times the size of India (1)______ its population is only about 26 million. The average (2)______ of population is less than three persons per square kilometer (3)______ Canada. The distribution of population is highly (4)______. Nearly 80 per cent of the people (5)______ in a narrow belt less than 300 kilometer wide along the southern border. The rest of the country has a very sparse population due to excessive cold.