What data type should be used for a field containing country populations in a file geodatabase?

Using a long integer for a field containing country populations in a file geodatabase is appropriate because populations are typically whole numbers that can be substantial in size. The long integer data type can store larger values than a short integer, accommodating the populations of many countries without risk of overflow.

Since most countries have populations in the millions, using a long integer ensures that all potential population values can be accurately represented. In contrast, a short integer would not be suitable as it is limited to a smaller range of values. Text is not appropriate because population numbers are numerical data and should not be treated as strings. A single-precision floating point is also not ideal because populations are whole numbers, and representing them as floating points could introduce unnecessary precision and complexity. Thus, long integer is the most suitable choice for maintaining accurate and efficient representation of population data.