分布 (fēn bù) describes how something is spread or arranged over an area (e.g., population, resources, species) — it focuses on the resulting pattern, not the act of distributing. Unlike 分配 (fēn pèi), which means to allocate or assign things to people or tasks, 分布 is about spatial or statistical distribution. It also differs from 分散 (fēn sàn), which implies actively scattering or dispersing something.