The Far East is intentionally different than the other islands. That's why you have more cities and less rurals. Also, rather than comparing highest populations, try comparing gold production. That's what's important.
Gold production rates don't set the medieval atmosphere for me. I could care less if we were poor and had to manage, or if we were rich and had the opportunity to splurge. Dramatically low and unrealistic populations angers me because it takes away from that very atmosphere and the overall feel of the game. My characters, their stories, their personalities, their interactions with other nobles and the world around them - including the peasant and noble populations - are the most important things to my game play.
A massive battle, far reaching inquisition, or brutal slaughter can be key events that stick with players for years. The ones that have thousands upon thousands dieing are the ones people remember. For example: the Giask slaughter - at which Amaury Capet was called the Butcher of Giask until his death - was such a significant event that it stuck with every Lurian noble for years. It was fun, exhilarating, and incredibly awesome to simply hear about. I wasn't even playing then and I'm geeking out about it now.
No one wrote about Giask making hundreds or thousands of gold coins a week. What's important to my Battlemaster experience is what can be made into legend, chronicle, or bedtime story.
But of course, I posed the question to get everyone's thoughts on it, making your opinion as valid as my own
