Overcrowding is a term used to describe a situation in which too many people or things are present in a given space. It is often used to refer to the overcrowding of cities, public transportation, and other areas where people congregate. CONGESTION is a related term that is used to describe the overcrowding of roads and highways due to an excessive number of vehicles. Both terms are used to describe situations in which the amount of people or things present in a given space exceeds the capacity of the space.