My opinion is that the map is large enough for the current population.

Huge portions of the map are unsettled because almost all tribes try to find a spot with access to a junkpile. I've travelled very extensively on the map and I've certainly seen not more than maybe 10 homesteads far away from a junkpile - and have not seen a single tribe living wild. And that makes sense too, very few things can be made without something from a junkpile.

What I would like to see are a number (say, 40 to 50) really small junkpiles scattered around in the woods and mountains. That way more locations would be viable to settle on early in the game.