Distribution of Population in the World:-
• The population of the world at present is 7.5 billion.• China has the largest population in the world followed by India, USA, Indonesia, and other countries.
• Continent-wise, Asia has the largest population followed by Africa, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania.
• Oceania includes Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Samoa etc.
Important Features of Population:-
Birth Rate:-
- Number of live births per year per 1000 of the population.
- Formula:-( No. of births x 1000 ) / Total Population
Death Rate:-
- Number of deaths per year per 1000 of the population.
- Formula:- ( No. of deaths x 1000 ) / Total Population
Life Expectancy:-
- No. of years that a person is likely to live.
Population Density:-
- Number of people living in a unit area of space,such as a square kilometer.
Factors affecting the Population of a Place:-
1. Birth Rate and Death Rate:-
• High birth rate leads to increase in population.
• High death rate leads to decrease in population.
• Factors causing high birth rate in India:
- Low marriageable age.
- Religious and social benefits.
- Illiteracy and ignorance.
- Poverty.
• Factors causing low death rate in India:-
- Improved medical facilities and health care.
- Better management of natural disasters.
- Better control of famines and epidemics.
- Better public health, hygiene and sanitation facilities.
- Reduction in major killing diseases like cholera, tuberculosis, etc.
- Spread of education and immunization programs.
2. Immigration and Emigration:-
• Immigration:- The process of coming to live permanently in another country that is not one's own.
• Emigration:- The process of leaving one country to go and live permanently in another country.
• When people immigrate to a country, population of that country increases.
• When people emigrate from a country, population of that country declines.
3. Influx of Refugees:-
• Refugees from different countries at different times increase population of a country.
• India has refugees from Tibet, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
4. Urbanization?
• Birth rate tends to rise and death rate tends to fall in an urbanized country.
• Rise in birth rate due to more access to medical care in cities than in rural areas and hence, fall in infant mortality.
• Decline in death rate due to better medical and education services and more reliable food supplies in cities than in rural areas.
5. Agricultural Development:-
• Mechanization of agriculture has freed up workers from farms.
• This has encouraged industrialization.
• This leads to high birth rate.
• Increased agricultural production has reduced deaths due to famine.
6. Education:-
• Simple programes in hygiene.
• Family planning programes.
• Massive awareness campaigns on population growth.
• Educational and awareness levels of people population growth.
7. Topography and Climate of a Place:-
Population grows in areas where there is-
• Flat, cultivable land.
• Availability of water
• Accessibility to roads, rivers and railway lines.
• Pleasant climate
8. Employment Opportunities:-
Population grows where there are,
• Prospects for employment
• Mines and industries
Overpopulation:-
- It is an undesirable condition where the people exceeds the resources available to support them.
Causes of Overpopulation:-
In Developed Countries-
• Economic prosperity and growth
• Improved medical techniques
• Immigration
In Developing Countries-
• Modern medical techniques
• Ignorance of the masses
• Traditional beliefs and outlook of people
Impact of Overpopulation:-
- Environmental damage
- Reduction in death rates and increase in lifespan of people in developed countries.
- Expensive basic necessities of life in developing countries.
- Continuous cycle of poverty
- Rise in crime and conflict
- Problems of slums, water supply, lighting, sanitation, drainage and hygiene in slums.
- Hampering the pace of economic progress and development.
- Negation of Green Revolution due to increase in number of additional mouths to feed.
Under population:-
- It occurs when the size of the population of a place is small in relation to the available resources of a country.
Causes of Underpopulation:-
Increase in death rates:-
This is due to,
• Natural disasters (e.g., earthquake)
• Manmade disasters (e.g., war)
Reduction in birth rates:-
This is due to,
• Genetic reasons
• Emigration
Impact of Underpopulation:-
Positive Effects:-
• Sufficient employment opportunities
• No overcrowding
• Lower levels of poverty
• Adequate educational and medical facilities
• Sufficient natural resources to meet the requirements of the population.
• Low environmental degradation
Negative Effects:-
• Low productivity due to lack of adequate labor.
• A higher proportion of the population is either too young or too old to work.
• Fewer tax payers leading to low income for the Government
• No enough people to develop the natural resources of the country.
Composition of the Population:-
Population composition or demographic structure refers to the physical, socio- cultural and economic attributes of the population such as,
- Age and sex
- Place and residence
- Language
- Religion
- Marital status
- Literacy etc.
These are the characteristics of the population which are measurable,
Characteristics of Population:-
1. Rural and Urban Composition:-
Population can be divided into rural and urban populations, depending on where a person resides.
Rural Population:-
• People residing in villages (69%).
• Lower population density
• Primary activities (farming, fishing, mining, etc).
• Fewer opportunities for higher education
• Lesser educational, medical, transport and communication facilities.
Urban Population:-
• People residing in towns and cities (31 %).
• Higher population density
• Secondary and tertiary activities (trade, transport, services etc)
• More opportunities for economic growth
• More educational, medical, transport and communication facilities.
2. Age and Sex Composition:-
• Age composition refers to the percentage of the population in different age groups in a given population.
• Sex ratio reflects the comparative numbers of males and females in the population.
Formula:- (Female Population x 1000 ) / Male Population
Population Pyramid OR Age Sex Pyramid:-
-A population pyramid is a specially designed diagram that shows the age and sex composition of a population.
- The shape of the population pyramid shows the characteristics of the population.
Types of Pyramids:-
1. Expanding Population.
• More or less triangular pyramid, with a broad base and a
narrow apex.
• Broad base indicates high birth rate in lower age group.
• Narrow apex indicates high death rate in older age group.
• This pyramid indicates rapid population growth.
• E.g., Nigeria, Bangladesh, India, Mexico.
2. Constant Population:-
• Pyramid shaped liked a bell, with a narrow top and a broad
middle.
Scanned by CamScanner
• Birth rate is almost equal to death rate.
• This pyramid indicates constant population.
• E.g. USA
3. Declining Population:-
• Pyramid having a narrow base, a bulging middle.
• Low birth and death rates.
• E.g. Japan, Germany, Italy