Subject- Social Science (Geography)

Class- IX
Topic- Chapter 6. Population

Introduction

• People make and use resources. They are also considered as resources having different
quality.
• Population (total number of persons inhabiting a particular place like city, state, country
etc.) is the central element in social studies. It is the point of reference from which all other
elements are observed.
• Human beings are producers as well as consumers of the resources so information about
population of a country such as their size, distribution are important.
• A census is an official enumeration of population done periodically. In India the first census
was held in the year 1872.
• The census of India provides us with information regarding the population of our country.
The data provided by the census cover below three major questions about the population:
→ Population size and distribution
→ Population growth and processes of population change
→ Characteristics or qualities of the population

Population Size and Distribution

India’s Population Size and Distribution by Numbers

• As per March 2001, India’s population stood at 1,028 million, which account for 16.7
percent of the world’s population.
• According to the data, Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state of India with a population
size of 166 million, which account for 16 percent of total India's population.
• Sikkim's population 0.5 million (5 lakhs) while Lakshadweep has 60 thousand people.
• The five states Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh.
Rajasthan holds almost half of Indian population (48.8%).

India’s Population Distribution by Density

• Population density is calculated as the number of persons per unit area.

• The population density of India in the year 2001 was 324 persons per [Link] making it one
of the most densely populated countries of the world.
• Densities vary from 904 persons per [Link] in West Bengal to only 13 persons per [Link] in
Arunachal Pradesh.
• The reason for scarce (thinly distributed) population in some states such as Meghalaya,
Orissa etc. are rugged terrain and unfavourable climatic conditions.
• Hilly, dissected and rocky nature of the terrain, moderate to low rainfall, shallow and less
fertile soils have influenced population in Assam and most of the Peninsular states.
• The Northern Plains and Kerala in the south have high to very high population densities
because of the flat plains with fertile soils and abundant rainfall.

Population Growth and Processes of Population Change-

Population Growth

• Population Growth refers to the change in the number of inhabitants of a country or territory
during a specific period of time, say during the last ten years.
• The change can be expressed in two ways

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→ in terms of absolute numbers
→ in terms of percentage change per year
• The absolute number is calculated by simply subtracting the earlier population (e.g. that of
1991) from the later population (e.g. that of 2001). It is referred to as the absolute increase.
• The rate or pace of population increase is studied in per cent per annum, e.g. a rate of
increase of 2 per cent per annum means that in a given year, there was an increase of two
persons for every 100 persons in the base population. This is referred to as the annual growth
rate.
• India’s population has been steadily increasing from 361 million in 1951 to 1028 million in
2001.
• Since 1981, however, the rate of growth started declining gradually as birth rates declined
rapidly. But India has a very large population so when a low annual rate is applied to a very
large population, it yields a large absolute increase.
• At this growth rate, India may overtake China in 2045 to become the most populous country
in the world.

Processes of Population Change/Growth

• There are three main processes of change of population: birth rates, death rates and
migration.
• Birth rate is the number of live births per thousand persons in a year. In India, birth rates
have always been higher than death rates.
• Death rate is the number of deaths per thousand persons in a year. In India, there is rapid
decline in death rates which is the main cause of growth of the Indian population.
• Till 1980, high birth rates and declining death rates resulted in higher rate of population
growth but since 1981, birth rates have also started declining gradually, resulting in a gradual
decline in the rate of population growth.
• Migration is the movement of people across regions and territories. This can be internal
(within the country) or international (between the countries).
• Internal migration does not change the size of the population, but changes the distribution of
population within the nation.
• In India, most migrations have been from rural to urban areas because of “push” factor i.e.
adverse conditions of poverty and unemployment in the rural areas and “pull” of the city i.e.
increased employment opportunities and better living conditions in cities.

• Effects of Migrations:
→ It changes the population size.
→ It also changes the population composition of urban and rural populations in terms of age
and sex composition.

• In India, the rural-urban migration has resulted in a steady increase in the percentage of
population in cities and towns.
• The urban population has increased from 17.29 per cent in 1951 to 27.78 per cent in
2001. There also has been a significant increase in million plus cities from 23 to 35 in just
one decade.

Age Composition

• The age composition of a population refers to the number of people in different age groups
in a country.
• The number and percentage of a population found within the children, working age and
aged groups are notable determinants of the population’s social and economic structure.
• Population of country can be grouped into three categories:

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→ Children (below 15 years): economically unproductive, need to be provided with food,
clothing, education and medical care. Comprises 34.4% of total India's population.
→ Working Age (15-59 years): economically productive and biologically reproductive.
Considered as working population. Comprises 6.9% of total India's population.

→ Aged (Above 59 years): can be economically productive though they may have retired.
May be working but they are not available for employment through recruitment. Comprises
58.7% of total India's population.

Sex Ratio

• Sex ratio is defined as the number of females per 1000 males in the population.
• Important social indicator- measuring the extent of equality between males and females in a
society at a given time. In India, sex ratio has always remained unfavourable to females.

Literacy rates

• According to the Census of 2001, a person aged 7 year and above who can read and write
with understanding in any language, is treated as literate. Low levels of literacy are a serious
obstacle for economic improvement.
• The literacy rate in the country as per the Census of 2001 is 64.84 per cent; 75.26 per cent
for males and 53.67 percent for females.

Occupational Structure

• The distribution of the population according to different types of occupation is referred to as

the occupational structure.
• Occupations are generally classified into three categories:
→ Primary activities (related to land): It include agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry,
fishing, mining and quarrying etc.
→ Secondary activities (related to industry): It include manufacturing industry, building and
construction work etc.
→ Tertiary activities (related to services): include transport, communications, commerce,
administration and other services.
• Developed nations have a high proportion of people in secondary, and tertiary activities
while developing nations have a higher proportion of their workforce engaged in primary
activities.
• In India, about 64 percent of the population is engaged only in agriculture. 13 percent
are dependent on secondary and 20 percent are on tertiary sectors.
• In recent times, people are moving towards secondary and tertiary sectors because of
growing industrialisation and urbanisation in recent times.

Health

• Health is an important component of population composition, which affects the process of

development.
• There has been a significant improvement in health conditions in India. Death rates have
declined from 25 per 1000 population in 1951 to 8.1 per 1000 in 2001 and life expectancy at
birth has increased from 36.7 years in 1951 to 64.6 years in 2001.
• The improvement is due to:
→ Improvement in public health
→ Prevention of infectious diseases
→ Application of modern medical practices in diagnosis and treatment of ailments.

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• Health is still a major concern for India because:
→ The per capita calorie consumption is much below the recommended levels and
malnutrition afflicts a large percentage of our population.
→ Safe drinking water and basic sanitation amenities are available to only one- third of the
rural population.

Adolescent Population

• The age-group of 10 to 19 years are considered as Adolescent Population. It constitutes one-

fifth of the total population of India.
• They are most important future resources for any country. Nutrition requirements of
adolescents are higher than those of a normal child or adult.
• In India, the diet available to adolescents is inadequate in all nutrients. A large number of
adolescent girls suffer from anaemia (deficiency of red blood cells or haemoglobin).
• The awareness can be improved through the spread of literacy and education among
adolescent girls.

National Population Policy

• The Government of India initiated the comprehensive Family Planning Programme in 1952
for improving individual health and welfare.
• It sought to promote responsible and planned parenthood on a voluntary basis.
• National Population Policy (NPP) 2000 is the peak of years of planned efforts.

What NPP aims at?

→ It provides a policy framework for imparting free and compulsory school education up to
14 years of age,
→ Reducing infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1000 live births
→ Achieving universal immunisation of children against all vaccine preventable diseases,
→ Promoting delayed marriage for girls
→ Making family welfare a people-centered programme.

Relation between NPP 2000 and Adolescents

• NPP 2000 identified adolescents as one of the major sections of the population that need
greater attention.
• Besides nutritional requirements, the policy put greater emphasis on other important needs
of adolescents including protection from unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted
diseases (STD).
• The programmes started by NPP 2000 for adolescents aims at:
→ Encouraging delayed marriage and child-bearing.
→ Education of adolescents about the risks of unprotected sex.
→ Making contraceptive services accessible and affordable.
→ Providing food supplements, nutritional services.
→ Strengthening legal measures to prevent child marriage.

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