C.
Geography Chapter 4 Handout 16-09-25
Population Studies and its Importance
Demography helps in the understanding of population problems particularly of the less
developed regions of the world. It also helps in planning the population of developed
and undeveloped countries. The main problem concerning population in a country is to
control population growth in correlation with the growth of health amenities, food
supplies employment, education and housing. In brief, the following points may be
noted about the importance of demography:
1. Health Planning:
Persistent high fertility causes significant health problems, both for the mother and the
child. In most of the developing counties married women’s are characterised by
continuous nutritional drain from repeated pregnancies. Since demography studies
fertility and connected problems therefore its study is a must for health planning of the
country.
2. Planning of Food Supply:
Planning of food supply means availability of adequate food for total population, both in
quality as well as in quantity. Inadequate food supply results in growth retardation high
mortality rates, poor health, low physical activity and consequently low productivity.
Therefore food supply must grow in correlation with population growth. Thus planning of
food supply requires and presupposes population studies.
3. Planning for Employment:
Employment is an international problem these days. Unemployment and under
development is fast growing not only in the economically backward countries but also in
more developed nations. A demographic factor of considerable importance is the high
dependency ratio in less developed countries such as India where four or five persons
depend upon the income of one person. Therefore, employment planning requires study
of population in all its aspects
4. Planning for Education:
Every nation today is concerned with providing proper education to the children. The
number of children however, is constantly increasing. Therefore, educational planning
for children requires demographical planning. This is also required in the case of
uneducated adults. The estimates about the future needs of education are also made
on the basis of estimates of growth of population.
5. Planning for Housing:
Demand for housing increases with the increase in the size of population. Therefore
data for mortality, fertility, migration and family formation provide basis for estimates of
housing required. A theory of population is an explanation of the phenomenon of
population growth. It tries to explain the rise and fall, the growth and decrease of
population in different countries.
Population Density , Migration ,Pull and Push factors
Definition of Population Density
The number of people living in each unit of area (such as a square mile).
The population density of a country or city or other place is a number showing how
crowded that place is. It is calculated by dividing the population by the area. For
example, France has a population of 60,561,200, and an area of 551,695 square
kilometers, so its population density is about 109.8 persons per square kilometer. Many
cities were built near rivers; because the first settlers wanted somewhere close to water
to start a society, so areas around rivers often have a high population density.
Migration
Human migration is the movement by people from one place to another with the
intentions of settling, permanently or temporarily in a new location. The movement is
often over long distances and from one country to another, but internal migration is
also possible.
There are two basic types of migration studied by demographers:
Internal migration
This refers to a change of residence within national boundaries, such as between
states, provinces, cities, or municipalities. ...
International migration
This refers to change of residence over national boundaries.
Reasons or Causes for Migration
People migrate for a number of reasons. The reasons and causes for migration would
normally fall under these areas:
• Environmental – Better climate, calamities, and natural disasters are examples of
environmental causes or reasons.
• Economic – Moving to find work or moving to follow a particular career path is an
example of economic cause or reason.
• Cultural – Religious freedom and education is an example of cultural cause or
reason.
• Political – Civil war or escaping from political persecution is an example of
political cause or reason.
• Social – Moving for a better quality of life or moving closer to a family member or
friend is an example of a social cause or reason.
• Factors of Migration
• At this point, we categorize the above causes or reasons for migration into two
factors:
• Push Factors – These are reasons for leaving a place, which is called
emigrating, because of certain difficulties like food shortage, war, flood,
calamities, etc.
• Pull Factors – These are reasons for moving into a place, which is called
immigrating, because of an aspiration, dream, or something desirable like
abundance in food supply, a better climate, more freedom, etc.
• In geographical terms, the push-pull factors are those that drive people away
from a place and draw people to a new location. A combination of push-pull
factors helps determine migration or immigration of particular populations from
one land to another.
Push factors are the reasons why people leave an area. They are usually forced
migrations:
• crop failure
• Drought
• Flooding
• high crime
• lack of services
• lack of safety
• Poverty
• war
Pull factors are the reasons why people are attracted or pulled to a particular area.
• better services
• good climate
• higher employment
• lower risk from natural hazards
• more fertile land
• more wealth
• political stability
• safer, less crime
NOTE: Add more sentences/paragraphs/points/ examples from your book.
C. Geography Quiz
World Population MCQs
1. Number of people that lives in square kilometer of land is classified as
A housing density B society density
C population intensity D population density
2. Number of births that take place per 1000 people is classified as
A birth rate B death rate
C population density D housing density
3. Country with highest population is
A USA B Brazil
C China D Indonesia
4. Number of deaths that take place per 1000 people is called
A birth rate B death rate
C population density D housing density
5. Population and its affects are studied under.
A. Physical Geography B. Political Geography
C. Urban Geography D. Demography
Explain all of the following:
Demography___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Internal
Migration______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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External
Migration______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Pull
Factors_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Push
Factors_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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