Chapter 2: The World Population – Distribution, Density and Growth
Introduction
The people of a country are its real wealth because people are the actual
resources of a country. People use natural resources, develop industries, make
policies, and build the nation. Therefore, a country is known by its people.
It is important to study population because we need to know:
How many men and women live in a country
How many children are born each year
How many people die and why
Whether people live in villages or cities
Whether people are literate or illiterate
What kind of work people do
At the beginning of the 21st century, the world population crossed 6 billion. In
this chapter, we study population distribution, density, and growth.
Why Do People Prefer to Live in Certain Regions and Not in Others?
The population of the world is unevenly distributed. Some areas are very crowded
while some areas have very few people. George B. Cressey said about Asia:
“Asia has many places where people are few and few places where people are
very many.”
This statement is true for the whole world.
Patterns of Population Distribution in the World
Population distribution means the way people are spread over the earth’s surface.
About 90% of the world’s population lives on only 10% of the land area. This
shows that population distribution is very uneven.
The 10 most populous countries together have about 60% of the world’s
population, and 6 of these countries are in Asia.
These Asian countries are:
China
India
Indonesia
Pakistan
Bangladesh
Japan
(This is shown in the diagram on page 1 – Most Populous Countries graph.)
Density of Population
Each unit of land can support only a limited number of people. So we calculate
the number of people living per unit area of land. This is called population density.
Formula:
Density of Population = Population ÷ Area
It is measured in persons per square kilometre.
Example:
If a region has:
Population = 1,50,000
Area = 100 sq km
Density = 1,50,000 ÷ 100 = 1,500 persons per sq km
This means the region is very densely populated.
Factors Influencing the Distribution of Population
I. Geographical Factors
1. Availability of Water
Water is the most important factor for life. People prefer to live in areas where
fresh water is easily available because water is needed for drinking, cooking,
bathing, farming, industries, and transport. Therefore, river valleys are very
densely populated.
2. Landforms
People prefer to live on flat plains and gentle slopes because these areas are
suitable for agriculture, building roads, and industries. Mountains and hills are
less populated because transport is difficult and agriculture is not easy. For
example, the Ganga plains are densely populated while the Himalayas are
sparsely populated.
3. Climate
Extreme climates such as very hot deserts or very cold regions are
uncomfortable for human living. Areas with moderate climate attract more
people. Mediterranean regions have pleasant climate and were settled early in
history.
4. Soils
Fertile soils are important for agriculture. Areas with fertile loamy soils are
densely populated because they support agriculture. Areas with poor soils are
thinly populated.
II. Economic Factors
1. Minerals
Areas rich in minerals attract industries. Industries create jobs, so people move
there. Example: Katanga copper belt in Zambia (Africa).
2. Urbanisation
Cities provide jobs, education, hospitals, transport, communication, and better
lifestyle. So people move from villages to cities. This is called rural to urban
migration. Mega cities attract many migrants every year.
But city life also has problems such as pollution, traffic, crowding, and high cost
of living.
3. Industrialisation
Industrial areas provide many jobs not only in factories but also in transport,
banking, shops, hospitals, and schools. Therefore, industrial regions are densely
populated. Example: Kobe-Osaka region of Japan.
III. Social and Cultural Factors
Some places are densely populated because they have religious or cultural
importance. People also move away from places where there is social or political
unrest. Sometimes governments give incentives to people to move to less
populated areas.
Population Growth
Population growth means change in population over a period of time. It can be
positive or negative. It can be measured in numbers or percentage.
Population growth shows the level of development of an area.
Some Basic Concepts of Population Geography (Important Box)
Growth of Population
Change in population between two time periods.
Example: Population in 2001 = 102.70 crore
Population in 2011 = 121.02 crore
Growth = 18.15 crore
Growth Rate of Population
Population change expressed in percentage.
Natural Growth of Population
Natural Growth = Births – Deaths
Actual Growth of Population
Actual Growth = Births – Deaths + In Migration – Out Migration
Positive Growth
When birth rate is more than death rate or people migrate into a country.
Negative Growth
When death rate is more than birth rate or people migrate out of a country.
Components of Population Change
There are three components:
1. Births 2. Deaths 3. Migration
Crude Birth Rate (CBR)
Number of live births per 1000 people in a year.
Formula: CBR = (Births ÷ Population) × 1000
Crude Death Rate (CDR)
Number of deaths per 1000 people in a year.
Formula: CDR = (Deaths ÷ Population) × 1000
Death rate depends on:
Social development; Economic development ; Health facilities
Age structure
Migration
Migration means movement of people from one place to another.
Place of Origin = Place from where people move
Place of Destination = Place where people go
Migration can be:
Permanent
Temporary
Seasonal
Rural to rural
Rural to urban
Urban to urban
Urban to rural
Immigration : People coming into a country.
Emigration : People leaving a country.
A person who migrates is both an immigrant and an emigrant.
Push and Pull Factors
Push Factors
These are factors that force people to leave a place:
Unemployment
Poor living conditions
Political unrest
Natural disasters
Climate problems
Epidemics
Poverty
Pull Factors
These are factors that attract people to a place:
Better jobs
Better living conditions
Peace and stability
Security
Pleasant climate
Do You Know Box
Human population increased more than 10 times in the last 500 years.
In the 20th century alone, population increased four times.
Demographic Transition Theory
This theory explains how population changes over time as a country develops.
It shows that population changes from: High birth rate + High death rate → Low
birth rate + Low death rate
This happens in three stages. (Shown in diagram Fig 2.2)
Stage 1 – High Stationary
Stage
High birth rate
High death rate
Low population growth
People are mostly farmers
Low technology
Low literacy
Low life expectancy
Large families
This stage existed 200 years ago in all countries
Stage 2 – Expanding Stage
Birth rate high but slowly decreasing
Death rate decreases quickly
Population grows very fast
Improvement in medical facilities
Better sanitation
Better food supply
Stage 3 – Low Stationary Stage
Low birth rate
Low death rate
Population stable or grows slowly
High literacy
Urban population
High technology
Small family size
Today, different countries are in different stages.
Population Control Measures
Family planning means spacing or preventing the birth of children.
Population can be controlled by:
Family planning
Free contraceptives
Awareness programmes
Tax on large families
Women education
Thomas Malthus Theory
Thomas Malthus said that population increases faster than food supply. If
population increases too much, it will lead to famine, disease, and war. So
population must be controlled.