RASHME ADIL TEACHER O LEVEL PAKISTAN STUDIES (2059/0448) BMIB

POPULATION
IMPORTANT TERMS
 Population: The total number of inhabitants of an area.

 Overpopulation: It refers to an area where population exceeds resources.

 Birth Rate: The number of live births in a population.

 Crude birth rate: a specific measure to show the total number of live births per 1000
people in a particular year.

Crude Birth Rate = (Number of live births ÷ Total population) × 1000

 Death Rate: The number of deaths in a year.

 Crude death rate: the number of deaths per 1,000 people in the total population each year.

Crude Death Rate = (Total deaths ÷ Total population) × 1000

 Natural Increase: The difference between birth rate and death rate.

Natural Increase Rate = Birth Rate − Death Rate.

If the answer is positive, the population is increasing.
If the answer is negative, the population is decreasing, meaning it is experiencing a natural
decrease.

 Population Growth Rate: The annual increase in the total population.

 Infant Mortality Rate: The number of children who die before reaching 1 year of age,
per 1000 live births per year.

IMR: Number of infant deaths (under 1 year) ÷ total live births × 1000

Reasons for high population growth rate in Pakistan.

 Religious beliefs: Muslims believe that Allah gives rizq to everyone and there is no need
to limit family size.
 Strong desire for a son: They continue to have more children until they get a son, as they
are considered to be a strong support in old age.
 Early marriages: Marriages at an early age increase the fertility span.
 Child labor: Farming families prefer more children as they share work, so more children
mean more working hands.
 In migration: population increase due to sudden migration, for example, Afghan refugees.

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 Illiteracy: Lack of awareness of problems of high population, low living standards and
little knowledge of family planning.
 Tradition of large families: Some families prefer large families, considering it to be a
matter of prestige and strength.
 High infant mortality rate: Encourages large families which ensures the survival of some
children to become adults.
 Lack of family planning: Due to religious reasons, poverty and the unavailability of
contraceptives easily.

Role of education in controlling population growth

 It delays early marriages, reducing the fertility span.
 Educated people are more aware of family planning and the use of contraceptives, which
reduces unplanned births.
 Educated women are more career-oriented and have fewer children compared to
uneducated women.
 Education creates awareness of the benefits of small families and increases the living
standards of the people.

Ways to reduce the population growth rate in Pakistan.

 Family planning programs, e.g., green star clinics, Chabi ka Nishan, Sabz sitara.
 Ban on child labor and strict implementation of the law.
 Free contraceptives available in rural areas.
 Female education which will delay early marriages
 Upgrade rural set up by providing electricity and basic facilities which will improve
outlook of the local people.
 Improvement in health and medical centers to reduce infant mortality rate
 Religious support for birth control.

Effects of population growth on the economy and development of Pakistan.

Economy
 Shortage of money to buy food resulting in negative balance of payments.
 Need for foreign loans, increasing debts.
 Shortage of resources burdening the government for imports, resulting in negative balance
of payment.
Development
 Overpopulation leading to shortage of food, water, education and health services.
This will lead to increased loadshedding, unemployment, traffic congestion, slow industrial
development and pollution.

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Population Density
The density of population is the number of people per unit area which can be a square mile or
square kilometer.

Population distribution
Spread of people.

Factors affecting distribution and density of population:

The following factors shows the high and low density of population in Pakistan.
Physical / Natural Factors:
 Natural topography.
 Climate.
 Soil.
 Water supply.
 Natural Routes (natural harbors, pass)
Human Factors:
 Efficient transport system.
 Port facilities.
 Industrial areas.
 Trade and business centers.
 Tourism development.
Social Factors:
 Education and health facilities.
 Better accommodation facilities.
Political Factors:
 Favorable government policies.
 Development of new towns.

Causes of low density of population in Baluchistan.

 Balochistan's rugged landscape, mountains and deserts make large settlements and farming
difficult.
 Some areas are prone to earthquakes, making large-scale settlements and investments risky.
 Lack of water for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes
 Mountainous and rugged terrain makes construction of roads, railways, buildings etc.
expensive and difficult.
 Infertile, thin soil cover such as sandy soil that does not support commercial farming.
 Due to water shortages and poor soil conditions, farming is difficult, reducing food
production and livelihoods.
 Lack of education / health
 Lack of jobs due to limited industrial development.

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Causes of high density of population in Punjab and Sindh provinces.

 Provincial capitals
 Administrative offices
 Shopping centers
 Better education and health facilities
 Tourist attractions
 Industrial development
 Good communication system
 Good network of roads and railway
 Availability of jobs
 Better infrastructure facilities
 Trade centers and dry ports
 Recreational facilities.
 Flat areas, plain areas ideal for farming
 Good irrigation schemes, well developed canal irrigation system

Population Pyramid
It is a type of bar graph that illustrates the structure of population. It is the distribution of population
according to age and gender of a particular area at a particular time.

Life Expectancy
The average number of years a person is expected to live.

Distribution of Population by Age Composition

The age composition can be divided into three groups.

Age Group
0 to 14 young dependents
15 to 60 working population
60 above old dependents

Interpretation of population pyramid

 A wide/ broad base indicates high birth rate.
 A narrow base indicates low birth rate.
 A wide/ broad top suggests high life expectancy.
 A narrow top suggests low life expectancy.
 Compare male and female population, mentioning any visible change in the pattern and
statistics as shown on the pyramid.

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Purpose/ advantages of population pyramid

 Shows the distribution of population according to age and gender.
 It helps to analyze population growth and compare the age gender wise.
 It helps the government to design future developmental projects, such as more investment
in schools and nurseries if the birth rate is high, more policies and awareness campaigns
on family planning etc.

Q1. Study Fig 1, which is a population pyramid for Pakistan in 2014.

(a). Using the figure only, describe the population structure of Pakistan.
 large number of young dependents, 0 to 19, males are 10 million whereas females are 10.3
million.
 Small proportion of aging population, narrow top, showing low life expectancy.
 More females in older age groups as compared to males
 Young dependents have more male population.
 Economically active population has the biggest number.

(b). What are the benefits of having a small number of children?

 Less burden on services and education system
 Improved and better standard of life
 More availability of food and other resources.
 More job opportunities
 More quality time with children and families.

(c). What are the disadvantages of having a small number of children?

 Less working hands in future.
 May not have a son to carry the family name.
 Less children to look after parents in old age.

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DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION MODEL

It is a graph which show changes inn birth and death rate.
X axis represents time whereas Y axis is the increase or decrease in population.

It has four stages:

STAGE 1: High birth and death rate
STAGE 2: High birth rate and declining rate
STAGE 3: Falling birth rate and low death rate
STAGE 4: Low birth rate and low death rate.

Difference between Population Pyramid and Demographic Transition Model

 Population pyramid shows the distribution of population according to age and gender
whereas demographic transition model shows the birth rate and death rate of an area.
 Pyramid portrays a yearly analysis of the population distribution while demographic
transition shows the progression over a time period, the changes in birth and death rate.
 Demographic transition shows the trend of changes in the natural increase of the population
as the country develops whereas the pyramid is the age distribution according to gender.

Advantages of aging population

 Contributes to strengthen family and bonds, religious and cultural ties within families.
 Pension can be a support in family income.
 Source of being caretakers of grandchildren while parents are out at work.
 Better understanding of relationships and can share strategies for different situations, can
seek advice, source of moral and emotional support.

Disadvantages of aging population

 Increases dependency ratio.
 Increased pressure on health services.
 High cost of building old homes and providing facilities to the aged, need more attendants
to be looked after.
 Burden on taxpayers for collection of pensions.
 Chronic diseases and disability require extra attention and attendants.
 Difference of opinion due to generation gap.

EMPLOYMENT
 Employer: A person or a company that pays people to work for them.

 Employment: Work, especially when it is done to earn money.

 Self Employed: Working independently.

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 Under Employment: Refers to a situation where people are working, but their jobs do not
fully utilize their skills, education, or available working hours.

 Unemployment: the state of being unable to find a paid job.

 Disguised unemployment: greater number of people employed than actual requirement,

productively not engaged in any economic activity.

Occupations can be divided into three broad categories.

Primary Occupation:
It is related to all such occupations that extract raw material directly from the earth or sea, such as
fishing, farming, mining, forestry.

Secondary Occupation:
It includes occupation which process and manufacture the primary products. e.g. steel making,
shipping or furniture making and assembly industries.

Tertiary Occupation:
It comprises of occupations which provide services such as transport, banking, trade, insurance,
administration, health, education.

Reasons of high workforce in agriculture and other primary sector.

 Traditional/ inheritance from forefathers, carrying out their traditional skill.
 Subsistence farming, where most of the work is done manually.
 Large % of population lives in rural areas and farming is the main occupation
 Many industries are agro-based and therefore promote farming
 Large areas of Pakistan are suitable for farming with flat land and alluvial soils
 Lack of money for farm machinery
 Forests are an important source of fuel
 Pakistan has an agro-based economy and most of the people are employed in the sector to
feed the growing population.
 Lack of other jobs available due to high illiteracy in the country.
 Pakistan is rich in some minerals e.g. limestone, rock salt, fossil fuels, employing people
in the mining sector.
 Fishing employs many in coastal areas.

Reasons for the Growth of Employment in Tertiary Industries

 Increased standard of living due to awareness and improved literacy.

 Want higher wages and better working conditions so prefer to work in tertiary sector that
offer better incentives.
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 Rural-urban migration tends to mean a change from a primary occupation to a tertiary.

 Mechanization on farms, unemployment in rural areas and rural to urban migration/ skill-
based jobs.

Reasons for High Urban Unemployment.

 High ratio of illiteracy

 Lack of skills and training
 Unable to meet job requirements/ lack of qualification.
 Shortage of jobs
 IT in offices
 Machines in factories
 Family contacts.
 Growth of informal sector.

Causes of Unemployment in Pakistan.

 Mechanization in agriculture
 Revolution in information technology
 Rural urban migration
 Political instability
 Discrimination and corruption.
 Lack of skill and specialization.
 Introduction to mechanization and technology
 Factories reduce production due to unreliable electricity and gas supply.
 Fewer workers are needed in industries due to technological advancements.
 Many women are unable to work due to cultural and social restrictions.
 Skilled professionals move abroad for better opportunities, leading to a loss of talent in
Pakistan.
 The population is growing faster than the number of available jobs.
 Increased competition for limited employment opportunities.

Measures to Overcome Unemployment in Pakistan

 Provide technical education, training and skill facilities through vocational and training
centers.
 Establishment of cottage industries in rural areas
 Encourage new industries by providing incentives to investors.
 Provide loans and subsidies to farmers for better agricultural output.
 Develop agro-based industries to reduce rural unemployment.
 Establishment of heavy industries and invite foreign investors
 Offer financial support and training for young entrepreneurs.
 Establishment of export processing zones and dry ports

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 Create safe working environments and equal opportunities for women and facilitate them
by providing daycare facilities.
 Government schemes (Khushal Pakistan Programs)
 Explore more overseas employment opportunities.

Farm Jobs Done by Unpaid Family Workers

Sowing, harvesting, threshing, weeding, feeding animals etc.

Causes of underemployment in Pakistan?

 Increased mechanization on farms
 Seasonal employment in industries, cotton ginning mills, sugar industry etc
increased technology.
 Many educated women cannot find full-time jobs due to cultural restrictions.
 Cultural restraints especially for females
 More availability of part time jobs.
 Limited industrialization means fewer jobs in manufacturing and technology.

Migration
Movement of the people from one place to another is called migration.

Types of Migration:
There are three types of migration

Internal Migration:
Movement of the people within the country.
Common types include:
 Rural to Urban
 Rural to Rural
 Urban to Rural
 Urban to Urban

External / International Migration:

 The movement of the people from one country to another for settlement purposes.
 Emigration: The act of leaving a country.
 Immigration: The act of entering a country.

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Seasonal Migration:
The movement of the people within the country due to climatic changes. e.g., In winter season,
from northern areas to plain areas.

Push Factors:
 Unemployment due to mechanization.
 Lack of health and sanitation facilities.
 Lack of secondary and high education facilities.
 Natural disasters e.g. floods, droughts, earthquakes.
 Lack of basic facilities such as clean drinking water, electricity and natural gas supply etc.
 Lack of freedom of speech
 Racism and lack of cultural and religious freedom.
 Political instability and lack of security.
 Poverty and limited choices.

Pull Factors:
 More jobs, high wages and incentives.
 Better security
 Better education with more choices of schools, colleges and universities.
 Better quality of life with improved health, education and other facilities.
 Attractions of entertainment.
 Freedom of religion
 Improved facilities such as clean drinking water, regular food supply, gas and electricity
supply.

Problems Caused by Rural–Urban Migration in Pakistan

 Shortage of housing, leading to squatter settlements.

 Water and air pollution.
 Unemployment in urban areas.
 Traffic congestion.
 Spread of diseases.
 Basic services such as water supply, sanitation, electricity, healthcare, and education
become limited.
 Increase in crime rate and violence due to unemployment.
 Burden on resources increases e.g. Schools, power supplies, food, water, hospitals etc.
 Depopulation in rural areas.
 Language barrier
 Social disparity increases.

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CAUSES OF EMIGRATION
 Lack of jobs in Pakistan.
 For higher wages and better quality of life.
 To support family in Pakistan.
 Opportunities like construction in Middle East, unskilled to Malaysia and skilled to Canada
 To support family in Pakistan.
 For medical treatment and professional studies.
 Political instability, corruption, lack of security, religious freedom in Pakistan.

Advantages and disadvantages of emigration.

Advantages;
 Collection of remittance in the form of foreign exchange.
 Pressure reduced on the jobs within the country.
 Help to correct the balance of payment.
 Easy flow of information technology to the country.
 Rate of unemployment decreases.
 Strong cultural relations created.
 Investment in different projects increases.
Disadvantages
 Loss of educated people and skilled workers which slows pace of development and
economic activity in the area

SELF HELP SCHEMES

 A government sponsored scheme under which members of a community are encouraged
to better themselves.
 The members contribute their labor and materials while the government and NGO provides
infrastructure, equipment, land etc.

Advantages
 Help to reduce poverty by providing shelter to low-income families
 Helps to reduce poverty by providing jobs for plumbers, mechanics, labourers etc.
 It encourages the people to improve the living standards of the local area by improving/
providing proper sanitation and sewage facilities, building metaled pavements, covering
naked electricity wires etc.
 Diseases can be controlled by improving cleanliness of the area, by covering surface drains
managing garbage disposal etc.
 Check on crime rate as the local people guard their own area.
 Recreational facilities such as park and playgrounds can be built on empty land for healthy
environment.
 Water filtration plants can be set up in the area for easy access to clean water.

Disadvantages
 Construction material is expensive and result in delayed completion of work.
 Corruption or mishandling of funds is common in such projects.
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 More people are attracted such areas which increase migration to these areas, burdening
space and resources.
 Change of governments and political instability may result in delays leaving a negative
impact on such projects.
 No fixed timings to complete work which may extend the project.
 Exposure to dust and smoke till the work is in action.
 Examples of such project is Khuda ki basti in Karachi
-Purpose was to provide shelter to poor families.
-Target was not fully achieved yet it provided basic facilities such as sewerage and
electricity to almost 2800 families.

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