Class 8 Geography Chapter 5 Notes - Human Resources

Human Resource

Human resources are regarded as the most vital asset of a nation. The benefits of nature become meaningful only when people use them. It is the people with their needs and skills that transform these into 'resources'. Therefore, human resources are the most important resource. Healthy, educated, and motivated individuals create resources according to their needs.

Characteristics of Human Resources:

• People who are healthy, educated, and motivated create resources based on their needs.
• They vary in education, age, and gender.
• Their numbers and traits are also constantly changing.

Population composition refers to the makeup of the population. Understanding these characteristics is important. A fascinating method to study a country's population structure is by examining the population pyramid, also known as an age-sex pyramid. This pyramid illustrates the total population divided into different age groups, such as 5 to 9 years and 10 to 14 years.

Impact on Development: The capacity of a nation to develop and effectively use its resources is closely connected to the quality and distribution of its human resources.

Distribution of Population

The way people are spread across the Earth's surface is called population distribution. Over 90 percent of the global population lives on about 30 percent of the land. This distribution is very uneven.

Most Populated Countries of the World 

• Population distribution is very uneven, with some areas having a lot of people and others very few.
• Crowded Areas: Regions like South and Southeast Asia, Europe, and northeastern North America have high population density.
• Sparsely Populated Areas: There are very few inhabitants in high-latitude regions, tropical deserts, high mountains, and equatorial forests.

• Population Density: More people live north of the Equator than south.
• The average population density worldwide is 51 persons per square km.
• Almost three-quarters of the global population resides in just two continents: Asia and Africa.
• South Central Asia has the highest population density, followed by East and Southeast Asia.
• Sixty percent of the world's population lives in only 10 countries, each with over 100 million people.

Overall, the distribution of population is shaped by various geographical and social factors, leading to large differences in population density across different regions of the world.

Density of Population

Population density refers to the number of people living in a specific area of the earth's surface, typically measured per square km. The global average population density is 51 persons per square km, while in India, it stands at 382 persons per square km. The region with the highest population density is South-Central Asia, followed by East and South East Asia.

Key Points

• Population density is the number of people in a unit area.
• Expressed as people per square km.
• Global average: 51 persons per square km.
• India's average: 382 persons per square km.
• Highest density in South-Central Asia.
• Followed by East and South East Asia.

Factors Affecting Distribution of Population

1. Geographical Factors

• Topography: People tend to settle in plains rather than mountains and plateaus because these regions are better for farming, manufacturing, and services.
  (i) The Ganga plains are among the world's most densely populated regions.
  (ii) The Andes, Alps, and Himalayas are less populated.
• Climate: Extreme climates, such as the heat of the Sahara Desert or the cold of polar areas like Russia, Canada, and Antarctica, are usually avoided.
• Soil: Fertile soils are essential for agriculture. Examples include the densely populated fertile plains like the Ganga and Brahmaputra in India, Hwang-He and Chang Jiang in China, and the Nile in Egypt.
• Water: Access to freshwater is crucial. River valleys have high populations, while deserts are sparsely populated.
• Minerals: Regions with mineral resources tend to attract more residents. For instance, diamond mines in South Africa and oil discoveries in the Middle East draw people to these areas.

2. Social, Cultural, and Economic Factors

• Social: Places with good housing, education, and healthcare facilities are more populated. Pune is an example known for its educational and healthcare services.
• Cultural: Locations with religious or cultural importance attract residents, such as Varanasi, Jerusalem, and Vatican City.
• Economic: Industrial regions offer job opportunities, drawing large numbers of people. Examples include Osaka in Japan and Mumbai in India.

Population Change

Population change means the shifts in the number of people over time, affected by birth rates, death rates, and migration.

Historical Trends:

Balance of Population

• Until the 1800s, population growth was slow because of high birth and death rates, poor healthcare, and insufficient food supplies.
• In 1804, the world population hit 1 billion. By 1959, it grew to 3 billion, showing rapid growth due to a significant drop in death rates while birth rates stayed high. By 1999, the population doubled again to 6 billion, mainly because better food and healthcare reduced death rates.
• By 2011, the global population reached 7 billion.

Key Measurements:

• Birth Rate: Number of live births for every 1,000 people.
• Death Rate: Number of deaths for every 1,000 people.
• Natural Growth Rate: The difference between the birth and death rates.

Migration:

• Migration also influences population size, as people can move within or between countries.
• Countries like the USA and Australia have seen population growth due to immigration, while Sudan has faced declines due to emigration.

Migration Patterns:

• International migration usually happens from less developed to more developed countries in search of better opportunities, driven by factors like economic chances, political unrest, and environmental changes.
• Internal migration often involves people relocating from rural areas to cities for better jobs, education, and healthcare.
• Countries like Kenya experience high population growth due to both high birth rates and reduced death rates.

Patterns of Population Change

• The speed of population growth differs around the globe. While the total population is increasing quickly, not every country is seeing this growth.

Fig. 5.5: World: Differing rates of population growth 

• Kenya experiences a high population growth rate, marked by both high birth and death rates. Although healthcare has improved and death rates have dropped, birth rates remain high, resulting in significant growth. In contrast, countries like the United Kingdom see slower growth due to low death and birth rates.

Significant Changes Over Time

• The world population has seen considerable changes, notably doubling to 6 billion in 1999.
• This increase has been driven by various factors, such as improvements in healthcare, which have lowered death rates worldwide while birth rates stay high in many developing nations.

Population Composition

• Population Composition Economic development has little to do with how crowded a place is. Bangladesh and Japan-densely populated. But, Japan is more economically developed than Bangladesh. 
• People vary in age, sex, literacy level, health condition, occupation and income level. Population composition refers to the structure of the population. 
• The composition of the population helps to know- the number of males or females, age group they belong to, how educated they are and what type of occupations they are employed in, what their income levels and health conditions are. 
• People can study the population composition of a country by looking at the population pyramid or the age-sex pyramid
  
  

Population Pyramid

A population pyramid, also known as an age-sex pyramid, is a visual tool that represents a country's population divided into different age groups, such as 5 to 9 years and 10 to 14 years. It shows the percentage of the total population, split into males and females, for each group.

The shape of the population pyramid reveals important information about the people living in a specific country. The bottom of the pyramid indicates the number of children (under 15 years), which reflects the birth rate. 

The top section represents the elderly population (over 65 years) and reveals death rates. The population pyramid helps to identify the number of dependents in a country, which can be split into two categories:

Categories of Dependents

Population Pyramid

• Young dependents: aged below 15 years
• Elderly dependents: aged over 65 years

Population pyramid of Kenya

A country with both high birth and death rates will have a pyramid that is wide at the base and quickly narrows at the top. This indicates that while many children are born, a significant number die young, leading to fewer adults and very few elderly people. This pattern is seen in the pyramid for Kenya.

Population Pyramid of India

In countries where death rates, especially among the very young, are falling, the pyramid is wider in the younger age groups because more infants survive to grow up. Such populations have a larger number of young people, which leads to a strong and growing labour force. Skilled and optimistic young individuals are crucial for any nation's future.

In India, we are fortunate to have such a valuable resource, and it is essential to educate and equip them with skills and opportunities to become capable and productive.

Population Pyramid of Japan

In countries like Japan, low birth rates result in a pyramid that is narrow at the base. However, lower death rates allow more people to live to an old age.