Class 9 Geography Chapter 6 Notes - Population

Introduction

The people of a country are central to both its economic and social development. People create, use and manage resources; therefore the population itself is an important resource whose qualities determine how other resources are transformed and utilised.

• Example: Coal remained a mere rock until people developed the technology to extract and use it, thereby converting it into a valuable resource.
• The population is a pivotal element in social studies because numbers, distribution, growth and characteristics of people form the basis for understanding all aspects of the environment and development.
• The number, distribution, growth and characteristics (such as age, sex, literacy, occupation and health) of a population provide essential background for planning and policy-making.
• Human beings are both producers and consumers of the earth's resources; hence knowledge of population is necessary for sustainable development.
• It is important to know how many people live in a country, where they live, how and why their numbers change, and what their characteristics are.

Three major aspects of the population are of primary concern:

• Population size and distribution: How many people are there and where are they located?
• Population growth and processes of population change: How has the population grown and changed through time (births, deaths, migration)?
• Characteristics of the population: What are their age and sex composition, literacy levels, occupational structure and health conditions?

Census: A census is an official enumeration of the population carried out at regular intervals. In India, the first census was held in 1872, while the first complete census was taken in the year 1881. Since then, censuses in India have generally been conducted every ten years. The census is the single most comprehensive source of demographic, social and economic data for the country.

Population Size and Distribution

India's Population Size and Key Numbers

• India's population (2011): 1,210.6 million (approximately 1.21 billion), which was over 17% of the world's population in 2011.
• Geographical area: India covers about 3.28 million square kilometres, roughly 2.4% of the world's land area.
• Most populous states: Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state, with about 199 million people (around 16% of India's population). Nearly half of India's population lives in five states: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.
• Least populous units: Sikkim has a population of about 0.6 million; Lakshadweep has a population of 64,429 (figures from the 2011 census).

Population Density

Population density is defined as the number of persons living per unit area, commonly per square kilometre. The formula is:

Density = Number of persons / Area in square kilometres

India is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The national population density in 2011 was 382 persons per sq. km. Densities differ widely across states; for example, Bihar had about 1,106 persons per sq. km in 2011 while Arunachal Pradesh had only about 17 persons per sq. km.

• Low density areas: Several states and union territories have low population density owing to difficult terrain, harsh climates or arid conditions. Examples include Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand (Uttaranchal), Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Rugged terrain, deserts, high mountains and unfavourable climatic conditions are among the main causes of sparse population in these areas.
• Moderate density areas: Much of the peninsular plateau and parts of the north-east have moderate population density. Rocky terrain, lower rainfall and less fertile soils influence the distribution here.
• High density areas: The Northern Plains, the coastal plains of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and other fertile plains show high to very high population densities because of flat terrain, fertile soils, abundant rainfall and favourable climate for agriculture and human settlement.

Population Growth and Processes of Population Change

The population is a dynamic phenomenon. Numbers, distribution and composition of the population change over time under the influence of three main processes: births, deaths and migration.

Population Growth

Population growth refers to the change in the number of inhabitants of a region over a specific period (for example, a decade or a year).

• Population growth may be measured as an absolute increase (the numeric increase over a period) or as a rate of increase (for example, annual growth rate expressed as a percentage).
• Absolute increase: calculated by subtracting the earlier population figure from the later figure. For example, India's population rose from about 361 million in 1951 to about 1,210 million in 2011.
• Annual growth rate: the percentage change in population per year. A 2% growth rate means an addition of two persons per 100 of the base population in one year.
• Historical trends: From 1951 to 1981 India experienced a steady increase in the annual rate of population growth; the population rose from 361 million to 683 million by 1981. Since the 1980s the growth rate has been gradually declining due to falling birth rates, though the absolute increase in population remained large during the 1990s (for example, an addition of about 182 million people during the 1990s).
• Current situation: Because India has a very large base population, even a modest annual growth rate leads to substantial absolute increases. As of 2023, India overtook China to become the most populous country in the world. Continued population growth places pressure on natural resources, infrastructure and the environment.

Processes of Population Change

Population change results from three processes. These are:

The natural increase in population is the difference between the number of births and the number of deaths in a year.

1. Birth Rate

The birth rate (or crude birth rate) is the number of live births occurring during a year per 1,000 population. It is commonly used to compare fertility levels across time and regions.

2. Death Rate

• The death rate (or crude death rate) is the number of deaths occurring during a year per 1,000 population.
• India's rapid increase in population during the twentieth century was mainly due to a fast decline in death rates, achieved through improvements in public health, sanitation, medical care and nutrition.
• Since about 1980 the birth rate has also shown a gradual decline, contributing to a slowing down in the rate of population growth.
• Reasons for declining birth rates: wider acceptance of family planning methods, increased literacy (especially female literacy), higher levels of education, better access to health services, rising standards of living, urbanisation, delayed marriage and a growing preference for smaller families (for example, adoption of a two-child norm in many urban areas).

3. Migration

Migration is the movement of people from one place to another, either within a country or across international borders.

• Migration may be internal (within the country) or international (between countries).
• In India, much migration has been from rural to urban areas. People leave villages because of push factors such as poverty, land scarcity, agricultural uncertainty and lack of employment; they move towards towns and cities because of pull factors like better job opportunities, higher wages, education, health facilities and improved living conditions.
• Migration affects both the size and the composition of populations in origin and destination regions. It changes the age and sex structure of urban and rural populations and contributes to urban growth.
• India's urban population increased from about 17.29% in 1951 to 31.80% in 2011. The number of cities with more than one million inhabitants rose from 35 in 2001 to 53 in 2011, reflecting rapid urbanisation during the early 21st century.

Adolescent Population

• One of the most important features of India's population is the large size of its adolescent cohort. Adolescents are usually defined as those in the age group of 10-19 years.
• Adolescents constitute about one-fifth (around 20%) of India's total population and represent an important human resource for the future.
• Nutrition requirements for adolescents are higher than for younger children or many adults because of rapid physical growth and the onset of reproductive maturity.
• Poor nutrition during adolescence can lead to deficiencies, stunted growth and long-term health consequences. A substantial number of adolescent girls suffer from anaemia.
• Policies and programmes for health, nutrition, education and skill development must pay special attention to adolescents to realise demographic dividends in the future.

National Population Policy and Family Planning

Recognising that planned families and maternal and child welfare contribute to national health and development, the Government of India launched a comprehensive Family Planning Programme in 1952. Over time this evolved into the broader Family Welfare Programme, which promotes responsible parenthood on a voluntary basis and integrates family planning with health and development services.

Major features of the National Population Policy (NPP) 2000

• The NPP provides a framework to promote free and compulsory education up to the age of 14 years, recognising that education-particularly of girls-reduces fertility and improves health.
• It aims to reduce infant mortality to below 30 per 1,000 live births and achieve universal immunisation of children against all vaccine-preventable diseases.
• The policy promotes delayed marriage for girls and encourages smaller family norms.
• It emphasises a people-centred approach to family welfare, integrating maternal and child health services, reproductive health, and contraceptive services with local health systems.

Conclusion

Understanding population dynamics - size, distribution, growth and characteristics - is essential for planning and policy-making. Population indicators influence resource use, health, education and employment policies. Effective population management through education, health care, family welfare and sustainable development policies is vital to improve quality of life and ensure long-term economic and environmental sustainability.

Difficult Words

1. Population dynamics - The study of how and why populations change in size and structure over time.
2. Socio-economic - Relating to or involving both social and economic factors.
3. Environmental context - The surrounding natural and human-made conditions that affect a system or process.
4. Population growth - Increase in the number of people in a population.
5. Distribution - How people are spread over an area.
6. Density - Number of people living per unit area (for example, per square kilometre).
7. Resource utilisation - The ways in which natural and human resources are used.
8. Policy-making - The process of devising rules, plans and actions by authorities to achieve public goals.
9. Population characteristics - Attributes of a population such as age, sex, education and health status.
10. Interdependence - Mutual reliance between two or more things.
11. Sustainable development - Economic growth and development that meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.