STUDY MATERIAL

Class-XII
GEOGRAPHY -B (India, People and Economy)
Teacher: Sir HM

Unit I

Chapter 1: Population: Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition

Page No: 1-13

Q1. Define population.

 Population is the number of people or inhabitants in a country or region.

Q.2 Explain the factors determining the population of India. Or

What are the reasons for uneven distribution of population in India?

 The uneven distribution of population in India is mainly attributed by the physical,

socio-economic and historical factors.
▪ Physical factors: Climate, terrain and availability of water largely
determines the pattern of population distribution.
▪ Socio-economic factors and historical factors: Evolution of settled
agriculture and agricultural development; pattern of human settlement;
development of transport network, industrialization and urbanization.

Q3. Define population density. How is it measured?

 Density of population is expressed as number of persons per square area. It is given
by the formula:
Number of person
𝐏opulation Density =
Area of land
Q4. Name the states/UT with the highest and lowest population density in India.
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  Highest- Delhi (UT)
 Lowest - Arunachal Pradesh (state)
Q.5. What do you mean by growth of population?
 Growth of population is the change in the number of people living in a particular
area between two points of time.

Q6. Differentiate between natural and induced growth.

 Natural growth: It is analysed by taking into account the crude birth rate and death
rate
 Induced growth: It is analysed by taking into account the volume of inward and
outward movement of people in any given area.
Q7. Differentiate between positive and negative growth of population.
 Positive growth - when population increased between two points of time - occurs
when birth rate is higher than death rate.
 Negative growth - decrease in population between two points of time- occurs when
birth rate is lower than death rate
Q7. Explain the phases of population growth in India.
OR
Write what you know about the demographic transition theory of India

 The growth rate of India’s population is mainly determined by annual birth rate,
death rate and rate of migration.
• There are 4 distinct phases of population growth in India.
• PHASE I: From 1901-1921, also referred to as period of stagnant or stationary phase
as the growth rate was very low. This is due to high birth rate and death rate, keeping
the rate of growth low.
• Poor health facilities and medical services, illiteracy of people and inefficient
distribution system of food are mainly responsible for high births and deaths.
• PHASE II: The period from 1921-1951 is known as period of steady population
growth.
• Improvement in health and sanitation decrease the mortality (death) rate.
• Improvement in transport and communication systems improved distribution systems.
• Birth rate remained high, thus leading to higher growth rate.
• PHASE III: The period from 1951-1981 is referred to as period of population
explosion, caused due to rapid fall in mortality rate and high fertility rate.
• After independence, developmental activities were introduced through a centralized
planning processes resulting in better economy and improving the living conditions of
the people.
• Increased international migration from Tibetans, Bangladeshis, Nepalese, Pakistanis
etc. contributed to high growth rate.
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 • PHASE IV: From 1981 till present, though the growth rate is high, there is gradual
decrease in population; due to decrease in crude birth rate.
• Decrease in crude death rate was affected because of increased in mean age marriage,
and improvement in quality of life particularly education of females.

Q8. What do you mean by population composition? Explain the different types of
population composition in India.
 Population composition refers to the physical, socio-cultural and economic attributes
of the population, such as age, sex, place of residence, language, religion, literacy etc.
Population Composition is a distinct field of study within population geography
with a vast coverage analysis of age and sex, place of residence, ethnic characteristics,
tribes, literacy and education, occupational characteristics, etc.
RURAL-URBAN COMPOSITION
▪ In India, about 68.8% of its total population lives in villages (2011).
▪ States like Bihar and Sikkim have very high percentage of rural
population. On the other hand, states like Goa and Maharashtra have
about half of their population in rural areas.
▪ The sizes of villages also vary considerably, for e.g. only about 200
persons in North-eastern India, Western Rajasthan and Ran of Kuchch
to as high as about 17,000 persons in states of Kerala, and parts of
Maharashtra.
▪ The concentration of rural population is regulated by degree of
urbanization and rural-urban migration.
LINGUISTIC COMPOSITION
▪ According to Grierson (Linguistic Survey of India, 1903-1928), there
were 179 languages and 544 dialects in the country.
▪ In modern India, there are 22 scheduled languages of which Sanskrit,
Bodo and Manipuri had the smallest language groups while Hindi have
the highest speakers.
▪ Table 1.2 (page 10) give detailed account of Modern Indian Languages.
RELIGIOUS COMPOSAITION
There are 5 religions in India, they are:
▪ HINDUS: major groups in many states (70-90%), not found only in
Indo-Bangladesh border, Indo-Pak border, Jammu and Kashmir, Hill
states of North-East and areas of Deccan Plateau and Ganga Plain
▪ MUSLIMS: Largest religious minority groups mainly concentrated in
Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal and Kerala, many districts of UP,
Delhi and Lakshadweep.
▪ CHRISTIANS: Western coast around Goa, Kerala, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Nagaland, Chotanagpur and Manipur.
▪ SIKHS: Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
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 ▪ JAINS and BUDDHISTS: Smallest religious groups; Jains are
concentrated in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra whereas Buddhists
are found in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh in Jammu and
Kashmir, Tripura and Lahul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh.
WORKING POPULATION
▪ Divided into three groups based on economic status: main workers
(works for at least 183 days in a year), marginal workers (works less
than 183 days in a year) and non-workers
▪ 39.8% are main workers and marginal workers whereas about 60% are
non-workers (2011).

Q.9. Differentiate between main workers and marginal workers

 Main worker - a person who works for at least 183 days in a year.
 Marginal workers- a person who works for less than 183 days in a year

Q10. Write what you know about the major Indian languages of India.
 India is a land of linguistic diversity. According to Grierson (Linguistic Survey of India,
1903-1928), there were 179 languages and as many as 544 dialects in the country.

• In the context of modern India, there are about 22 scheduled languages

and a number of non-scheduled languages. Among the scheduled languages, the
speakers of Hindi have the highest percentage (40.42). The smallest language groups
are Kashmiri and Sanskrit speakers (0.01 percent each).  Indian languages have
been grouped into four families as follows:

• Austric (Nishada): Meghalaya, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh

• Dravidian (Dravida): M.P., Karnataka, Kerala, Bihar
• Sino-Tibetian (Kirata): Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya.
• Indo-European (Aryan): Jammu & Kashmir, U.P., M.P., Goa.

Q11. Discuss the salient features of National Youth Policy by the Government of India.

 It was launched in 2003. It stresses the all-around development of youth and

adolescents.
 It enables them to shoulder responsibility for constructive development.
 It also aims at reinforcing the qualities of patriotism and responsible citizenship.
 Special emphasis is given to empowering women and girl's children to bring equality
and status.
 It also lays stress on the involvement of youth in the decision-making process.
 Under this policy, deliberate efforts were taken to improve health, sports, recreation,
creativity, technology and create innovations in all spheres of life.

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Q12. Define the term Positive Growth of Population.

 When the birth rate is more than the death rate between two points of time or when
people from other countries migrate permanently to a region, it gives rise to positive
growth of population.

Q13. Explain with examples any five factors that affect the population distribution in
India

 Five factors that affect population distribution in India are:

• The climate along with terrain and availability of water largely determines the
pattern of the population distribution. For example; The North Indian Plains,
deltas and Coastal Plains have a higher proportion of the population than the
interior districts of southern and central Indian States, the Himalayas, some of the
northeastern and the western states.
• Development of irrigation (Rajasthan), availability of mineral and energy
resources (Jharkhand).
• Development of transport network (Peninsular States) has resulted in moderate
to a high concentration of population in areas which were previously very thinly
populated.
• Evolution of settled agriculture and agricultural development: pattern of human
settlement; development of transport network, industrialization and urbanization.
• The urban regions of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad,
Chennai and Jaipur have a high concentration of population due to industrial
development and urbanization drawing a large number of rural-urban migrants.

Q14. What is population doubling time?

 Population doubling time is the time taken by any population to double itself at its
current annual growth rate.

Q15. What are the sources of population data in India? When was the first complete
data collection completed/conducted?

 The main source of data collection in India is Census data collected every 10 years. The
first complete data collection was conducted by the Census in 1881.

Q16. What are the two components of population growth?

 Natural and induced are the two components of population growth.