Chapter – Population

Q1: ‘Resources’, ‘calamities’ and ‘disasters’ are all meaningful only in

relation to human beings. Explain.
Ans:
1) Population is the pivotal element in social studies. It is the point of
reference from which all other elements are observed and from
which they derive significance and meaning.
2) The people are important to develop the economy and the society.
3) The people make and use resources and are themselves resources
with varying quality. Coal is but a piece of rock, until people were
able to invent technology to obtain it and make it ‘resource’.
4) Natural events, like a flood or a Tsunami, becomes a ‘disaster’ only
when they affect a crowded village or a town.

Q2: What is Census?

Ans:
1) A census is an official enumeration of population done periodically.
In India, the first census was held in the year 1872. The first
complete census, however, was taken in the year 1881. Since then,
censuses have been held regularly every tenth year.
2) The census of India provides us with information regarding the
population of our country.

Q3: What could be the reason of uneven distribution of population in

India?
Ans: Topography, Relief, Climate, Soil, Water and Socio-Economic factors
are the reasons for uneven distribution of population in India.

Q4: How is Population density calculated. State the population density of

India.
Ans:
1) Population density provides a better picture of the uneven
distribution. Population density is calculated as the number of
persons per unit area.
2) India is one of the most densely populated countries of the world.
3) In 2011 – Population density of India was 382 Persons per square
kilometre.
4) In 2024 - Population density of India is 488 Persons per square
kilometre.

Q5: Describe the 3 different population density regions of India.

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Ans:
1) Low Population density regions (below 250 persons per square
kilometre): The States with population densities below 250 persons
per square km. are low population density regions. Rugged terrain
and unfavourable climatic conditions are primarily responsible for
sparse population in these areas. Ex- Himanchal Pradesh,
Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Nagaland etc.
2) Moderate Population density regions (251-500 persons per square
kilometre): Assam and most of the Peninsular states have moderate
population densities. Hilly, dissected and rocky nature of the terrain,
moderate to low rainfall, shallow and less fertile soils have
influenced population densities in these areas. Ex- Gujarat,
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh etc.
3) High Population density regions (Greater than 500 persons per
square kilometre): The Northern plains and Kerala in the south have
high to very high population densities because of the flat plains with
fertile soils and abundant rainfall. Identify the three states of the
Northern Plains with high population densities. Ex- Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar, West Bengal etc.

Q6: What is Population Growth? How is growth in population expressed?

Ans: Growth of population refers to the change in the number of
inhabitants of a country/territory during a specific period of time, say
during the last 10 years. Such a change can be expressed in two ways:
1) Absolute Numbers: In terms of absolute numbers and in terms of
percentage change per year. The absolute numbers added each
year or decade is the magnitude of increase. It is obtained by simply
subtracting the earlier population (e.g. that of 2001) from the later
population (e.g. that of 2011). It is referred to as the absolute
increase.
2) Population Change per Year: The rate or the pace of population
increase is the other important aspect. It is studied in per cent per
annum, e.g. a rate of increase of 2 per cent per annum means that
in a given year, there was an increase of two persons for every 100
persons in the base population. This is referred to as the annual
growth rate.

Q7: What is the impact of low annual growth rate on countries having very
high population like India?
OR
Why is even low growth rate of Population considered not good for
India?

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Ans: India has a very large Population. So when a low annual rate is
applied to a very large population, it yields a large absolute increase.
When more than a billion people increase even at a lower rate, the total
number being added becomes very large. India’s annual increase in
population is large enough to neutralise efforts to conserve the resource
endowment and environment.

Q8: Discuss the major components of Population Change/Growth.

Ans: There are three main processes of change of population : birth rates,
death rates and migration.
The natural increase of population is the difference between birth rates
and death rates.
1) Birth rate is the number of live births per thousand persons in a year.
It is a major component of growth because in India, birth rates have
always been higher than death rates.
2) Death rate is the number of deaths per thousand persons in a year.
The main cause of the rate of growth of the Indian population has
been the rapid decline in death rates. Till 1980, high birth rates and
declining death rates led to a large difference between birth rates
and death rates resulting in higher rates of population growth. Since
1981, birth rates have also started declining gradually, resulting in a
gradual decline in the rate of population growth.
3) The third component of population growth is migration. Migration is
the movement of people across regions and territories. Migration
can be internal (within the country) or international (between the
countries). Internal migration does not change the size of the
population, but influences the distribution of population within the
nation. Migration plays a very significant role in changing the
composition and distribution of population.

Q9: How does Migration play an important role in Population Growth?

Explain the push and pull factors of Migration.
Ans: Migration is the movement of people across regions and territories.
Migration can be internal (within the country) or international (between the
countries).
1) Internal migration does not change the size of the population, but
influences the distribution of population within the nation.
2) Migration plays a very significant role in changing the composition
in terms of age sex composition, literacy rate, occupation structure
etc and distribution of population. .
3) In India, the rural-urban migration has resulted in a steady increase
in the percentage of population in cities and towns. The urban

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 population has increased from 17.29 per cent of the total population
in 1951 to 31.80 per cent in 2011.
4) There has been a significant increase in the number of ‘million plus
cities’ from 35 to 53 in just one decade, i.e., 2001 to 2011. In 2023
there were 59 million plus cities in India.
5) In India, most migrations have been from rural to urban areas
because of the “push” factor in rural areas. These are adverse
conditions of poverty and unemployment in the rural areas, hunger,
lack of opportunities for growth, lack of basic facilities, poor health
infrastructure, poor transportation in the rural areas etc.
6) The “pull” factors of the city in terms of increased employment
opportunities and better living conditions, higher wages, better
sanitation, better health infrastructure, good quality of life etc.

Q10: How is Migration a determinant of Population change?

Ans: Migration changes the demographics of a country.
1) Internal migration does not change the size of the population, but
influences the distribution of population within the nation.
2) Migration plays a very significant role in changing the composition
in terms of age sex composition, literacy rate, occupation structure
etc and distribution of population. .
3) In India, the rural-urban migration has resulted in a steady increase
in the percentage of population in cities and towns. The urban
population has increased from 17.29 per cent of the total population
in 1951 to 31.80 per cent in 2011.
4) There has been a significant increase in the number of ‘million plus
cities’ from 35 to 53 in just one decade, i.e., 2001 to 2011. In 2023
there were 59 million plus cities in India.

Q11: What were the changes observed in population growth till 1980 and
after 1980?
Ans: Till 1980, high birth rates and declining death rates led to a large
difference between birth rates and death rates resulting in higher rates of
population growth. Since 1981, birth rates have also started declining
gradually, due to greater awareness among people, better health
infrastructure, usage of birth control measures, resulting in a gradual
decline in the rate of population growth.

Q12: What is natural increase of Population?

Ans: The natural increase of the Population is difference between the Birth
Rate and Death Rate.

Q13: What are the significant features of Nation Population Policy 2000?

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Ans:
1) Recognising that the planning of families would improve individual
health and welfare, the Government of India initiated a
comprehensive Family Planning Programme in 1952.
2) The Family Welfare Programme has sought to promote responsible
and planned parenthood on a voluntary basis. The National
Population Policy (NPP) 2000 is a culmination of years of planned
efforts.
3) The NPP 2000 provides:
a. A policy framework for imparting free and compulsory school
education up to 14 years of age
b. Reducing infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1000 live births
c. Achieving universal immunisation of children against all
vaccine preventable diseases
d. Promoting delayed marriage for girls
e. Making family welfare a people-centred programme.

Q14: What are the significant features of Adolescent Population?

Ans: The most significant feature of the Indian population is the size of its
adolescent population.
1) It constitutes one-fifth of the total population of India.
2) Adolescents are, generally, grouped in the age group of 10 to 19
years.
3) They are the most important resource for the future.
4) Nutrition requirements of adolescents are higher than those of a
normal child or adult. Poor nutrition can lead to deficiency and
stunted growth.
5) In India, the diet available to adolescents is inadequate in all
nutrients. A large number of adolescent girls suffer from anaemia.
Their problems have so far not received adequate attention in the
process of development.
6) The adolescent girls have to be sensitised to the problems they
confront. Awareness among them can be improved through the
spread of literacy and education.

Q15: Why is Population a dynamic phenomena?

Ans: Population is a dynamic phenomenon. The numbers, distribution and
composition of the population are constantly changing. This is the
influence of the interaction of the three processes, namely — births,
deaths and migrations.

Q16: Why is the rate of Population Growth in India is declining since 1981?

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Ans: India’s population has been steadily increasing from 361 million in
1951 to 1210 million in 2011. From 1951 to 1981, the annual rate of
population growth was steadily increasing; which explains the rapid
increase in population from 361 million in 1951 to 683 million in 1981.
Since 1981, however, the rate of growth started declining gradually.
During this period, birth rates declined rapidly due to greater awareness
and usage of birth control measures. Still 182 million people were added
to the total population in the 1990s alone (an annual addition larger than
ever before).

Q17: What does the declining trend of Growth Rate express?

Ans: The declining trend of the growth rate is indeed a positive indicator
of the efforts of birth control. Despite that, the total additions to the
population base continue to grow, and India has overtaken China in 2023
to become the most populous country in the world.

Q18: Distinguish between Population Growth and Population Change.

Ans:
Population Growth:
1) It refers to the change in the number of inhabitants of a
country/territory during a specific period of time, say during the last
10 years. Such a change can be expressed in two ways: in terms of
absolute numbers and in terms of percentage change per year.
2) It is quantitative aspect.
3) It can be calculated by subtracting previous population from the
current population.
4) It leads to increase in number of people in the country.

Population Change:
1) It refers to the change in the age sex composition, literacy rate,
occupational structure etc. of Population of a country.
2) It is a qualitative aspect.
3) It is determined by observing and studying the age sex composition,
literacy rate, occupational structure etc. of Population of a country.
4) It may not result in addition of people in the country but can change
the population density of a region.