Growth of Population & Regional Variation Class 12 Geography Notes: Geography Class 12 Notes is an important subject in the Social Science curriculum that requires students to have a thorough understanding of the Population, Agriculture, and human activities.
Understanding these concepts well is crucial for students. These notes give a clear summary of the main topics, helping students understand the subject better.
Our Geography Notes for Class 12 help improve problem-solving skills and prepare for exams. With these notes, students can build a strong foundation in Geography and improve their problem-solving skills.
Growth of Population
Since the first Indian Census in 1871, India has seen a huge increase in population. Currently, India is the world’s second-most populous country with 1.21 billion people. This rapid growth was marked by fast urbanization and a decrease in the average age of the population, making India one of the world’s youngest nations.
The phases of population growth can be divided into four phases:
- 1901-1921: A phase of stagnant growth
- 1921-1951: A phase of steady growth
- 1951-1981: A phase of population explosion
- 1981-2011 (scheduled 2021 census was postponed due to the pandemic): A phase of stabilizing population growth
- Along with this population explosion and growth, there were significant variations in population growth across different regions.
- Northern states continued to experience rapid growth, while southern states like Goa, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, which rank high on the Human Development Index, controlled their population growth effectively.
- However, along with population growth came various challenges and issues, particularly concerning adolescents. These included the need for skill training for youth, providing nutritious food for infants, and creating employment opportunities for the growing youth population.
Phase (i) – 1901-1921
- The period from 1891 to 1921 marks the first phase of population growth in India. During this time, the population of the country increased from 23.6 crores in 1891 to 25.1 crores in 1921, a growth of just 0.19%.
- This phase is referred to as the “Stagnant Population” phase due to the slow and sluggish growth. One of the main reasons for this slow growth was the lack of health infrastructure and services.
- The birth rate was high at 47 births per 1000 population, but so were the death rates at 45 deaths per 1000 population.
- The British administration’s inadequate response to health issues, such as the plague in the 1890s and the Spanish flu in the 1920s, contributed to high death rates.
Phase (ii) – 1921-1951
The period from 1921 to 1951 is known as the “Steady Growth” period. During this phase, the population increased from 25.1 crores to 36.1 crores, a growth of 11 crores or a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 1.22%.
- This phase witnessed stable birth rates at 42 per 1000 population and a significant decrease in death rates from 45 per 1000 population to 27 per 1000 population.
- Improvement in health infrastructure and successful control of epidemics contributed to this decline in death rates.
- India entered the second stage of demographic transition during this phase, with high birth rates and decreasing death rates.
Phase (iii) – 1951-1981
The third phase, from 1951 to 1981, saw India’s population almost doubled from 36.1 crores to 68.3 crores, with a CAGR of 2.14%.
- This phase is known as the “Rapid High Growth” phase. Birth rates declined from 42 per 1000 population to 32 per 1000 population, while death rates fell from 27 per 1000 population to 15 per 1000 population.
- Government measures, family planning programs, and mass vaccination campaigns helped control casualties and reduce death rates.
- However, high birth rates led to a significant population explosion during this phase.
Phase (iv) – 1981-2011
The final phase of the demographic transition, from 1981 to 2011, saw falling birth rates and low death rates, leading to a stabilization of the population.
- However, due to higher birth rates than death rates, India’s population continued to grow from 68.3 crores to 121 crores.
- Birth rates decreased from 32 per 1000 to 22 per 1000, and death rates decreased to 7 per 1000 population.
- The growth of the Indian economy post the 1991 reforms contributed to these changes in population dynamics.
The growth rate of the population is, however, still high in the country, and it has been projected by the World Development Report that the population of India will reach 1,350 million by 2025.
Regional Variation in Population Growth
The population growth rate across Indian states and union territories during 1991-2001 shows a distinct pattern. States like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry, and Goa exhibited a low growth rate, not exceeding 20% over the decade.
- Kerala recorded the lowest growth rate (9.4%), not just within this group but also nationwide.
- A continuous belt of states from west to east in the northwest, north, and north-central parts of the country displayed relatively high growth rates compared to southern states.
- This belt includes Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, where the growth rate averaged 20-25%.
- During 2001-2011, almost all states and union territories recorded lower growth rates compared to the previous decade.
- The decadal growth rates of the six most populous states, namely Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, all decreased during 2001-2011, with the lowest decrease for Andhra Pradesh (3.5 percentage points) and the highest for Maharashtra (6.7 percentage points).
- Tamil Nadu (3.9 percentage points) and Puducherry (7.1 percentage points) saw some increase during 2001-2011 over the previous decade.
- An important aspect of India’s population growth is the rise in the adolescent population, comprising 20.9% of the total population in 2011, with male adolescents constituting 52.7% and female adolescents 47.3%.
- While adolescents are seen as having high potential, they are also vulnerable if not guided properly.
- Challenges such as early marriage, illiteracy (especially female illiteracy), school dropouts, inadequate nutrient intake, high maternal mortality among adolescent mothers, HIV/AIDS infections, physical and mental disabilities, substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, and crime must be addressed.
- To address these challenges, the Government of India has implemented policies to provide proper education and skills training to adolescents.
- The National Youth Policy (NYP–2014) aims to empower youth to achieve their full potential, while the National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (2015) seeks to align skilling activities with demand centres and standards.
- Overall, the population growth rate varies widely across space and time in India, highlighting various social problems associated with population growth.
- Understanding the social composition of the population is essential for gaining insight into population growth patterns.
Growth of Population & Regional Variation- FAQs
What factors contribute to the growth of India’s population?
The growth of India’s population can be attributed to factors such as high birth rates, declining death rates due to improved healthcare and sanitation, lack of awareness about family planning methods in certain regions, cultural and religious beliefs, and socio-economic factors.
How has the population growth rate varied over the years in India?
The population growth rate in India has experienced fluctuations over the years. While there have been periods of rapid growth, there have also been phases of relatively slower growth. Factors such as government policies, healthcare infrastructure, economic development, and social awareness have influenced these fluctuations.
What are the consequences of rapid population growth in India?
Rapid population growth in India has led to various socio-economic challenges, including increased pressure on resources such as food, water, and land, unemployment, poverty, inadequate infrastructure, environmental degradation, and strained public services such as healthcare and education.
How does population growth vary across different regions of India?
Population growth rates vary significantly across different regions of India. While some regions, particularly in the Hindi heartland and northern states, experience high population growth rates, others, such as southern states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, have lower growth rates. Factors such as fertility rates, mortality rates, migration patterns, and socio-economic development influence regional variations in population growth.
What measures can be taken to address the challenges posed by rapid population growth?
Addressing the challenges posed by rapid population growth requires a multi-faceted approach. This includes promoting family planning and reproductive health services, improving access to education and healthcare, creating employment opportunities, implementing sustainable development strategies, enhancing infrastructure, and raising awareness about the importance of population stabilization and sustainable living.