Chapter 1 Class 12 Geography Notes: Class 12 Geography notes for Chapter 1 on Population: Distribution, Density, Growth, and Composition are important for CBSE board exams. These notes explain things like where people live, how crowded an area is, how populations grow, and what makes up a population. Studying these notes will help students understand these topics well and do well in their Geography exams.
The Human Geography notes cover all the necessary topics that are extremely important for the examination 2024. It can save you time and will positively affect your results.
Distribution of Population
Population distribution means how many people live in different places. In India, where people live is not the same everywhere. Some places have a lot of people, while others have only a few. We can divide the states into three groups based on how many people live there:
- States with a lot of people: These include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh. These states have most of the people in India, about 76% of them.
- States with a medium number of people: This group includes Assam, Haryana, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, and Goa. These states have a moderate number of people compared to the first group.
- States with few people: These are usually places with hills or where tribal communities live. Examples are Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, all the Northeastern states (except Assam), and Union Territories except Delhi.
Density of Population
Population density is a measure of how many people live in a certain area. In India, according to the 2011 census, there were 382 people living in every square kilometer of land. Over the past 50 years, the population density has increased by around 260 people per square kilometer, going from 117 people per square kilometer in 1951 to 382 people per square kilometer in 2011.
Growth of Population
Population change refers to the difference in the number of people living in a specific area between two different points in time. This change is usually expressed as a percentage.
There are two main components to population change:
- Natural growth: This is analyzed using the crude birth rate and crude death rate. The crude birth rate tells us how many babies are born per 1000 people in a population, while the crude death rate indicates the number of deaths per 1000 people.
- Induced growth: This is calculated by considering immigration (people moving into the area) and outmigration (people moving out of the area).
For example, if a population has an annual growth rate of 2.4%, it means that the population increases by 2.4% each year. In 36 years, the population will double because it will have grown by 2.4% each year for 36 years.
Stages of Population Growth
Phase I (1901-1921): During this period, India experienced a stagnant phase in population growth. The growth rate was very low, and at times, even negative. High birth and death rates, driven by poor health services, widespread illiteracy, and inefficient food distribution systems, kept the population increase minimal.
Phase II (1921-1951): From 1921 to 1951, India witnessed steady population growth. Improvements in health and sanitation, alongside better transportation and communication, led to a decline in mortality rates. Despite challenges like the Great Depression and World War II, the birth rate remained high, resulting in increased growth compared to the previous phase.
Phase III (1951-1981): This period saw a population explosion due to a significant drop in mortality rates and sustained high fertility rates. Development initiatives after Independence improved living conditions. International migration, including from Tibet, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan, contributed to rapid growth.
Phase IV (Post-1981 till present): Since 1981, India’s population growth has been gradually slowing. Factors like delayed marriages and improved education, especially for women, have led to a decline in birth rates. Despite this, population growth remains high, with projections estimating India’s population to reach 1,350 million by 2025.
Regional Variation in Population Growth
The growth rate of the population during the period of 1991-2001 in Indian States and Union Territories follows a distinct pattern.
States such as Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry, and Goa exhibit a low growth rate, not surpassing 20 percent over the decade. Kerala, in particular, records the lowest growth rate (9.4), not only within this group but also across the entire country.
In contrast, a continuous belt of states from west to east in the north-west, north, and north-central parts of the country demonstrates a relatively higher growth rate compared to the southern states. This belt, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, maintains an average growth rate of 20-25 percent.
During the subsequent decade (2001-2011), the growth rates of almost all states and Union Territories decline compared to the previous decade. The six most populous states experience a reduction in growth rates, with Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh all registering decreases during 2001-2011 compared to 1991-2001.
However, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry witness slight increases during 2001-2011 over the previous decade.
An essential aspect of population growth in India is the growth of adolescents. Currently, adolescents, up to the age group of 10-19 years, comprise about 20.9 percent of the population, with male adolescents constituting 52.7 percent and female adolescents constituting 47.3 percent. While adolescents are seen as having high potential, they are also vulnerable if not guided and channeled properly.
Challenges related to adolescents include lower age at marriage, illiteracy (particularly female illiteracy), school dropouts, inadequate nutrient intake, high rates of maternal mortality among adolescent mothers, HIV and AIDS infections, physical and mental disabilities, drug abuse and alcoholism, juvenile delinquency, and crime.
In response to these challenges, the Government of India has implemented various policies aimed at providing proper education and guidance to adolescents. The National Youth Policy, launched in February 2014, aims to empower the youth of India to achieve their full potential. The National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, formulated in 2015, seeks to provide a framework for skilling activities and align them with common standards.
Overall, the discussion highlights the wide variation in population growth rates across space and time in India, along with various social problems associated with population growth. Understanding the social composition of the population is crucial for gaining insight into population growth patterns.
Population Composition
This is an in-depth examination of various demographic aspects in population geography, including age and sex distribution, place of residence, ethnic characteristics, tribal affiliations, language diversity, religious composition, marital status, literacy rates, educational attainment, and occupational profiles.
Rural Population in Indian States
Rural population distribution varies across Indian states as follows:
States with a High Proportion of Rural Population include Himachal Pradesh (89.97%), Bihar (88.71%), Assam (85.90%), and Odisha (83.31%).
States with a Moderate Proportion of Rural Population comprise Meghalaya (79.93%), Uttar Pradesh (77.73%), Arunachal Pradesh (77.06%), Chhattisgarh (76.76%), and Jharkhand (75.95%).
States with a Low Proportion of Rural Population are Goa (37.83%), Mizoram (47.89%), Tamil Nadu (51.60%), and Kerala (52.30%).
Union Territories with very low rural population proportions include Delhi (2.50%) and Chandigarh (2.75%).
Areas with a High Degree of Urbanization
States: Goa (62.17%), Mizoram (52.11%), Tamil Nadu (48.40%), Kerala (47.70%).
Union Territories: Delhi (97.50%), Chandigarh (97.25%), Lakshadweep (78.07%).
Areas with a Low Degree of Urbanization
States: Himachal Pradesh (10.03%), Bihar (11.29%), Assam (14.10%), Odisha (16.69%), Meghalaya (20.07%).
Linguistic Composition
India boasts remarkable linguistic diversity. According to Grierson’s Linguistic Survey of India (1903-1928), the country had 179 languages and a staggering 544 dialects. However, the linguistic landscape has evolved over time, resulting in the recognition of 22 scheduled languages alongside numerous non-scheduled ones.
Linguistic Classification
The speakers of major Indian languages can be classified into four language families, each with its sub-families and branches or groups:
- Austric (Nishada – 1.38%)
- Dravidian (Dravida – 20%)
- Sino-Tibetan (Kirata – 0.85%)
- Indo-European (Aryan – 73%)
Religious Composition
- Hindus: Hindus are distributed across all states except those along the Indo-Pak border, Jammu and Kashmir, and the Northeastern states.
- Muslims: Muslims are concentrated in Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.
- Christians: The Christian population is concentrated along the western coast and in the Northeastern states.
- Sikhs: Sikhs are concentrated in Northwest India.
- Jains and Buddhists: Jains and Buddhists are concentrated in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
- Tribes: Tribal populations are located mainly in the Northeastern states.
- Religious Composition: Hindus make up 80.5%, Muslims 13.55%, Christians 2.3%, Sikhs 1.9%, Buddhists 0.95%, Jains 0.45%, and others 0.6% of the total population.
- Composition of Working Population: The working population is divided into main workers (who work more than 183 days) and marginal workers (who work less than 183 days). About 39% of the population are workers, while 61% are non-workers, indicating a large percentage of the dependent population and a significant number of unemployed individuals.
- Working Population Distribution: In Goa, 25% of the population is part of the working population, while in Mizoram, it’s 53%, indicating variations in employment rates across states.
Composition of Working Population
The proportion of the working population to the total population is known as the work participation rate. In India, the population is classified into three economic groups:
- Main Workers: These individuals work for at least 183 days in a year.
- Marginal Workers: These individuals work for fewer than 183 days in a year.
- Non-Workers: These individuals do not work and rely on the working class for their livelihood.
According to the 2011 census, it is observed that the combined proportion of main workers and marginal workers is only 39.8% of the total population, leaving a significant majority of about 60% classified as non-workers.
Occupational categories
The 2011 census categorizes the working population of India into four main groups:
- Cultivators
- Agricultural laborers – comprising 54.6% of the working population
- Household laborers – accounting for 3.8% of the working population
- Other workers – making up 41.6% of the working population
Population : Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition – FAQs
How does population density differ from population distribution?
Population distribution refers to how people are spread across a certain area, while population density measures the number of people living in a specific area per unit of space, usually per square kilometer.
What factors influence the distribution of population in different regions?
Factors influencing population distribution include physical geography (such as climate, terrain, and natural resources), economic opportunities, social and cultural factors, government policies, and historical events.
Explain the concept of population growth rate and its significance.
Population growth rate refers to the rate at which the population of a particular area increases or decreases over a specified period, usually expressed as a percentage. It is significant because it helps policymakers understand population dynamics and plan for future resource allocation and development.
What are the stages of population growth according to demographic transition theory?
The stages of demographic transition theory include the pre-industrial stage (high birth and death rates), transitional stage (high birth rates but declining death rates), industrial stage (declining birth and death rates), and post-industrial stage (low birth and death rates).