CBSE
Notes Class 9 Geography Chapter 6 – Population
In this chapter, you will find the answers of mainly 3 questions:
- 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?
- Characteristics
or qualities of the population: What are their age, sex composition,
literacy levels, occupational structure and health conditions?
Population Size and Distribution
India’s Population Size and Distribution by Numbers
- As
of March 2011, India’s population was 1,210.6 million, which accounts for
17.5% of the world’s population.
- Uttar
Pradesh is the most populous state of India, as it counts about 16% of the
country’s population.
- Almost
half of India’s population lives in just five states which are Uttar
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.
India’s Population Distribution by Density
Population Density is calculated as the number of persons
per unit area. The population density of India in the year 2011 was 382 persons
per sq km. That’s why India is considered one of the most densely populated
countries in the world.
Population Growth and Processes of Population Change
The numbers, distribution and composition of the population
are constantly changing. This is the influence of the interaction of the three
processes:
- Birth
- Death
- Migration
Population Growth
Growth of population refers to the change in the number of
inhabitants of a country/territory during a specific period of time. This
change can be expressed in 2 ways:
- In
terms of absolute numbers: The absolute numbers are obtained by
subtracting the earlier population (e.g. that of 2001) from the later
population (e.g. that of 2011).
- In
terms of percentage change per year: It is studied in percent 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.
Processes of Population Change/Growth
Three main processes of change of population are:
1) Birth rates: The birth rate is the number of
live births per thousand persons in a year. In India, birth rates have always
been higher than death rates.
2) Death rates: The death rate is the number of
deaths per thousand persons in a year.
3) Migration: Migration is the movement of
people across regions and territories. Migration can be internal (within the
country) or international (between the countries). It influences the
distribution of the population within the nation. In India, rural-urban migration
has resulted in a steady increase in the percentage of the population in cities
and towns.
The age composition of a population refers to the number of
people in different age groups in a country. The population of a nation is
grouped into 3 broad categories:
1) Children (generally below 15 years): They are
economically unproductive and need to be provided with food, clothing,
education and medical care.
2) Working Age (15–59 years): They are
economically productive and biologically reproductive. They comprise the
working population.
3) Aged (Above 59 years): They may be working
voluntarily, but they are not available for employment through recruitment.
It is defined as the number of females per 1000 males in the
population. Sex Ratio is an important social indicator to measure the extent of
equality between males and females in a society at a given time.
According to the Census 2011, a person aged 7 years and
above, who can read and write with understanding in any language, is treated as
literate. India’s literacy rate is 73%, as per the census of 2011.
The distribution of the population according to different
types of occupation is referred to as the occupational structure. Occupations
are classified as:
- Primary: Primary
activities include agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, fishing,
mining and quarrying, etc
- Secondary: Secondary
activities include the manufacturing industry, building and construction
work, etc.
- Tertiary: Tertiary
activities include transport, communications, commerce, administration and
other services.
Health
Health is an important component of population composition,
which affects the process of development. The substantial improvement in Public
Health in our country is the result of many factors, such as:
- Prevention
of infectious diseases
- Application
of modern medical practices in the diagnosis and treatment of ailments
Adolescent Population
Adolescents are grouped in the age group of 10 to 19 years.
They are the most important resource for the future. It constitutes one-fifth
of the total population of India. The nutrition requirements of adolescents are
higher than those of a normal child or adult.
National Population Policy
The National Population Policy (NPP) 2000 provides a policy
framework for imparting free and compulsory school education up to 14 years of
age. It also helps in
- reducing
infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1000 live births
- Achieving
universal immunisation of children against all vaccine-preventable
diseases
- Promoting
delayed marriage for girls and making family welfare a people-centred
programme
NPP 2000 also put emphasis on other important needs of
adolescents, including protection from unwanted pregnancies and sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs). It aims to encourage:
- Delayed
marriage and child-bearing
- Education
of adolescents about the risks of unprotected sex
- Making
contraceptive services accessible and affordable
- Providing
food supplements
- Nutritional
services
- Strengthening
legal measures to prevent child marriage
