Chapter – 2

The World Population: Distribution, Density and Growth

In this post we have given the detailed notes of class 12 Geography Book 1 Chapter 2 (The World Population: Distribution, Density and Growth) in English. These notes are useful for the students who are going to appear in class 12 board exams.

Chapter 2: The World Population – Distribution, Density and Growth

Introduction

• The people of a country are its real wealth.  
• They are the actual resources, utilize the country’s other resources, and shape its policies.  
• Understanding a country’s population, including demographics like births, deaths, and distribution, is crucial.  
• The world’s population is unevenly distributed.  

Patterns of Population Distribution

• Uneven Distribution: George B. Cressey’s observation about Asia’s population, with areas of both sparsity and high density, applies globally.  
• Concentration: 90% of the world’s population resides in about 10% of the land area.  
• Dominance of Populous Countries: The 10 most populous countries account for approximately 60% of the global population, with 6 of them located in Asia.  

Density of Population

• Definition: Population density is the ratio of the number of people to the size of the land they occupy.  
• Measurement: Typically expressed in persons per square kilometer (persons/sq km).  
• Formula: Density of Population = Population / Area  
• Example: If Region X has an area of 100 sq km and a population of 150,000 people, its population density would be 1,500 persons/sq km.  

Factors Influencing the Distribution of Population

1. Geographical Factors

• Availability of water: Water is essential for life, so people tend to settle near easily accessible freshwater sources like rivers and lakes.  
• Landforms: Flat plains and gentle slopes are preferred for human habitation and agriculture, while mountainous and hilly areas are less populated due to challenges in development and transportation.  
• Climate: Regions with comfortable climates and minimal seasonal variations attract more people, while extreme climates like hot or cold deserts and areas with heavy rainfall are less favorable.  
• Soils: Fertile soils, such as loamy soils, are crucial for agriculture and related activities, making them more densely populated. 

2. Economic Factors

• Minerals: Mineral-rich areas attract industries, creating employment opportunities and drawing skilled and semi-skilled workers, leading to higher population densities.  
• Urbanization: Cities offer better economic prospects, education, healthcare, transportation, and communication, leading to rural-urban migration and urban growth.  
• Industrialization: Industrial belts create diverse employment opportunities, attracting factory workers, transport operators, shopkeepers, and various service providers, increasing population density.  

3. Social and Cultural Factors

• Religious and Cultural Significance: Places with religious or cultural importance attract more people.  
• Social and Political Unrest: People tend to avoid areas experiencing social and political instability.  
• Government Policies: Governments may incentivize people to settle in sparsely populated areas or relocate from overcrowded regions.  

Population Growth

• Definition: Population growth, or population change, is the change in the number of inhabitants in a specific area over a particular period.  
• Measurement: Can be expressed as an absolute number or a percentage.  
• Significance: Population change reflects economic development, social progress, and historical and cultural context.  

Components of Population Change

• Births: The crude birth rate (CBR) measures the number of live births per 1,000 people in a year.  
• Deaths: The crude death rate (CDR) measures the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a year.  
• Migration: The movement of people from one place (place of origin) to another (place of destination), impacting population numbers in both locations.  

Migration

• Types: Can be permanent, temporary, or seasonal, and can occur between rural and urban areas.  
• Push Factors: Negative conditions in the place of origin that drive people to leave, such as unemployment, poverty, conflict, or natural disasters.  
• Pull Factors: Attractive conditions in the place of destination that encourage people to move there, such as better job opportunities, living conditions, or stability.  

Demographic Transition

• Definition: The Demographic Transition Theory is a model used to describe and predict population changes in a region over time.  
• Stages: The theory outlines three stages of population change:
  • Stage 1 (High Stationary): Characterized by high birth rates and high death rates, resulting in slow population growth. This stage is typical of pre-industrial societies.  
  • Stage 2 (Early Expanding): Birth rates remain high, but death rates decline due to improvements in sanitation, healthcare, and food supply. This leads to rapid population growth.  
  • Stage 3 (Late Expanding): Both birth rates and death rates decline, leading to slower population growth. This stage is associated with industrialized societies.  

Population Control Measures

• Family Planning: Involves controlling the number and spacing of children through various methods, including contraception and education.  
• Government Initiatives: Governments may implement policies to promote family planning, such as public awareness campaigns, access to contraceptives, and economic incentives.  
• Thomas Malthus’s Theory: Proposed in 1798, this theory suggests that population growth will outpace food production, leading to checks on population such as famine, disease, and war.  

Important Concepts and Terms

• Growth of Population: The change in population in a particular area between two points in time.  
• Growth Rate of Population: The percentage change in population over a specific period.  
• Natural Growth of Population: The population increase due to the difference between births and deaths in a region over time.  
• Actual Growth of Population: Takes into account births, deaths, and migration.  
• Positive Growth of Population: Occurs when birth rates exceed death rates or when there is net in-migration.  
• Negative Growth of Population: Occurs when death rates exceed birth rates or when there is net out-migration.  
• Immigration: The movement of people into a new place.  
• Emigration: The movement of people out of a place.  
• Life Expectancy: The average number of years a person is expected to live.  

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