Summary
The World Population chapter covers how global population is distributed unevenly—90 per cent living in just 10 per cent of land—along with the geographical, economic, and social factors driving that distribution, the three components of population change (births, deaths, migration), and the three-stage demographic transition theory.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the world recorded over 6 billion people, unevenly distributed—90 per cent living in about 10 per cent of the land area. The 10 most populous countries account for about 60 per cent of world population, with 6 located in Asia. Population density (persons per sq km) is shaped by geographical factors (water availability, landforms, climate, soils), economic factors (minerals, urbanisation, industrialisation), and social-cultural factors such as religious significance or political unrest. Population change occurs through three components: births measured by the crude birth rate (CBR), deaths measured by the crude death rate (CDR), and migration driven by push and pull factors. Demographic transition theory describes how societies move from high birth and death rates to low rates across three stages as they urbanise and industrialise. Human population grew more than ten times in 500 years; in the twentieth century alone it increased four times.
Key points & formulas
- 0190 per cent of world population lives in about 10 per cent of the land area; the 10 most populous countries hold about 60 per cent of world population, with 6 of them located in Asia.
- 02Density of population = Population ÷ Area, measured in persons per sq km.
- 03Geographical factors influencing distribution: water availability (river valleys are densely populated), landforms (flat plains preferred over mountains; Ganga plains vs. Himalayas), climate (Mediterranean regions attracted early settlers; extreme climates repel people), and soil fertility.
- 04Economic factors: mineral deposits attract industries and workers (e.g., Katanga Zambia copper belt in Africa); urbanisation offers jobs, education, and medical facilities; industrialisation creates dense employment zones (e.g., Kobe-Osaka region in Japan).
- 05Three components of population change: births (CBR = B/P × 1000), deaths (CDR = D/P × 1000), and migration. Natural Growth = Births − Deaths; Actual Growth = Births − Deaths + In Migration − Out Migration.
- 06Migration is driven by push factors (unemployment, natural disasters, epidemics, political turmoil, socio-economic backwardness) and pull factors (better jobs, peace and stability, security of life and property, pleasant climate).
- 07Demographic transition has three stages: (1) high fertility and high mortality; (2) declining mortality with still-high but falling fertility, causing rapid net population addition; (3) low fertility and low mortality with stable or slow-growing population.
- 08Thomas Malthus (1798) warned that population would increase faster than food supply, leading to famine, disease, and war; he argued preventive checks are better than physical checks.
Frequently asked questions
01What is population distribution and how is the world population distributed?
Population distribution refers to the way people are spaced over the earth's surface. Broadly, 90 per cent of the world population lives in about 10 per cent of its land area, making global distribution highly uneven.
02How is density of population calculated?
Density of population = Population ÷ Area, expressed in persons per sq km. For example, a region of 100 sq km with 1,50,000 people has a density of 1,500 persons per sq km.
03What are the geographical factors that influence the distribution of population?
Four geographical factors: (i) water availability—river valleys are among the most densely populated areas; (ii) landforms—flat plains and gentle slopes are preferred, while mountains are sparsely settled (Ganga plains are dense, Himalayas are sparse); (iii) climate—extreme climates deter settlement while pleasant climates like the Mediterranean attracted people early; (iv) soil fertility—fertile loamy soils support intensive agriculture and denser populations.
04What economic factors affect population distribution?
Three economic factors: (i) mineral deposits attract industries and skilled workers—Katanga Zambia copper belt in Africa is an example; (ii) urbanisation draws people through better jobs, education, and civic amenities; (iii) industrialisation creates employment for factory workers and service providers—the Kobe-Osaka region of Japan is thickly populated due to its industries.
05What are push and pull factors of migration?
Push factors make the place of origin less attractive: unemployment, poor living conditions, political turmoil, unpleasant climate, natural disasters, epidemics, and socio-economic backwardness. Pull factors make the destination more attractive: better job opportunities, improved living conditions, peace and stability, security of life and property, and pleasant climate.
06What is the difference between natural growth and actual growth of population?
Natural Growth = Births − Deaths (ignores migration). Actual Growth = Births − Deaths + In Migration − Out Migration (accounts for all three components of change).
07What is crude birth rate (CBR) and how is it calculated?
CBR is the number of live births per thousand of population in a year. Formula: CBR = (B ÷ P) × 1000, where B = number of live births during the year and P = estimated mid-year population of the area.
08What is crude death rate (CDR) and what factors affect it?
CDR is the number of deaths per thousand of population in a particular year. Formula: CDR = (D ÷ P) × 1000. Mortality rates are affected by the region's demographic structure, social advancement, and levels of economic development.
09Explain the three stages of demographic transition.
Stage 1: High fertility and high mortality—people reproduce more to offset deaths due to epidemics and variable food supply; most are in agriculture; life expectancy is low. Stage 2: Fertility remains high initially but declines over time; mortality drops due to improvements in sanitation and health; the gap between the two causes rapid net population addition. Stage 3: Both fertility and mortality decline; population is stable or grows slowly; society is urbanised, literate, and deliberately controls family size.
10What did Thomas Malthus state about population growth?
In his 1798 theory, Malthus stated that the number of people would increase faster than the food supply, and any further increase would result in a population crash caused by famine, disease, and war. He argued that preventive checks are better than physical checks for sustainability of resources.
11What is demographic transition theory and what is the demographic cycle?
Demographic transition theory states that any region's population moves from high births and high deaths to low births and low deaths as society progresses from rural, agrarian, and illiterate to urban, industrial, and literate. The stages of this change are collectively called the demographic cycle.
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