Introduction:

Have you ever wondered about a world without people? Well, humans are the superheroes who make resources useful and create our social world. Dive into the exciting universe of population dynamics using India’s census -it’s like uncovering the hidden story of our country! Ready for this exploration?

Let’s first focus on three key questions about population:

1. Population Size and Distribution: How many people are there, and where are they located?
2. Population Growth and Processes of Change: How has the population grown and changed over time?
3. Characteristics of the Population: What are their age, sex composition, literacy levels, occupational structure, and health conditions?

Population Size and Distribution:

• India’s population, as of March 2011, was 1,210.6 million, making up 17.5% of the world’s population.
• Unevenly spread across 3.28 million sq km, India’s land area is 2.4% of the world’s.
• Uttar Pradesh, with 199 million people, is the most populous state, contributing 16% to India’s total.

Population Density:

• Population density is the number of people per unit area, with India being densely populated.
• In 2011, India’s density was 382 persons per sq km, ranging from 1,102 persons in Bihar to 17 in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Factors like terrain, climate, and rainfall influence population density.

Less Populated:

• Arunachal Pradesh: 1,383,727 people.
• Sikkim: 610,577.
• Lakshadweep: Only 64,473 people.

Moderately Populated:

• Assam and most of the Peninsular states: Moderate population densities.

Densely Populated:

• Northern Plains and Kerala: High to very high population densities.
• States with population densities below 250 persons per square km (excluding those mentioned in “Less Populated”).

Most Populated (Top Five States):

1. Uttar Pradesh: 199.5 million people.
2. Maharashtra: 112 million
3. Bihar: 10.41 million
4. West Bengal: 9.13 million
5. Andhra Pradesh: 84.5 milllion.

Understanding Population Growth:

Population growth refers to the change in the number of inhabitants in a specific area over a defined period. It is measured in absolute numbers and annual percentage change.

Estimates and Measurement:

1. Absolute Increase:
   • Calculated by subtracting the earlier population from the later population.
   • Provides a tangible measure of growth in actual numbers.
2. Annual Growth Rate:
   • Expressed as a percentage, indicating the pace of population increase per year.
   • Helps understand the momentum of growth over time.
3. India’s Population Growth:
   • Example of a nation with a dynamic growth trajectory.
   • From 1951 to 1981, experienced steady growth; since then, growth rates have declined.
4. Challenges of Large Populations:
   • Countries with significant populations face challenges even with lower growth rates.
   • Total additions to the population can still be substantial.
5. Future Projections:
   • Ongoing estimates predict the potential course of population growth.
   • India, for example, may surpass China as the most populous country in the future.

Factors Influencing Population Growth:

1. Births:
   • The number of new individuals entering the population through childbirth.
   • High birth rates contribute to population growth.
2. Deaths:
   • The number of individuals leaving the population due to mortality.
   • Low death rates can contribute to population growth.
3. Migrations:
   • Movement of people in and out of a region.
   • Immigration increases, while emigration decreases the population.
   • Migration occurs due to two main factors; ”push’‘ and ”pull”.

Processes of Population Change: Birth, Death, and Migration

Core Processes:

• Natural Increase: Population growth depends on the difference between births and deaths.
• Birth Rate’s Role: The number of live births per thousand people, or birth rate, significantly influences growth, particularly in India.
• Decline in Death Rates: Until 1980, lower death rates played a crucial role in India’s rapid population growth.
• Changes Since 1981: After 1981, a gradual decline in birth rates has slowed overall population growth.

Migration’s Impact:

Migration: The movement of people within or between areas, plays a vital role in population dynamics.

Two types of Migration:

• Internal:
  • Internal migration influences the distribution of population without changing the total population size.
• International:
  • Whereas, International Migration causes the change in the population percentage.

• Family Migration Mapping: By plotting where grandparents and parents lived, we can better understand the family’s migration patterns.
• Rural to Urban Shift: Many in India move from rural to urban areas to seek better opportunities, affecting population distribution.
• Urbanization Effects: More people now live in cities due to rural-urban migration, increasing from 17.29% in 1951 to 27.78% in 2001.
• ‘Million Plus Cities‘ Surge: The Number of large Cities significantly increased from 23 to 35 between 1991 and 2001.

Age Composition:

• Age composition denotes the distribution of people across different age groups in a country.
• A person’s age significantly affects their needs, activities, and capabilities.
• The number and percentage of people in children, working age, and aged groups shape the social and economic structure of a population.
• The percentage of children and the aged influences the dependency ratio as these groups are not producers.

Three Broad Categories in India:

• Children (Below 15 years): Economically unproductive, requiring provisions like food, clothing, education, and medical care.
• Working Age (15-59 years): Economically and biologically productive, forming the working population.
• Aged (Above 59 years): Potentially economically productive, may have retired, and might work voluntarily, but not available for recruitment.