Introduction:-
People are the most important resource of a country. Things given by nature become useful only when people use them properly. That’s why people are called human resources. If people are healthy, educated, and hardworking, they help make the country better.
Human Resource:-
People who work and use their skills to make things useful are called human resources.
Why Humans are Important?
- Humans are the only resource that can think, learn, and create.
- They can use one resource to make many other useful resources.
Distribution of Population
- Human resources are not the same everywhere in the world.
- People differ in age, gender, education, and skills.
- Some countries have more skilled and educated people than others.
The way people are spread across the earth is called population distribution.
- Over 90% of the world’s people live on only 30% of the land.
- In fact , different areas have different numbers of people living there.
- Some places are crowded, some have very few people.
- For Example:- South Asia, South-East Asia, Europe, and North-Eastern North America are densely populated. Whereas, there is very low population in areas such as deserts, high mountains, equatorial forests, and very cold areas.
- Some places are crowded, some have very few people.
- Note:- More people live north of the Equator than south of it. Also, about three-fourths of the world’s people live in Asia and Africa.
- Interestingly, 60% of the world’s people live in just 10 countries.
- According to the latest data, India has become the most populous country in the world.
Population Density
Population Density means how many people live in one square kilometre area.
- The average world population density is 51 persons per square kilometre.
Factors Affecting Population Distribution
There are several factors affecting population Distribution such as; Geographical location, Social and Cultural differences, and Economic growth.
Geographical Factors
1. Topography (Land surface):
- People like to live in plains, not in high mountains or plateaus.
- Plains are good for farming, building houses, and working.
- Example: Ganga plains are very crowded, but Himalayas and Andes are not.
2. Climate:
- People avoid places that are too hot or too cold.
- Example: Very few people live in the Sahara Desert, polar regions, or Antarctica.
3. Soil:
- Fertile soil helps grow crops, so people settle there.
- Examples: Ganga-Brahmaputra plains, Nile valley, Hwang-He valley.
4. Water:
- People live near rivers and freshwater sources.
- Example: River valleys are crowded, but deserts have fewer people.
5. Minerals:
- People move to places where minerals and oil are found.
- Examples: Diamond mines in South Africa, oil-rich areas in the Middle East.
Social, Cultural, and Economic Factors
1. Social Factors:
- People like to live in areas with good schools, hospitals, and houses.
- Example: Pune is well-populated because of good living conditions.
2. Cultural Factors:
- People visit or settle in places with religious or cultural importance.
- Examples: Varanasi, Jerusalem, Vatican City.
3. Economic Factors:
- People move to places where they can get jobs.
- Industrial and business cities attract large populations.
- Examples: Mumbai (India), Osaka (Japan).
Population Change
- It means the change in the number of people over time.
- It happens due to births, deaths, and migration.
Why Did Population Increase?
- Earlier, people died early due to poor health and less food.
- After the 1800s, people started living longer because of better food and medicines.
- Thus, this led to a population explosion.
What is Birth Rate and Death Rate?
- Birth rate = Number of babies born per 1,000 people.
- Death rate = Number of people dying per 1,000 people.
- Natural growth rate = Birth rate – Death rate.
What is Migration?
- People move in or out of a place – this is called migration.
- Immigrants = People who enter a country.
- Example: USA and Australia gain population due to immigration.
- Emigrants = People who leave a country.
- Example: Sudan loses population due to emigration.
Why Do People Migrate?
- People move to cities for jobs, education, and health care.
- There are basically two factors:- push factor and pull factor.
Patterns of Population Change
- Population Growth is different everywhere
- Not all countries grow at the same speed.
- Some countries grow fast, others grow slowly.
- For Example:- Kenya has high population growth.
- However, in the United Kingdom, the population grows slowly.
Why is the world’s population growing fast?
- Death rate has decreased due to better healthcare.
- Food supply has improved.
- Also, Birth rate is still high in many countries.
Population Composition
The structure of a population based on age, sex, literacy, health, occupation, and income is known as Population Composition.
- It helps understand how many are males/females, which age groups they belong to, and what jobs they do.
- A population pyramid (age-sex pyramid) shows age-wise and gender-wise distribution.
- The pyramid’s shape reveals birth rates, death rates, and dependent population.
- Wide base = high birth rate (e.g., Kenya).
- Broad middle = growing working population (e.g., India).
- Narrow base, wide top = low birth rate, more elderly people (e.g., Japan).
- The pyramid’s shape reveals birth rates, death rates, and dependent population.
- Young, skilled, and positive people form a strong workforce for the country.
Note:- In India, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Yojna (PKVY 2015) was the attempt to train one crore Indian youth for making them employable.
The chapter is now complete! I hope each concept was easy for you to understand and you feel confident about the material. Feel free to share your feedback and comments on the notes posted. Your thoughts are always welcome!
