India is the second most populous country of the world (population of 1,210.2 million according to 2011 census), next only to China India covers only 2,4 per cent of the land area of the world, but is the home of about 17.5 per cent of the world's population. The USA is the third largest country of the world with respect to population size.
Area
- Russian> USA>Brazil
- India is the seventh-largest country by area
Census
- Census taking in India began in 1872.
- The 1872 census was not conducted synchronously and did not cover the entire country.
- The first complete and synchronous census of India, covering the entire country and providing important demographic data, was conducted in 1881.
- Since 1881, census in India has been conducted regularly every ten years.
- The 2011 census represents the fifteenth census of India as reckoned from 1872 and seventh after Independence.
Basic Concepts
1. Growth Rate.
- The growth of a population refers to the increase in the number of individuals living in a specific area over a certain period of time. The change in the population between two points in time is typically calculated as a percentage and is known as the population growth rate.
2. Natural Growth.
- The difference between the natural birth-rate and death-rate is called the natural growth of population.
3. Migratory Growth.
- This growth of population is caused by migration of people.
4. Positive Growth.
- When the population increases between two given points of time, it is called positive growth. It takes place when the birth rate is higher than the death-rate or people migrate from other countries.
5. Negative Growth.
- Population decline occurs when there is a decrease in the total number of individuals in a population between two specific time points. This decrease can happen due to factors such as a lower birth rate compared to the death rate, or people moving away to other locations.
Health Indicators
Health is one of the most important constituent of human development. Life free from illness and having reasonably long span is termed as healthy life.
Following are important health indicators:
1. Life expectancy at birth:
- This is an important health indictor which indicate the number of years a person (male and female) would live after birth.
2. Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
- Crude birth rate is expressed in terms of number of births in a year per thousand of mid year population. It is worth noting that only live births during the year are to be taken into account.
- This is the simplest and most widely used measure of human fertility.
3. Total Fertility Rate (TFR):
- Total Fertility Rate is expressed as the number of children born to a women during her entire reproductive age.
4. Crude Death Rate (CDR).
- It is the simplest measure of mortality indicating the number of deaths in a particular year per thousand of population.
5. Infant Mortality Rate (IMR):
- Infant Mortality Rate refers to the death rate among infants and is calculated for connoting mortality among children of less than one year of age. IMR is the ratio of number of deaths among children under one year of age to the number of live births.
6. Under Five Mortality Rate:
- This is another health indictor which is concerned with children below the age of 5 years. Drive to care for children especially in the rural areas, has paid rich dividends.
7. Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR):
- It is the indicator of health of women during pregnancy and delivery.
- Factors affecting Distribution of Population-
Factors affecting distribution of population in India
Major factors:
A. Physical Factor:
1.Relief,
2.Climate,
3.River systems,
4.Geographical locations,
5.Soils,
6.Minerals,
7.Vegetation.
B. Non-physical Economic Factors:
1.Agriculture,
2.Industry,
3.Transport & Communication.
C. Minor-Factors:
1.Government policies,
2.Historical factors,
3.Religion factors,
4.Political factors.
A. Physical Factors:
The Physical Factors responsible for Uneven Distribution of Population in India are :
1. Relief:
- Relief plays a significant role in the uneven distribution of population in India.
- Mountains have rough terrain, thick forests, and harsh weather conditions, which are not suitable for human habitation.
- On the other hand, the Great Northern Plains offer favorable climate, level land, fertile soil, and an efficient transport system, making them densely populated.
- The Great Plain of North India covers less than one fourth of the country's land area.
- Despite that, it is home to over half of India's population.
2. Climate:
- The climate of a region affects human settlement.
- The western part of Rajasthan has a sparse population due to extreme climatic conditions.
- The temperature range in this region is very high, and there is low rainfall, making it unsuitable for human habitation.
- Similar to desert regions, mountainous regions also have low population density due to extremely cold climates.
3. River-Systems
- Rivers are a vital source of drinking water, irrigation, industrial water, navigation, hydro-power, and silt deposition for fertile land.
- As a result, river valleys around the world are highly populated.
- Many major cities like Patna, Kanpur, New Delhi, and Kolkata are situated on riverbanks.
4.Geographical location:
- Geographical location is an important factor in determining the density of population. A geographical location that favors development of modern infrastructures attracts more population. Srinagar Valley, Delhi, Pune, Nasik all are well-connected by means of roadways or railways. This central location made them populous.
5.Soils:
- Soils are a crucial component of agriculture.
- India is predominantly an agricultural country, and fertile soil along with favorable climate attracts a significant population.
- River valleys with fertile soils tend to be densely populated due to the ease of earning a living through agriculture.
6.Minerals:
- Mineral exploitation can have a significant impact on population distribution.
- Mining regions often attract a large number of people due to employment opportunities.
- As a result, areas such as the Chotonagpur plateau and Karnataka plateau are densely populated.
- The presence of minerals can lead to economic growth in these regions.
- However, there can also be negative effects, such as environmental damage and displacement of indigenous populations.
7.Vegetations:
- The response of human settlements varies with the type of natural vegetation around them.
- People living in highland areas covered with grass find sheep rearing profitable.
- In coniferous forests, people engage in collecting logs as raw materials.
- The collected logs are used in various industries, including paper and paper-pulp, rayon, newsprint, plywood, and packing boxes.
- This creates employment opportunities in the forested areas.
B. Non-physical/Economic factors:
The Non-physical factors or economic factors responsible for the uneven distribution of population in India are :
1. Agriculture:
- Agriculture is a major occupation for many people in India, either directly or indirectly.
- Regions with fertile soil and irrigation tend to have a higher population density.
- Agro-based industries provide employment opportunities for a significant portion of the population.
- Uneven productivity of land can lead to disparities in population distribution.
2. Industries:
- Industries are contributing significantly to the Indian economy, providing employment opportunities to the masses.
- Several big cities, including Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Kanpur, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai, have developed industries that offer job opportunities to a large number of people.
- These cities are well-connected by roadways and railways, making them accessible to job seekers from all over the country.
- The presence of industries in these cities has also led to the growth of related services such as transport, logistics, and manufacturing.
- The economic growth driven by industries has helped improve the living standards of people and contributed to the overall development of the country.
3. Well-developed Transport System:
- The regions which are well-connected by means of roadways, railways, waterways are densely populated. Transport system has a remarkable impact upon population movement and distribution.
C. Minor-Factors:
1.Government Policies:
- Well-planned Government policy can attract large number of people in a particular region. Facilities provided by the Government can attract a huge population to a region.
2.Historical factors:
- Historical factors are also responsible for the concentration population in a region. After partition of India, huge number of people settled in West Bengal.
3.Religious factors:
- Religious places like Varanasi, Madura, Mathura, Nabadwip, Puri are densely populated because throughout the ages they are attracting a large number of population.
4.Political factors:
- Political factors are also determining the density of population in a particular region. After the shifting of India’s capital from Kolkata to Delhi people from different parts of India have settled her