HOLY ANGEL SCHOOL, MALOUT

CLASS: - 8TH
SUBJECT: - SOCIAL SCIENCE
CHAPTER: -HUMAN RESOURCES

Introduction: - Human resources are the people who make up the workforce
of an economy and the resource that resides in the knowledge, skills and
motivation of those people. Human resources are the most valuable resource
on the earth. All other resources derive their value from humans, as it is people
and their abilities that transform things into useful resources.

Distribution of population: -
Population is defined as the total number of people residing in a given area.
While some areas, such as southern and Eastern Asia and North-Eastern
Northern America are thickly populated, there are also areas such as Sahara
Desert, the Himalayas and the Amazon forest, that are very thinly populated.
The manner in which people are spread over an area is known as population
distribution.

Population Distribution in India: -

Indian population has an uneven distribution while some areas like urban areas,
industrial areas and agricultural areas are thickly populated whereas as arid
regions, desert regions, mountain regions are sparsely populated.

Factors affecting population distribution: -

Physical factors: -
 Relief: - In plain areas the density of population is high whereas in the
mountainous regions density of population is far lesser.
 Climatic conditions: - Regions having equable and moderate climate are
always more densely populated. On the other hand, places with extreme
climatic conditions have less population.
 Soil: - Regions having fertile soil have a higher population density. Infertile
desert soils and mountain soils have low population density.
 Natural vegetation: - Regions having thick forest cover, like Amazon basin
are unsuitable for cultivation. So, population density is low in such areas.
Regions with lesser vegetation cover are more suitable for clearing and
cultivation and are more populated.
Economic and social factors: -
 Mineral resources: - Areas rich in mineral resources attract denser
population because it provides employment opportunities.
 Industries: - The density of population is very high around industrial
regions because industries offer great employment opportunities.
 Transport facilities: - Growth of population is dependent on transport
facilities in a region.
Political factors: -
 Stable government: - Peaceful countries having stable government have
denser population.
  Population change: - Population change means the change in the number
of people living in a territory during a specified period. Population change
is caused by birth rate, death rate, migration.

Population Composition: -
The people who make up any given population differ greatly in terms of age, sex,
literacy level, health condition, occupation and income level. In order to
effectively evaluate the human resources of a country, it is necessary to first
understand the composition.

Population Pyramid: -
The population composition of a country can be studied by using a tool called
the population pyramid. It graphically shows the age and sex composition of a
specific population.
The top and bottom of the pyramid reflect the dependent population of the
country who are not working.
The middle bars of the pyramid represent the working population which
contributes to the economic progress of the country.

Importance of Population Pyramid: -

 By studying the population pyramid of a country, we can get an idea about
the population pressures on the resources of the country.
 It helps the government to plan welfare programmes for different age
groups.
Sex Ratio: -
The ratio between the number of males and females is called sex ratio.

Literacy Rate: -
Literacy can be defined as the ability to read and write with a certain level of
understanding. It is an important element of an economically productive
population.

Life Expectancy: -
Life expectancy is a statistical measure of average number of years a person
born in a given country would live. Life expectancy of a country is based on the
nutrition intake, standard of living and health conditions of the people.

New Terms: -
1. Birth rate: - Number of births per thousand people per year.
2. Death rate: - Number of deaths per thousand people per year.
3. Growth rate: - The difference between Birth and Death rate.
4. Population explosion: - The sudden increase in population.
5. Migration: - Migration means movement of people from one place to
another.
6. Emigrants: - People who leave a country.
7. Immigrants: - People who arrive a country.
8. Population pyramid: - The population pyramid also called an age-sex pyramid
helps us to study the population composition of a country.
9. Dependent population: - People in the age group 0-14 years and above 65
years who are not economically active of themselves and depend on the working
population for their livelihood.
10. Working population: - People who are working and contribute to the
economic development of the country.
Multiple Choice Questions: -
1. The term population distribution refers to
a) How population in an area changes over time.
b) The number of births and deaths in a specified area.
c) The way in which people are spread across a given area.
Ans: - The way in which people are spread across a given area.
2. Which of these is the main factor that causes population change?
a) Births, deaths and marriage
b) Births, deaths and migration
c) Births, deaths and life expectancy
Ans: - Births, deaths and migration
3. The population of the world in 1999, reached
a) 3 billion
b) 6 billion
c) 1 billion
Ans: - 6 billion
4. The population explosion in 1970’s was caused by
a) Rising death and falling birth rate
b) Sharply falling death rate accompanied by high birth rate
c) Sharply falling death rate due to advances in medicine and rising birth rate
because of better standard of living.
Ans: - Sharply falling death rate due to advances in medicine and rising birth
rate because of better standard of living.
5. The movement of a large number of people from one area to another is
called
a) Migration
b) Globalisation
c) Urbanization
Ans: - Migration
6. The only state in India where female population is more than male
population.
a) Tamil Nadu
b) Kerala
c) Karnataka
Ans: - Kerala
7. Which of the following age group is not included in dependent population?
a) 0-15 years
b) 25-64 years
c) 65 years and above
Ans: - 25-64 years

Blanks: -
1. More than 90% of the world’s population lives in about 10% of the land
surface.
2. The average density of world population is 45 persons per square km.
3. The ratio between the number of males and females is called Sex ratio.
4. The difference between the birth rate and death rate of a country is called the
Natural growth rate.
5. According to census 2011, the population density of India has gone up to 382
persons per square kilometre.

Questions/Answers: -
1. Why are people considered a resource?
Ans: - People are considered a resource because it is the people who convert gift
of nature into a resource by means of their knowledge, skill and ability all other
resources which offers to us are important only if they are useful to human
beings.
2. What are the reasons for the uneven distribution of population in the
world?
Ans: - Reasons for the uneven distribution of population in the world are: -
1. Physical factors: -
 Relief: - In plain areas the density of population is high whereas in the
mountainous regions density of population is far lesser.
 Climatic conditions: - Regions having equable and moderate climate are
always more densely populated. On the other hand, places with extreme
climatic conditions have less population.
 Soil: - Regions having fertile soil have a higher population density. Infertile
desert soils and mountain soils have low population density.
2. Economic and social factors: -
 Mineral resources: - Areas rich in mineral resources attract denser
population because it provides employment opportunities.
 Industries: - The density of population is very high around industrial
regions because industries offer great employment opportunities.
 Transport facilities: - Growth of population is dependent on transport
facilities in a region.
3. Political factors: -
 Stable government: - Peaceful countries having stable government have
denser population.
 Population change: - Population change means the change in the number
of people living in a territory during a specified period.
3. Why has the population of the world grown so rapidly since 1970’s?
Ans: - Advancement in the technology, fields of science and healthcare improved
the quality of life of the people and has increased the life expectancy. Increase
in food supply and better medical facilities helped people to lead a healthier life.
There was an increase in birth rate and fall in death rate leading to an increase
in growth rate.
4. Discuss the role of any four factors influencing population change.
Ans: - Factors influencing population change are: -
a. Birth rate: - Number of births per thousand people per year.
b. Death rate: - Number of deaths per thousand people per year.
c. Growth rate: - The difference between Birth and Death rate.
d. Life expectancy: - The number of years a person is likely to live.
5. What is meant by population composition?
Ans: - Population composition or structure tells us about the age, sex, literacy
and occupation of the population. The population of different countries at
different times may differ greatly in these components.
6. What are population pyramids? What is the importance of population
pyramids?
Ans: - The population pyramid also called an age sex pyramid helps us to study
the population composition of a country.
Importance of population pyramid: -
 By studying the population pyramid of a country, we can get an idea about
the population pressures on the resources of the country.
 It helps the government to plan welfare programmes for different age
groups.
7. What conclusions can you draw from the population pyramid of India?
Ans: - Conclusions drawn from the population pyramid of India are: -
 The population pyramid of India is broad at the bottom. This indicates that
the infant mortality rate is declining.
 Death rates in younger groups are falling and more infants are surviving
till adulthood because of improvement in medical facilities.
 The pyramid is also broad at young age group. It indicates a large young
population. That means India has a large, strong and growing working
population.

High Order Thinking Skills: -

1. How does the migration of people from rural to urban areas affect: -
a) Rural Areas: - Large number of people move from rural areas to urban areas
in search of job opportunities, education and health facilities. So rural
population is decreasing and there is labour shortage in rural areas.
b) Urban areas: - In urban areas, there are business centres and better job
opportunities. So, people migrate to cities in search of better life but because of
this, cities become over populated and there is population explosion and they
have to work on low wages in urban areas.
2. Why is it important for a country to have educated and healthy population?
Ans: - It is important for a country to have educated and healthy population
because it is a productive asset to a particular country. Educated and healthy
people are the most productive resource in the development of the country.

Give reasons: -
1. Amazon basin has low density of population.
Ans: - Amazon basin is having thick cover which is inaccessible and unsuitable
for cultivation. So, Amazon basin has low density of population.
2. Sahara Desert is sparsely populated.
Ans: - Sahara Desert has a hostile environment which is difficult to live in.

Name the following: -

a) Two regions with high density of population. Europe, Northeast USA
b) Two regions having low density of population. Sahara Desert, Amazon Basin
c) Two regions of moderate density of population. Central China, Central USA