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POPULATION DYNAMICS
B. 1. False. Regions with moderate climatic conditions are more densely populated than regions with
extreme climatic conditions.
2. False. The high population density of Macau is mainly due to immigration.
3. True
4. False. Overpopulation is caused by immigration.
C. 1. d 2. b 3. a 4. d 5. a 6. b
D. 1. Migration does not change the overall size of the world’s population because it is just the
movement of people from one part of the world to another. Neither does it add to the existing
population nor does it reduce the population.
2. Slums are a feature of many major cities in the world because there is a shortage of housing in
these cities as a result of overpopulation.
3. Infrastructure remains underdeveloped in underpopulated regions because the population is too
low to support its funding and maintenance.
4. The dependency ratio of a country tells the economists and government planners what
percentage of the population is dependent on the productive population. A high dependency
ratio would indicate more pressure on the working population and a low dependency ratio
would indicate that the working population can comfortably support the needs of the dependent
group. The dependency ratio helps the government decide the amount of resources that must be
allocated for education, pension and healthcare.
E. 1. The word ‘population’ refers to the total number of people living in a particular area at a given
point of time.
2. The population of a place, its size and composition, is constantly changing. The study of these
changes—how the population grows or declines, its changing composition and the factors
responsible for these changes—is known as population dynamics.
3.
Immigration Emigration
The movement of people into a particular The movement of people out of a particular
place is called immigration. place is called emigration.
When many people immigrate, the population When many people emigrate, the population
of the place that they move to increases. of the place that they move out of decreases.
4. Underpopulation can be a result of many factors. • A sudden rise in death rate as a result
of natural catastrophes like earthquakes, droughts or epidemics can cause a place to become
underpopulated. • Lower birth rates due to changing socio-economic conditions, such as an
increase in nuclear and single-parent families and government policies that encourage smaller
families can result in underpopulation. • War and lack of employment opportunities can lead to
a high rate of emigration and result in underpopulation.
5. Place of low population density in Asia: Mongolia; Africa: Western Sahara; North America:
Greenland South America: Suriname, Falkland Islands; Europe: Iceland; Australia: Australia (any
three)
6. Overpopulation is a condition where the number of people living in an area exceeds the carrying
capacity of the land. In other words, the population density of the area increases to a point where
the supply of resources and infrastructure, like water, housing, food and transport, is not enough
to support the population.
F. 1. Many factors influence the size of the population of a particular place. Some factors are
responsible for an increase in population, while others cause a drop in population.
Birth
rate: Birth rate is the number of live births per 1,000 people per year. Usually, a higher
birth rate leads to an increase in population, while a lower birth rate results in a decrease in
population.
Death
rate: Death rate is the number of deaths per 1,000 people per year. Other factors being
constant, when the death rate increases, the population decreases, and when the death rate
decreases, the population increases.
Migration:
Migration is the movement of people away from or into a place. It can be of two
kinds—immigration and emigration. When many people immigrate, the population of the place
that they move into increases. When many people emigrate, the population of the place that they
move out from decreases.
2. The human population increased steadily between the years 1400 and 1800—growing by around
600 million in 400 years. Then, from the year 1800, the population began to grow rapidly. It
doubled in just 100 years (from 1800 to 1900), and then increased by four times over the next 100
years. Thus, between 1900 and 2000, human population increased by almost 5000 million.
This
rapid and sudden increase in human population is called the Population Explosion. It was
a result of rising birth rates and falling death rates. The decline in death rates was a result of
improved medical care, better management of famines, floods and other natural disasters and
better living conditions.
3. There are many factors that determine the density and distribution of population.
Geographical
factors: Plains and plateaus have a higher population density than mountainous
regions. This is because places with flatter terrain are better suited for agriculture, and the
development of transport networks and industries. The rugged terrain of mountainous regions
makes cultivation and the development of roads, railways and industries difficult. For example, the
Indo-Gangetic Plain has a very high density of population, while the higher reaches of Himalayan
mountains have a low density of population.
Climate:
Regions with moderate climatic conditions are more densely populated than regions
with extreme climatic conditions. For example, the warm regions of Southeast Asia are some of
the most densely populated parts of the world, while the hot and arid Sahara Desert and the
freezing Polar Regions are among the least populated regions.
Availability
of resources: Areas rich in natural resources are thickly populated. For example, the
Ruhr region of Germany has rich deposits of coal and has become the centre of the iron and
steel industry in Germany. It is one of the largest industrial regions and also one of the densely
populated regions of the world.
Infrastructure:
Regions with well-developed facilities like healthcare, education, transport facilities
and housing are densely populated. Regions with good infrastructure also attract industries.
Industries, in turn, draw more people to the region as they provide ample opportunities for
employment.
5. Under population is a condition where there are not enough people living in a place to make full
use of the resources and technological advancements available there. Greenland, Australia and
MIGRATION
B. 1. False. Early humans migrated mainly in search of food, and in response to climatic changes and
natural disasters.
2. False. Migrants who are forced to leave their country owing to threats posed to their lives and
freedom are known as refugees.
3. False. Remittances sent by emigrants help the economy of the parent country.
4. False. Immigration leads to a drop in the standard of living in the host country.
5. False. Countries that receive highly skilled migrants experience brain gain.
D. 1. Tourism is the activity of travelling to a place for pleasure or recreation. Migration, on the other
hand, is the movement of people from their place of origin to another, with the intention of
settling down there temporarily or permanently. It is thus different from tourism.
2. Communal or racial conflicts and war pose a threat to the life, freedom or security of people,
which is why they are push factors for migration.
3. People migrate from urban to rural areas to return to their place of origin, to get away from urban
problems like pollution and lack of space and sometimes for economic reasons.
4. Employment opportunities increase in the parent country as a result of emigration as there are
fewer people competing for jobs.
5. In India, brain drain started around the 1950s when highly skilled people, who found themselves
stagnating because of inefficiency in organisations and lack of jobs and research facilities, began
to leave the country.
E. 1. Migration is the movement of people from their place of origin to another, with the intention of
settling down temporarily or permanently.
2. The earliest known human migration was that of early humans moving out of Africa, millions of
years ago.
3. Two advantages of immigration: • The knowledge and skills of highly skilled immigrants
contributes to the progress of the local economy. • Unskilled immigrants are often willing
to work for a lower pay than the local workforce. They are also willing to take up jobs that the
local people are unwilling to do. Two disadvantages of immigration: • There are fewer job
opportunities for the local workforce when employers choose the immigrant workers over
them. • When entire families immigrate, the pressure on the infrastructure of the host country
increases. This causes a fall in the standard of living and an increase in the cost of living in the
host country. • Money flows out of the economy of the host country as many immigrants
send their earnings to the parent country. • Differences in culture often give rise to conflicts.
Permanent immigrants may find it difficult to blend in. • Immigrants often get exploited and
treated unfairly. (any two)