Population
1.
Population is the pivotal
element in social studies. It is the point of reference from which all other
elements are observed and from which they derive significance and meaning
Census
1.
A census is an official
enumeration of population done periodically. In India the first census was held
in the year 1872.
2.
The first complete census,
however was taken in the year 1881. Since then censuses have been held
regularly every tenth year
Three major questions about the population
1.
Population size and
distribution
2.
Population growth and processes
of population change
3.
Characteristics or qualities of
the population
POPULATION SIZE
AND DISTRIBUTION
1.
India’s Population Size and
Distribution by Numbers
2.
India’s population as on March
2001 stood at 1,028 million, which account for 16.7 per cent of the world’s
population.
3.
These 1.02 billion people are
unevenly distributed over our country’s vast area of 3.28 million square km
4. Which accounts
for 2.4 per cent of the world’s area
5.
The 2001 Census data reveals
that Uttar Pradesh with a population size of 166 million people is the most
populous state of India
6.
Uttar Pradesh accounts for about 16 per cent
7.
On the other hand, the
Himalayan state Sikkim has a population of just about 0.5 million
8.
Lakshadweep has only 60 thousand
people.
9.
Almost half of India’s
population lives in just five states.
10.
These are Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh. Rajasthan,
11.
The biggest state in terms of
area, has only 5.5 per cent of the total population of India
India’s
Population Distribution by Density
1.
Population density provides a
better picture of the uneven distribution
2.
Calculated as the number of
persons per unit area.
3.
India is one of the most
densely populated countries of the world
4.
Only Bangladesh and Japan have
higher average population densities than India. Find out the population
densities of Bangladesh and Japan.
5.
The population density of India
in the year 2001 was 324 persons per sq. km
6.
Only 13 persons per sq. km in
Arunachal Pradesh
7.
The Northern Plains and Kerala
in the south have high to very high population densities because of the flat
plains with fertile soils and abundant rainfall.
POPULATION GROWTH
AND PROCESSES OF POPULATION CHANGE
1.
Population is a dynamic
phenomenon.
2.
The numbers, distribution and
composition of the population are constantly changing.
3.
This is the influence of the
interaction of the three processes, namely-births, deaths and migrations
Population
Growth
1.
Growth of population refers to
the change in the number of inhabitants of a country/territory during a
specific period of time
2.
Such a change can be expressed
in two way
·
In terms of absolute numbers
·
In terms of percentage change per year
3.
The absolute numbers added each
year or decade is the magnitude of increase
4.
It is obtained by simply
subtracting the earlier population (e.g. that of 1991) from the later
population (e.g. that of 2001). It is referred to as the absolute increase
5.
The rate or the pace of
population increase is the other important aspect.
6.
It is studied in per cent per
annum, e.g. a rate of increase of 2 per cent per annum means that in a given
year
7.
There was an increase of two
persons for every 100 persons in the base population.
8.
This is referred to as the
annual growth rate
9.
Since 1981, however, the rate
of growth started declining gradually
10.
During this period, birth rates
declined rapidly.
11.
It is essential to realise that
India has a very large population.
12.
When a low annual rate is
applied to a very large population
13.
It yields a large absolute
increase
14.
When more than a billion people
increase even at a lower rate, the total numbers being added becomes very large
Processes
of Population Change/Growth
1.
There are three main processes of
change of population
2.
Birth rates, death rates and
migration.
3.
Birth rate is the number of
live births per thousand persons in a year
4.
It is a major component of
growth because in India, birth rates have always been higher than death rates
5.
The main cause of the rate of
growth of the Indian population has been the rapid decline in death rates
6.
Till 1980, high birth rates and
declining death rates led to a large difference between birth rates and death
rates resulting in higher rates of population growth
7.
Since 1981, birth rates have
also started declining gradually,
8.
Resulting in a gradual decline
in the rate of population growth.
9.
The third component of
population growth is migration
10.
Migration can be internal
(within the country) or international (between the countries)
11.
Internal migration does not
change the size of the population, but influences the distribution of
population within the nation
12.
In India, the rural-urban
migration has resulted in a steady increase in the percentage of population in
cities and towns
13.
The urban population has
increased from 17.29 per cent of the total population in 1951 to 27.78 per cent
in 2001.
Age
Composition
1.
The age composition of a
population refers to the number of people in different age groups in a country.
2.
It is one of the most basic
characteristics of a population
3.
To an important degree, a
person’s age influences what he needs, buys, does and his capacity to perform?
4.
The number and percentage of a
population found within the children, working age and aged groups are notable
determinants of the population’s social and economic structure.
Children
(generally below 15 years)
·
They are economically
unproductive and need to be provided with food, clothing, education and medical
care
Working
Age (15-59 years)
·
They are economically productive
and biologically reproductive. They comprise the working population
Aged
(Above 59 years)
·
They can be economically
productive though they and may have retired.
·
They may be working voluntarily
but they are not available for employment through recruitment
·
The percentage of children and
the aged affect the dependency ratio because these groups are not producers.
Sex
Ratio
·
Sex ratios defined as the
number of females per 1000 males in the population
·
This information is an
important social indicator to measure the extent of equality between males and
females in a society at a given time
·
The sex ratio in the country
has always remained unfavourable to females.
·
Kerala has a sex ratio of 1058
females per 1000 males, Pondicherry has 1001 females for every 1000males, while
Delhi has only 821 females per 1000 and Haryana has just 861
Literacy
Rates
1.
Literacy is a very important
quality of a population. Obviously, only an informed and educated citizen can
make intelligent choices
2.
Undertake research and
development projects
3.
Low levels of literacy are a
serious obstacle for economic improvement.
4.
According to the Census of
2001, a person aged 7 years. And above who can read and write with
understanding in any language, is treated as literate.
Occupational
Structure
1.
The percentage of population
that is economically active is an important index of development.
2.
The distribution of the
population according to different types of occupation is referred to as the
occupational structure.
3.
Developed nations have a high
proportion of people in secondary, and tertiary activities
4.
Developing countries tend to
have a higher proportion of their workforce engaged in primary activities
5.
In India, about 64 per cent of
the population is engaged only in agriculture
6.
Health
7.
Health is an important
component of population composition, which affects the process of development
8.
Sustained efforts of government
programmes have registered significant improvements in the health conditions of
the Indian population.
9.
Death rates have declined from
25 per 1000 population in 1951 to 8.1 per 1000 in 2001
10.
Death rates have declined from
25 per 1000 population in 1951 to 8.1 per 1000 in 2001
11.
. The per capita calorie
consumption is much below the recommended levels and malnutrition afflicts a
large percentage of our population.
Adolescent
Population
1.
The most significant feature of
the Indian population is the size of its adolescent population.
2.
It constitutes one-fifth of the
total population of India.
3.
Adolescents are generally
grouped in the age-group of 10 to 19 years
4.
They are the most important
resource for the future.
5.
Nutrition requirements of
adolescents are higher than those of a normal child or adult.
6.
Nutrition requirements of
adolescents are higher than those of a normal child or adult.
7.
But in India, the diet
available to adolescents is inadequate in all nutrients.
National
Population Policy
1.
Recognising that the planning
of families would improve individual health and welfare,
2.
The Government of India
initiated the comprehensive Family Planning Programme in 1952.
3.
The Family Welfare Programme
has sought to promote responsible and planned parenthood on a voluntary basis.
4.
The NPP 2000 provides a policy
framework for imparting free and compulsory school education up to 14 years of
age
5.
Reducing infant mortality rate
to below 30 per 1000 live births,
6.
Achieving universal
immunisation of children against all vaccine preventable diseases,
7.
Promoting delayed marriage for
girls, and making family welfare a people-cantered programme.
NPP
2000 and Adolescents
1.
NPP 2000 identified adolescents
as one of the major sections of the population that need greater attention.
2.
Besides nutritional
requirements, the policy put greater emphasis on other important needs of
adolescents including protection from unwanted pregnancies and sexually
transmitted diseases (STD).
3.
It called for programmes that
aim towards encouraging delayed marriage and child-bearing, education of
adolescents about the risks of unprotected sex
4.
Making contraceptive services
accessible and affordable, providing food supplements
5.
Providing food supplements,
nutritional services, strengthening legal measures to prevent child marriage
6.
People are the nation’s most
valuable resource. A well- educated healthy population provides potential
power.
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