Chapter 5: Human Resources
People as a Resource
People are a nation’s greatest resource. It is people with their demands and abilities that turn 'natural resources' into useful things. Healthy, educated and motivated people develop resources as per their requirements. Human resources, like other resources, are not equally distributed over the world.
Distribution and Density of Population
The pattern of population distribution refers to the way in which people are spread across the earth's surface. More than 90% of the world's population lives in about 30% of the land surface. The distribution of population in the world is extremely uneven.
Population density is the number of people living in a unit area of the earth’s surface. The average density of population in the whole world is 51 persons per square km.
Factors Affecting Distribution of Population
- Geographical Factors: People prefer living on plains more than mountains and plateaus. Favourable climate, fertile soils, and availability of fresh water are major attractors.
- Social, Cultural and Economic Factors: Areas with better housing, education and health facilities are more densely populated. Places with religious or cultural significance attract people. Industrial areas provide employment opportunities.
Population Change
Population change refers to the change in the number of people during a specific time. The world population has not been stable. This is actually due to changes in the number of births and deaths.
- Birth Rate: The number of live births per 1,000 people.
- Death Rate: The number of deaths per 1,000 people.
- Migration: The movement of people in and out of an area. Emigration is when a person leaves a country; Immigration is when a person arrives in a country.
The difference between the birth rate and the death rate of a country is called the natural growth rate.
Population Composition
Population composition helps us to know how many are males or females, which age group they belong to, how educated they are and what type of occupations they are employed in, what their income levels and health conditions are.
Population Pyramid
An interesting way of studying the population composition of a country is by looking at the population pyramid, also called an age-sex pyramid. It shows:
- The total population divided into various age groups (e.g., 5 to 9 years, 10 to 14 years).
- The percentage of the total population, subdivided into males and females, in each of those groups.
- The number of dependents in a country (young dependents - below 15 years, and elderly dependents - over 65 years).
A population pyramid in which the base is broad and the top rapidly narrows indicates a high birth rate and a large percentage of young people. A pyramid narrow at the base indicates low birth and death rates.
Exercise Questions and Answers
1. Answer the following questions.
(i) What do you understand by the term ‘population distribution’?
(ii) What are the three main factors that cause population change?
(iii) The world population has grown very rapidly. Why?
(iv) Discuss the role of any two factors influencing population distribution.
(v) What is meant by population composition?
(vi) What are population pyramids? How do they help in understanding about the population of a country?
(i) What do you understand by the term ‘population distribution’?
Population distribution refers to the way in which people are spread out across the Earth's surface. This distribution is highly uneven, with some areas being very crowded and others being sparsely populated.
(ii) What are the three main factors that cause population change?
The three main factors that cause population change are:
1. Birth Rate: The number of live births.
2. Death Rate: The number of deaths.
3. Migration: The movement of people from one place to another.
(iii) The world population has grown very rapidly. Why?
The world's population has grown very rapidly mainly due to a decline in the death rate. With better food supplies, advances in medicine, and improved healthcare, more people are living longer, while the birth rate has remained high in many parts of the world.
(iv) Discuss the role of any two factors influencing population distribution.
Two key factors are:
1. Topography: People prefer to live on flat plains rather than steep mountains because plains are more suitable for farming, building infrastructure like roads and industries.
2. Climate: People generally avoid extreme climates that are very hot or very cold. Areas with a moderate, comfortable climate tend to attract more people.
(v) What is meant by population composition?
Population composition refers to the structure of the population. It includes analysing attributes like the age and sex of the people, their literacy levels, health conditions, occupations, and income levels.
(vi) What are population pyramids? How do they help in understanding about the population of a country?
A population pyramid is a graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population (typically that of a country or region of the world), which forms the shape of a pyramid when the population is growing. They help us understand the age and sex structure of a country's population, revealing how many dependents (young and elderly) there are and how many are in the economically active age group. This information is vital for government planning related to healthcare, education, and employment.
2. Tick the correct answer.
(i) Which does the term population distribution refer to?
(a) How population in a specified area changes over time.
(b) The number of people who die in relation to the number of people born in a specified area.
(c) The way in which people are spread across a given area.
(ii) Which are three main factors that cause population change?
(a) Births, deaths and marriage
(b) Births, deaths and migration
(c) Births, deaths and life expectancy
(iii) In 1999, the world population reached
(a) 1 billion (b) 3 billion (c) 6 billion
(iv) What is a population pyramid?
(a) A graphical presentation of the age, sex composition of a population.
(b) When the population density of an area is so high that people live in tall buildings.
(c) Pattern of population distribution in large urban areas.
(i) (c) The way in which people are spread across a given area.
(ii) (b) Births, deaths and migration
(iii) (c) 6 billion
(iv) (a) A graphical presentation of the age, sex composition of a population.
3. Complete the sentences below using some of the following words.
sparsely, favourably, fallow, artificial, fertile, natural, extreme, densely
When people are attracted to an area it becomes ________ populated.
Factors that influence this include ________ climate; good supplies of ________ resources and ________ land.
When people are attracted to an area it becomes densely populated.
Factors that influence this include favourably climate; good supplies of natural resources and fertile land.
Comments
Post a Comment