BOOK1 CH3 Population Composition (Summary)

BOOK1 FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

CH3 POPULATION COMPOSITION 

SUMMARY

Place of origin, 

Place or destination: It is the spontaneous effort to achieve a better balance between population and resources. 

It may be permanent, temporary, / seasonal, it may be rural-rural, rural-urban, urban-urban, urban-rural 

Types, immigration, emigration

 Factors responsible 

Push factors: Unemployment, Poor living, Political turmoil, Unpleasant climate, Natural disasters, Epidemics Socioeconomics, backwardness.

Pull factors: More attractive jobs, Good living conditions, Peace, Stability, Security of life, Pleasant climate.  

Trends in population growthPOP growth is due to: 

• Agricultural development 

• Industrial revolution 

• Transportation 

• Sanitation and medical facilities 

• Biotechnology

• Information and computers technological revolution. 

• Discovery of machines 

• Medicines 

• Population Increased 10 times during last 500 years, 

• 4 times in 20th century 

• 80 million people are added each year.

Doubling time of world population: 

1. More than one million to become one billion pop 

2. It took 12 years to become from 5 billion to 6 billion 

3. Developed countries take more time than developing countries 

4. Liberia highest growth rate: 8.2%Latvia lowest gr: -1.5% Spatial pattern of population Change when it is small change applied to large population it is large Growth rate declines but pop still increase.

Impact of population change:

1. Depletion of resources 

2. Spread of epidemics 

3. Reduced life expectancy 

4. Increase in social crime rate

5.Health problems 

Demographic transition: 

1. Predict the future pop. Of any area 

2. Any region changes from high BR & DR to low BR& DR

3. Progress from rural to urban 

4. Illiterate to literate 

5. These are collectively known as demographic cycle 

Stage-I: 

• High fertility 

• High mortality 

• Low growth 

• More epidemics 

• Variable food supply 

• Agriculture is occupation 

• Low life expectancy 

• Illiteracy 

• Low level of technology 

• Rain forest tribes, Bangladesh 

Stage-II :

• Fertility remains high, but decline with time 

• Reduced mortality 

• Improved sanitation 

• Medical facilities 

• High growth rate 

• Ex. Peru, Sri Lanka, Kenya 

Stage -III: 

• Low birth rate and 

• Death rate 

• Slow GR. 

• Stable growth rate 

• Urbanised pop. high technology. small families. Flexible families ex. Canada Japan USA 

Population control measures:

• Limiting the population growth

• improving women’s health 

• access to family planning services 

• Free availability of contraceptives 

• tax disincentives for large families 

• Government incentives for small families. 

Population composition 

People are different in different ways 

• Age 

• Sex 

• Place of residence 

• Occupation 

• Education 

• Life expectancy 

Sex composition: 

• The ratio between number of men and women is called Sex Ratio.

• It shows the status of women in the country 

• It is unfavorable to women 

• Lower socio economic status 

• Due to female feticide, female infanticide, domestic violence against women 

• Sometimes men might have migrated so women no. Is more 

• Natural advantages of women: they are more resilient, more resistant power, more patience 

• Sex ratio of the world is: 990 females/ 1000 males 

• Latvia highest 1187 lowest is 468/1000males 

• It is favorable in 139 countries 

• Unfavorable in 72 countries 

• Asia has low sex ratio Europe has highest

 • Europe has better status of women • Male dominated out migration  

Age structure: 

• No. of people in different age groups.

• It is an important indicator of pop. Composition 

• A large group of population is in age group of 15-59 years 

• Large group of pop. Is above 60 years is called aged population 

• More expenditure on medical facilities 

• High 5 of young pop. Shows high birth rate 

• Age- sex pyramid 

• Number of females and males in different age groups 

• Pop. Pyramid is used to show age sex structure 

• Shape of pyramid shows the characteristics of population 

• Left side male and right side female 

• Types of age sex pyramid 

I-Expanding population 

1. Triangular shape

2. Less developed countries 

3. Young pop. is more 

4. Ex. Bangladesh, Mexico, Nigeria

II-Constant population 

1. A bell shaped 

2. Birth and death rates are equal 

3. Ex Australia 

III-Declining population 

1. Narrow base 

2. Low birth and death 

3. Shows developed countries 

4. Growth is negative or zero ex. Japan 

Rural urban composition:

1. It is based on residence 

2. They differ from each other 

3. The criteria for rural and urban varies from country to country

4. Rural population engaged in primary activities whereas urban other than primary activities 

5. Rural and urban composition of west European countries is different from African countries 

6. Sex ratio is also different in European countries than African countries 

7. In west European countries males are more in rural areas and females are more in urban areas 

8. In Asian countries female is more in rural areas 

9. In Asian countries female is less in urban areas due to shortage of housing, high cost of living, paucity of jobs, lack of security in cities