Population Class 9 Notes: CBSE Geography Chapter 6

Must-Remember Facts & Figures (Census 2011)

• India's Population: 1,210 million (1.21 billion) in March 2011, accounting for 17.5% of the world's population.
• Most Populous State: Uttar Pradesh, with a population of 199 million.
• Least Populous State: Sikkim, with a population of just 0.6 million.
• Population Density: India's average population density was 382 persons per sq. km in 2011.
• Highest Density State: Bihar (1,102 persons per sq. km).
• Lowest Density State: Arunachal Pradesh (17 persons per sq. km).
• Sex Ratio: 943 females per 1000 males in 2011. Kerala has the highest (1084), while Haryana has the lowest (879).
• Literacy Rate: The overall literacy rate in 2011 was 73%. Male literacy was 80.9%, and female literacy was 64.6%.
• Census: An official enumeration of population done periodically. In India, the first complete census was taken in 1881. It is conducted every 10 years.

Key Terms for Exams

Population

The total number of people living in a specific area (a city, region, or country) at a particular time.

Census

The official and periodic process of collecting, compiling, and analyzing demographic, economic, and social data of a population. In India, it is conducted every 10 years.

Population Density

The number of people living per unit area of land. It is calculated as: Total Population / Total Land Area.

Birth Rate

The number of live births per thousand persons in a year.

Death Rate

The number of deaths per thousand persons in a year.

Migration

The movement of people across regions and territories. It can be internal (within the country) or international (between countries).

Sex Ratio

The number of females per 1000 males in the population. It is an important social indicator of gender equality.

Literacy Rate

The proportion of the population aged 7 years and above who can read and write with understanding in any language.

Occupational Structure

The distribution of the population according to different types of occupations, generally classified into Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary activities.

Understanding Population Distribution Factors

The distribution of population in India is highly uneven. Some areas are densely populated while others are sparse. This variation is mainly influenced by a combination of physical and socio-economic factors.

1. Physical Factors:

• Terrain: People prefer living on flat plains and gentle slopes over mountainous and hilly areas. The Northern Plains, deltas, and coastal plains are densely populated because they facilitate agriculture, industry, and transport. In contrast, the Himalayan region or the Western Ghats are sparsely populated.
• Climate: Areas with a moderate climate attract more people than regions with extreme hot, cold, or dry conditions. The coastal regions have moderate climates, making them preferable, while the Thar Desert in Rajasthan or the cold deserts of Ladakh have very low populations.
• Availability of Water & Soil: Water is essential for life, agriculture, and industry. River valleys and plains are densely populated because of the easy availability of fresh water. Fertile soils are crucial for agriculture, so areas with alluvial soils like the Gangetic plains support a high population density.

2. Socio-Economic and Historical Factors:

• Mineral Deposits: Areas rich in mineral resources attract industries and mining activities, which in turn generate employment and lead to higher population concentration. The Chotanagpur Plateau region is an example.
• Urbanization: Cities and towns offer better employment opportunities, educational and medical facilities, and better means of transport and communication. This leads to rural-urban migration and high population density in urban centers like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata.
• Industrialization: Industrial belts provide job opportunities and attract a large number of people. For instance, the industrial regions around Mumbai-Pune and Bengaluru have high population densities.

Age Composition: A Quick Comparison

The Three Main Processes of Population Change

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Exam Tips and Common Mistakes

Don't confuse Population Growth and Population Change. Population growth refers to the change in the number of inhabitants of a country during a specific period, usually expressed in percentage (e.g., annual growth rate). Population change is driven by three components: births, deaths, and migration.

For Map Questions: Be prepared to locate and label states with the highest and lowest population density (Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh) and the state with the highest sex ratio (Kerala) on a political map of India. Use the latest Census 2011 data for all answers.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• What are the three main components of population change? The three main components are Birth Rate, Death Rate, and Migration.
• Define sex ratio. What was India's sex ratio in 2011? Sex ratio is the number of females per 1000 males. In 2011, India's sex ratio was 943 females per 1000 males.
• Why are the Northern Plains of India densely populated? The Northern Plains are densely populated due to flat terrain, fertile alluvial soils, favorable climate, and ample availability of water, which support agriculture and infrastructure development.
• What is meant by occupational structure? It is the distribution of the working population across different occupations, categorized into Primary (agriculture, fishing), Secondary (manufacturing, industry), and Tertiary (services, transport, trade) activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions