Population
Have you ever considered what makes a place a society, a country, or even what gives a natural event its meaning? The answer is people. Population is the central element of social studies because human beings are the ones who develop the economy, create culture, and use resources.
Think about it: coal is just a rock until people develop the technology to mine it and use it for energy, turning it into a 'resource'. Similarly, a natural event like a Tsunami only becomes a 'disaster' when it impacts a town or village filled with people. Therefore, understanding the number of people, where they live, how they are growing, and their characteristics is essential to understanding all other aspects of our world.
Human beings are both the producers and consumers of the Earth's resources. To study them, we rely on data collected through a census, which provides vital information about the population of a country.
Population Size and Distribution
India's Population Size and Distribution by Numbers
India's population is vast and spread out unevenly across its large geographical area.
- Population Size (as of March 2011): 1,210.6 million (1.21 billion people).
- Share of World Population: This accounts for over 17% of the world's total population.
- Share of World Area: India's landmass is 3.28 million square km, which is only 2.4% of the world's area.
This means India supports a huge portion of the world's people on a relatively small piece of land.
The distribution of this population is highly uneven.
- Most Populous State: Uttar Pradesh, with 199 million people (as of 2011), holds about 16% of the entire country's population.
- Least Populous State/UT: In contrast, the Himalayan state of Sikkim has a population of only 0.6 million, and Lakshadweep has just 64,429 people.
Interestingly, almost half of India's entire population lives in just five states:
- Uttar Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Bihar
- West Bengal
- Andhra Pradesh
This shows that some areas are very densely populated while others are not. For example, Rajasthan is the largest state by area, but it holds only 5.5% of India's population.
Census
A census is an official count and record of a country's population, conducted periodically.
- The first census in India was held in 1872.
- The first complete census was conducted in 1881.
- Since then, a census has been held regularly every ten years.
The Indian Census is the most detailed source of information we have on demographic, social, and economic aspects of the population.
India's Population Distribution by Density
To get a clearer picture of uneven distribution, we use the concept of population density. This is calculated as the number of people living per unit of area (usually per square kilometer).
India is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
- India's Population Density (2011): 382 persons per sq km.
- Highest Density State: Bihar, with 1,102 persons per sq km.
- Lowest Density State: Arunachal Pradesh, with only 17 persons per sq km.
The reasons for this variation are often geographical:
- Low Density Areas (below 250 persons/sq km): States with rugged terrain and difficult climatic conditions, like Arunachal Pradesh, have sparse populations.
- Moderate Density Areas: The Peninsular states and Assam have moderate densities. This is influenced by hilly and rocky terrain, moderate to low rainfall, and less fertile soils.
- High Density Areas: The Northern Plains and Kerala have very high population densities. This is due to flat plains with fertile soils and abundant rainfall, which are ideal conditions for agriculture and settlement.
Population Growth and Processes of Population Change
Population is not static; it is a dynamic phenomenon that is constantly changing in its numbers, distribution, and composition. This change is driven by the interaction of three main processes: births, deaths, and migrations.
Population Growth
Growth of population refers to the change in the number of people in a country over a specific period, such as ten years. This change can be measured in two ways:
- Absolute Increase: This is the total number of people added to the population during a decade. It's calculated by simply subtracting the earlier population (e.g., 2001) from the later population (e.g., 2011).
- Annual Growth Rate: This is the pace of population increase, expressed as a percentage per year. For example, a rate of 2% per year means that for every 100 people, two more were added in that year.
India's population has been steadily increasing, from 361 million in 1951 to 1,210.6 million in 2011.
- From 1951 to 1981, the annual rate of population growth was steadily increasing, leading to a rapid rise in population.
- Since 1981, the rate of growth has started to decline gradually. However, because the total population is so large, even a lower growth rate results in a huge absolute increase in numbers.
Note
When a low annual growth rate is applied to a very large population, it still yields a large absolute increase. This is why even with a declining growth rate, India's population continues to grow by a large number every year, putting pressure on resources and the environment.
Processes of Population Change/Growth
The three key processes that cause population change are birth rates, death rates, and migration.
Birth Rate and Death Rate
- Birth rate is the number of live births per thousand people in a year. In India, birth rates have historically been higher than death rates, which is a major reason for population growth.
- Death rate is the number of deaths per thousand people in a year. A rapid decline in death rates (due to better healthcare, sanitation, etc.) has been the main cause of India's population growth.
The difference between the birth rate and the death rate gives us the natural increase of population.
- Until 1980: High birth rates combined with declining death rates created a large gap, leading to a high rate of population growth.
- Since 1981: Birth rates have also started to decline gradually, which has resulted in a gradual slowdown in the rate of population growth.
Migration
- Migration is the movement of people across regions and territories.
- Internal migration (within a country) does not change the total size of the population, but it significantly changes its distribution.
- International migration (between countries) affects the population size.
In India, the most significant migration trend is from rural to urban areas. This is driven by two main factors:
- "Push" factors: These are negative conditions in rural areas that push people to leave, such as poverty and unemployment.
- "Pull" factors: These are positive conditions in cities that pull people in, such as better job opportunities and living conditions.
Example
A farmer facing crop failure and debt in a village ("push" factor) might move to a city like Mumbai or Delhi in search of a factory job and a better future for their children ("pull" factor).
This rural-urban migration has led to a steady increase in the percentage of people living in cities and towns, rising from 17.29% in 1951 to 31.80% in 2011. It has also led to a significant increase in the number of million plus cities (cities with over one million people).
Adolescent Population
A very important feature of India's population is its large number of adolescents.
- Adolescents are generally grouped in the age range of 10 to 19 years.
- They make up one-fifth of India's total population and are the most important resource for the country's future.
However, this group faces unique challenges, especially related to nutrition.
- Adolescents have higher nutritional needs than children or adults.
- In India, the diet available to many adolescents is inadequate, leading to deficiencies and stunted growth.
- A large number of adolescent girls suffer from anaemia (a condition often caused by iron deficiency).
- Improving awareness and education for adolescents, especially girls, is crucial for their development.
National Population Policy
The Government of India recognized early on that family planning could improve individual health and welfare. It launched a comprehensive Family Planning Programme in 1952.
The National Population Policy (NPP) 2000 is the result of years of planned efforts. It provides a policy framework with several key objectives:
- Providing free and compulsory school education up to 14 years of age.
- Reducing the infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1,000 live births.
- Achieving universal immunisation of children against all vaccine-preventable diseases.
- Promoting delayed marriage for girls.
- Making family welfare a "people-centred programme," encouraging voluntary and informed choices.