CHAPTER

01
Population Distribution, Density,
Growth and Composition

Introduction:
The number of women and men in a country is an important demographic characteristic. The ratio between the number of
women and men in the population is called the Sex Ratio. The world population reflects a sex ratio of 102 males per 100
females. The highest sex ratio in the world has been recorded in Latvia where there are 85 males per 100 females. In contrast,
in Qatar there are 311 males per 100 females. The sex ratio is favourable for females in 139 countries of the world and
unfavorable for them in the remaining 72 countries listed by the United Nations. In general, Asia has a low sex ratio. Countries
like China, India, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have a lower sex ratio.

1. Population composition
The number of women and men in a country is an important demographic
characteristic. The ratio between the number of women and men in the
population is called the Sex Ratio.
In some countries it is calculated by using the formula:
(Male Population/Female Population) × 1000 or the number of males per
thousand females.
In India, the sex ratio is worked out using the formula:
(Female Population/Male Population) × 1000 or the number of females per
thousand males. On an average, the world population reflects a sex ratio of 102
males per 100 females. The highest sex ratio in the world has been recorded in
Latvia where there are 85 males per 100 females. In contrast, in Qatar there are
311 males per 100 females. The sex ratio is favourable for females in 139
countries of the world and unfavorable for them in the remaining 72 countries
listed by the United Nations. In general, Asia has a low sex ratio. Countries like China, India, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and
Afghanistan have a lower sex ratio.

2. Age Structure:

Age structure represents the number of people of different age groups. This is an important indicator of population composition.
It is divided into three groups i.e., children (0-14 years), adult or working population (15-59 years) and old or aging population
(60 years and above).
Age-Sex Pyramid:

The age-sex structure of a population refers to the number of females and males in different age groups. A population
pyramid is used to show the age-sex structure of the population. The left side shows the percentage of males while the right
side shows the percentage of women in each age group. The pyramid is interpreted in the following ways:

3. Expanding Populations

A triangular pyramid with a wide base due to high birth rate is mostly in less developed countries like Nigeria, Mexico and
Bangladesh.

Constant Population:
Australia’s age-sex pyramid is bell shaped and tapered towards the top. This shows birth and death rates are almost equal
leading to a near constant population.
Declining Populations:
A pyramid with a narrow base and top wife and a wider central part shows low birth and death rates.
This is in developed countries like Japan.

4. Rural urban composition

The division of population into rural and urban is based on the residence. This division is necessary because rural and urban
lifestyles differ from each other in terms of their livelihood and social conditions. The age-sex-occupational structure,
density of population and level of development vary between rural and urban areas. In general terms rural areas are those
where people are engaged in primary activities and urban areas are those where majority of the working population is
engaged in non-primary activities. In developed countries like Canada, West European countries, females outnumber males
in urban areas while in developing countries like Nepal and Pakistan, it is vice versa.

5. Literacy
 Proportion of the literate population of a country is an indicator of its socio-economic development as it reveals the standard
of living, social status of females, availability of educational facilities and policies of the government.

In India:

literacy rate denotes the percentage of the population above 7 years of age, who is able to read, write and have the ability to do
arithmetic calculations with understanding.
 6. Occupational Structure
The working population (i.e. women and men of the age group
– 15 to 59) take part in various occupations ranging from
agriculture, forestry, fishing, manufacturing construction,
commercial transport, services, communication and other
unclassified services. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining
are classified as primary activities manufacturing as
secondary, trade, transport, communication and other
services as tertiary and the jobs related to research,
information technology and developing ideas as quaternary
activities. In developed economics more people are engaged in
secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors than primary.
 Questions For Practice
1. Which state has the highest density 11. Which state has the highest density 21. Average population density of India
of population? (2011) per km?
of population?
(a) Haryana (a) 216 (b) 382
(a) Haryana (b)Uttar Pradesh
(b) Uttar Pradesh (c) 221 (d) 324
(c) West Bengal (d) Bihar
(c) West Bengal
(d) Bihar 12. Where is India counted as the 22. Which is the most populous state?
world's population? (a) Uttar Pradesh (b) West Bengal
2. Where is India counted as the (c) Kerala (d) Punjab
(a) First (b) Second
world's population?
(c) Fifth (d) Seventh 23. Population growth rate per decade?
(a) First (b) Second
(c) Fifth (d) Seventh 13. Population growth per decade? (a) 15.3% (b) 17.3%
(a) 15.3% (b) 17.3% (c) 17.6% (d) 21.3%
3. Population growth per decade?
(c) 17.6% (d) 21.3%
(a) 15.3% (b) 17.3% 24. How many million cities are there in
(c) 17.6% (d) 21.3% 14. When was the first census India (in 2001)?
conducted in India? (a) 25 (b) 27
4. When was the first census
(a) 1871 (b) 1881 (c) 30 (d) 54
conducted in India?
(c) 1891 (d) 1861
(a) 1871 (b) 1881 25. What is the life expectancy in India?
(c) 1891 (d) 1861 15. What is the percentage of the (a) 55 years (b) 60 years
world's population in India? (c) 66 years (d) 70 years
5. What is the percentage of the
(a) 10.7% (b) 12.7%
world's population in India? 26. Literacy rate in India?
(a) 10.7% (b) 12.7% (c) 16.7% (d) 18.7%
(a) 55% (b) 60%
(c) 16.7% (d) 18.7% 16. How many Million Plus cities are
(c) 74% (d) 67%
6. How many Million Plus cities are there in India (2001)?
(a) 25 (b) 27 27. In how many years will the
there in India (2001)?
(a) 25 (b) 27 (c) 30 (d) 54 population of India double?
(c) 30 (d) 54 17. How long is life in India? (a) 32 years (b) 34 years
(a) 55 years (b) 60 years (c) 36 years (d) 38 years
7. How long is life in India?
(a) 55 years (b) 60 years (c) 66 years (d) 70 years 28. Which of the following states has
(c) 66 years (d) 70 years 18. The literacy rate in India is as the highest proportion of urban
follows? population as per 2001 census?
8. The literacy rate in India is as
(a) 55% (b) 60% (a) Tamil Nadu (b) Kerala
follows?
(c) 74% (d) 67% (c) Maharashtra (d) Goa
(a) 55% (b) 60%
(c) 74% (d) 67% 19. Which of these provinces is the most 29. Which of the following is the largest
9. Which of these provinces is the most populous in India? group in India?
populous in India? (a) West Bengal (b) Uttar Pradesh (a) Sino-Tibetan (b) Austria
(a) West Bengal (b) Uttar Pradesh (c) Kerala (d) Bihar (c) Indo-Aryan (d) Dravidian
(c) Kerala (d) Bihar 20. Which of the following is India's 30. Which is the most populous state in
10. Which of the following is India's largest group? India?
largest group? (a) Sino-Tibetan (b) Austria (a) West Bengal (b) Uttar Pradesh
(a) Sino-Tibetan (b) Austria (c) Indo-Aryan (d) Dravidic (c) Kerala (d) Bihar
(c) Indo-Aryan (d) Dravidic

Solutions
1. (d) 4. (b) 7. (c) 10. (b) 13. (c) 16. (d) 19. (d) 22. (a) 25. (c) 28. (d)
2. (b) 5. (c) 8. (c) 11. (d) 14. (b) 17. (c) 20. (b) 23. (c) 26. (c) 29. (b)
3. (c) 6. (d) 9. (d) 12. (b) 15. (c) 18. (c) 21. (b) 24. (d) 27. (c) 30. (d)