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State Board · Class 8 · Geography

Lesson 7: Population

5 concepts · 40 practice questions with answers · Free to read

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Population growth: birth rate, death rate and migration

From daily life

A school keeps a register: new admissions come in, some students leave, some move to other towns. The headmaster counts it all. A region's population is counted in the same way.

Simple definition

Population growth (लोकसंख्या वाढ) depends on births, deaths and migration.

Rule 1: Terms — We study population growth, distribution, density and structure. Birth rate (जन्मदर): live births per 1,000 people in a year. Death rate (मृत्यूदर): deaths per 1,000 people in a year. Life expectancy (आयुर्मान): average lifespan expected at birth. Migration (स्थलांतर): moving into (in-migration) or out of (out-migration) a region to live. Birth rate − death rate gives the natural change.

Population of a regionat the start: 80,000Births+1,600In-migrants+5,400Deaths−900Out-migrants−2,500

In the figure : In the figure birth rate and death rate are counted per 1,000 people in a year; their difference is the natural change (sample values).

  • Easy : Easy: Rates are per 1,000.
  • Medium : Medium: Birth rate 22, death rate 7 → natural change 15 per 1,000.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Define life expectancy.

Rule 2: Worked example — City C had 2,00,000 people in 2020. Births 4,000, deaths 3,000, in-migrants 10,000, out-migrants 4,000. New population = 2,00,000 + 4,000 − 3,000 + 10,000 − 4,000 = 2,07,000. Birth rate = 4,000 ÷ 2,00,000 × 1,000 = 20; death rate = 3,000 ÷ 2,00,000 × 1,000 = 15. Unchecked growth presses on resources; a controlled population shows a region's development.

Births and deaths per 1,000 people in a year10203040248Town A1812Town B3020Town Cbirth ratedeath ratesample values

In the figure : In the figure population change = births − deaths (the natural change) + in-migrants − out-migrants (sample values).

  • Easy : Easy: Add births, subtract deaths.
  • Medium : Medium: 50,000 + 800 − 600 + 2,000 − 500 = 51,700.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Why can a city grow faster than its births?
Remember

Rates are per 1,000 per year. Change = births − deaths + in − out.

Common mistake

Counting only births and deaths. Migration also changes population.

Shortcut

Memory clue: "जन्म + आगमन − मृत्यू − निर्गमन".

Spot the difference

TermMeaning
Birth rateBirths per 1,000
Death rateDeaths per 1,000
Natural changeBirth − death
MigrationMoving in or out
Live figure

Population growth: birth rate, death rate and migration

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Practice questions

Easy
  1. 1What is birth rate?
  2. 2What is death rate?
  3. 3What is natural change?
Medium
  1. 4What is in-migration?
  2. 5What indicates development: controlled or unchecked growth?
  3. 6Find the birth rate: 3,000 births in 1,50,000 people.
Challenging
  1. 7Population 80,000; births 1,600; deaths 800; in 5,000; out 1,000. New population?
  2. 8Why does unchecked growth hurt?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
  1. 1Live births per 1,000 people in a year.
  2. 2Deaths per 1,000 people in a year.
  3. 3The difference between birth rate and death rate.
  4. 4Moving into a region to live.
  5. 5Controlled growth.
  6. 63,000 ÷ 1,50,000 × 1,000 = 20.
  7. 780,000 + 1,600 − 800 + 5,000 − 1,000 = 84,800.
  8. 8Resources like water, food and housing run short.

Distribution and density of population

From daily life

Ten children in a small room feel crowded; the same ten in a big hall feel free. Population in a region is like that: it depends on the space and what the land offers.

Simple definition

Density of population (लोकसंख्येची घनता) = population ÷ area, in persons per sq km.

Rule 1: Distribution and factors — Where resources are plenty, population is dense; where resources are scarce, the climate harsh or the land rough, it is sparse. Bean activity: 100 beans on a 30 × 30 cm square look sparse, on a 15 × 15 cm square crowded. Factors: Physical – location, relief, climate, soil, minerals. Economic – agriculture, industry, urbanisation, transport, markets. Political – wars, instability, policies. Social – race, religion, language, customs.

30 cm × 30 cm15 cm × 15 cmthe same number of beans in each square

In the figure : In the figure bean activity: the same number of beans looks sparse in the large square and crowded in the small one, like the distribution of population.

  • Easy : Easy: Same beans, smaller square → crowded.
  • Medium : Medium: 30 × 30 = 900 vs 15 × 15 = 225 sq cm; 900 ÷ 225 = 4 times.
  • Exam-type : Exam: What is the beans activity for?
Rajasthanlarge areaKeralasmall areaeach dot = 10,000 people

In the figure : In the figure distribution of population is affected by physical, economic, political and social factors.

  • Easy : Easy: There are 4 kinds of factors.
  • Medium : Medium: Fertile soil is a physical factor.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Give one example of each factor.

Rule 2: Density — Density = population ÷ area. Example: 8,00,000 people in 400 sq km → 2,000 per sq km. Rajasthan: large area, small population → low density. Kerala: small area, large population → high density.

PhysicalRelief, climate,soil, mineralsEconomicFarming, industry,transport, marketsPoliticalWars, instability,government policiesSocialLanguage, customs,religion, traditions

In the figure : In the figure density of population = population ÷ area (persons per sq km): Rajasthan has a low density and Kerala a high density.

Live figure

Distribution and density of population

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  • Easy : Easy: Density = population ÷ area.
  • Medium : Medium: 6,000 people in 3 sq km → 2,000 per sq km.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Why is Kerala dense?

Rule 3: Maharashtra — Density is less in the eastern districts and more in the western ones. Mumbai, Mumbai suburban, Thane, Pune and Nagpur are dense because of urbanisation and industry. Rain-shadow districts and densely forested far-eastern districts like Gadchiroli have low density.

MumbaiPuneNagpurGadchirolidarker = denserschematic, not to scale

In the figure : In the figure Maharashtra: the density is higher in the western districts (Mumbai, Pune) and around Nagpur and lower in the east, for example Gadchiroli with dense forests (schematic map).

  • Easy : Easy: Gadchiroli has low density.
  • Medium : Medium: Urban areas show high density.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Why is Pune dense?
Remember

Density = population ÷ area. Rajasthan low, Kerala high. Factors: physical, economic, political, social.

Common mistake

Thinking big area means big density. Density needs population too.

Shortcut

Memory clue: "लोक ÷ जागा = घनता".

Spot the difference

RegionDensityReason
RajasthanLowLarge area, few people
KeralaHighSmall area, many people
GadchiroliLowDense forests

Practice questions

Easy
  1. 1What is density of population?
  2. 2Write its formula.
  3. 3Which Indian state has a low density: Rajasthan or Kerala?
Medium
  1. 4Name two physical factors.
  2. 5Which Maharashtra districts are dense?
  3. 6Why is Gadchiroli sparse?
Challenging
  1. 7Find the density: 12,00,000 people in 600 sq km.
  2. 8A town of 450 sq km has a density of 800. Its population?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
  1. 1Population per sq km.
  2. 2Population ÷ area.
  3. 3Rajasthan.
  4. 4Relief and climate.
  5. 5Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nagpur.
  6. 6Dense forests.
  7. 712,00,000 ÷ 600 = 2,000 per sq km.
  8. 8450 × 800 = 3,60,000.

Structure of population: sex ratio, age, occupation and literacy

From daily life

A class list shows how many boys and girls, how many are young, and how many can read. A population's "structure" is such a list for a whole region.

Simple definition

Structure of population (लोकसंख्येची रचना) covers sex ratio, age, occupation, residence and literacy.

Rule 1: Sex ratio — Sex ratio = (females ÷ males) × 1,000. Example: 4,80,000 females and 5,00,000 males → 480000 ÷ 500000 × 1000 = 960. Kerala has 1,084 (more females; men often out-migrate for jobs); Haryana 879.

MalesFemaleseach figure = 100 people

In the figure : In the figure sex ratio = (number of females ÷ number of males) × 1,000; here 900 females for every 1,000 males.

  • Easy : Easy: 900 females per 1,000 males.
  • Medium : Medium: 1,084 means 84 more females per 1,000 males.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Why is the sex ratio in Kerala high?

Rule 2: Age and occupation — Age structure groups people by age, to see the active and dependent population. In India the productive age is 15 to 59; younger and older people are dependent, but elders' experience is an asset. Occupational structure: working and non-working groups. More workers make a region industrious. Residence: rural people mainly in primary jobs; urban in secondary and tertiary, depending on villages for grain.

A country28%62%10%0–14 years15–59 years60 and aboveShare of each age group (sample values)

In the figure : In the figure age structure: those aged 15 to 59 are the productive population; those below 15 and above 59 are dependent (sample values).

  • Easy : Easy: 15–59 is productive.
  • Medium : Medium: Age span 59 − 15 + 1 = 45 years.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Who are dependents?
Rural areasprimaryUrban areassecondaryUrban areastertiary

In the figure : In the figure rural people are mainly in primary occupations (food grains); urban people mostly in secondary and tertiary occupations.

  • Easy : Easy: Farmers are in primary jobs.
  • Medium : Medium: Factory work is secondary; banking is tertiary.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Why do cities depend on villages?

Rule 3: Literacy — A literate person can read and write; literacy is counted for people above 7 years. It shows social and economic development. Literacy (%): Argentina 98.1, China 96.4, Brazil 92.6, Iran 86.8, India 72.1, Bangladesh 61.5, Pakistan 56.4, Afghanistan 38.1.

  • Easy : Easy: Argentina has the highest literacy here.
  • Medium : Medium: 98.1 − 72.1 = 26 points more than India.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Which table country is lowest?
Remember

Sex ratio = F ÷ M × 1,000. Productive age 15–59. Literacy above 7 years.

Common mistake

Thinking sex ratio is per 100. It is per 1,000.

Shortcut

Memory clue: "स्त्रिया ÷ पुरुष × 1,000".

Spot the difference

PartDetail
Sex ratioFemales per 1,000 males
Productive age15–59
LiteracyAbove 7 years
Rural jobsPrimary

Practice questions

Easy
  1. 1What is the sex ratio formula?
  2. 2Which state has 1,084?
  3. 3Which state has 879?
Medium
  1. 4What is the productive age in India?
  2. 5Who is literate?
  3. 6From which age is literacy counted?
Challenging
  1. 75,40,000 females, 6,00,000 males. Sex ratio?
  2. 8Why is high literacy a sign of development?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
  1. 1Females ÷ males × 1,000.
  2. 2Kerala.
  3. 3Haryana.
  4. 415 to 59.
  5. 5A person who can read and write.
  6. 6Above 7 years.
  7. 7540000 ÷ 600000 × 1000 = 900.
  8. 8Educated people get better jobs and health.

Migration and population as a resource

From daily life

A family moves from a village to Pune for a job. The village loses a worker; Pune gains one more person needing a house, school and bus seat.

Simple definition

Migration (स्थलांतर) is the movement of a person or group from one place to another for a short period, a long period or permanently; population is a resource when its quality is good.

Rule 1: Causes and effects — Reasons: marriage, education, business, transfer, tourism, natural calamities, wars. The region left shows a fall in population and a shortage of manpower; the region reached shows a rise in population and strain on public amenities, and its composition changes.

Region leftfall in population,manpower shortageRegion reachedrise in population,strain on amenitiesmove

In the figure : In the figure migration: the region left shows a fall in population and a shortage of manpower; the region reached shows an increase in population and strain on public amenities.

  • Easy : Easy: A village loses workers.
  • Medium : Medium: A city gains pressure on housing.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Give three reasons for migration.

Rule 2: Migrant percentage and resource — Migrant population: below 10% – Afghanistan, Brazil, Bangladesh, India (0.52%), Great Britain; 10–20% – Germany, USA; above 20% – Kuwait (62.11%), Hong Kong, Israel, Oman, Saudi Arabia. High percentages come with jobs, business and development; low ones with political and social factors or backwardness. India's share is small but the number is large: 0.52% of 121 crore ≈ 63 lakh. Quality matters more than numbers: literacy, sex ratio, age groups, health and education decide the supply of skilled labour.

all people of the country: 121 croremigrants: 0.5%a very thin slicenot to scale

In the figure : In the figure the percentage of migrants in India (0.52%) is low, but the actual number is large (about 63 lakh) because the population is so large.

  • Easy : Easy: India's percentage is 0.52.
  • Medium : Medium: 1% of 121 crore is 1.21 crore; 0.52% is about 63 lakh.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Why does quality beat numbers?
Remember

Migration: causes (marriage, education, business, war). Population = resource if quality is good.

Common mistake

Thinking low percentage means few people. India's is small percent but large number.

Shortcut

Memory clue: "सोडलेला घटतो, पोहोचलेला वाढतो".

Spot the difference

GroupExamples
Below 10%Afghanistan, Brazil, India
10–20%Germany, USA
Above 20%Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia

Practice questions

Easy
  1. 1What is migration?
  2. 2Name two reasons.
  3. 3What happens to the region left?
Medium
  1. 4What happens to the region reached?
  2. 5Which country in the table has 62.11% migrants?
  3. 6Is population a resource?
Challenging
  1. 7Population 50 crore with 2% migrants. How many?
  2. 8Why do job-rich cities attract migrants?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
  1. 1Movement from one place to another to live.
  2. 2Education and business.
  3. 3Population falls; manpower is short.
  4. 4Population rises; amenities are strained.
  5. 5Kuwait.
  6. 6Yes, when its quality is good.
  7. 750 × 2 ÷ 100 = 1 crore.
  8. 8People move to earn better.

Human development, HDI and the census

From daily life

Marks alone don't show how good a student is; health, conduct and skills also count. Likewise a country's wealth alone does not show how well its people live.

Simple definition

The Human Development Index (मानव विकास निर्देशांक, HDI) measures health, education and standard of living, on a scale from 0 to 1.

Rule 1: HDI — Growth is not development. Development concerns quality of life, opportunities and freedom. For decades GNP measured it. In 1980–1990 Mahbub Ul Haq and Amartya Sen proposed the HDI; UNDP publishes the list every year. Parameters: health (life expectancy), education (years of schooling), economic (standard of living). Values go from 0 to 1: near 1 is highly developed. 2016: Norway rank 1 (0.949); India rank 131 (0.624); Central African Republic rank 188 (0.352).

HealthlifeexpectancyEducationyears ofschoolingRsEconomicstandardof livingHDI: a value from 0 to 1010.6

In the figure : In the figure the Human Development Index (HDI) combines health (life expectancy), education (years of schooling) and economic (standard of living) parameters; values range from 0 to 1.

  • Easy : Easy: HDI has 3 parameters.
  • Medium : Medium: India 0.624 is 0.949 − 0.624 = 0.325 below Norway.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Who proposed HDI?

Rule 2: Census — The census (जनगणना) counts people; in India it is held once in ten years. The one in the textbook is 2011 (population 121 crore). Data helps comparison and planning. Example: 121 crore × 50 litres per person = 6,050 crore litres of water a day for homes.

1991census10 years2001census10 years2011census121 crore

In the figure : In the figure the census counts the people of India once in ten years; the latest was in 2011, when the population was 121 crore.

  • Easy : Easy: Census every 10 years.
  • Medium : Medium: 2011 + 10 = 2021 is the next decade year.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Why is census data useful?
Remember

HDI: health, education, living standard; 0–1; Haq and Sen; UNDP. Census every 10 years.

Common mistake

Thinking high GNP means high HDI. HDI also needs health and education.

Shortcut

Memory clue: "आ-शि-रा = आरोग्य, शिक्षण, राहणीमान".

Spot the difference

ItemDetail
HDI parametersHealth, education, standard of living
HDI range0 to 1
Published byUNDP
CensusEvery 10 years

Practice questions

Easy
  1. 1What does HDI measure?
  2. 2What is its range?
  3. 3Who proposed it?
Medium
  1. 4Which body publishes it?
  2. 5What was used before HDI?
  3. 6How often is the census held in India?
Challenging
  1. 7Water need: 100 crore people × 40 litres a day. Total?
  2. 8Why is growth not the same as development?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
  1. 1Health, education and standard of living.
  2. 20 to 1.
  3. 3Mahbub Ul Haq and Amartya Sen.
  4. 4UNDP.
  5. 5GNP.
  6. 6Once in ten years.
  7. 74,000 crore litres.
  8. 8Development concerns quality of life, not just size.

Quick revision

  • Birth rate and death rate are per 1,000 per year. Natural change = births − deaths; migration also changes population. Controlled growth indicates development.
  • Density = population ÷ area. Factors: physical, economic, political, social. Rajasthan low, Kerala high; Maharashtra – east low, west high.
  • Sex ratio = females per 1,000 males (Kerala 1,084; Haryana 879). Productive age 15–59. Literacy counted above 7 years. Rural – primary jobs; urban – secondary and tertiary.
  • Migration: reasons, effects, migrant table (Kuwait highest; India 0.52%). Population is a resource; quality over numbers.
  • HDI: health, education, standard of living; 0 to 1; Haq and Sen; UNDP. Census every 10 years; last 2011.