Chapter – 2

The World Population: Distribution, Density, and Growth

In this post, we have given the Important Questions of Class 12 Geography Chapter 2 (The World Population: Distribution, Density, and Growth) in English. These Important Questions are useful for the students who are going to appear in class 12 board exams.

Board	CBSE Board, UP Board, JAC Board, Bihar Board, HBSE Board, UBSE Board, PSEB Board, RBSE Board
Textbook	NCERT
Class	Class 12
Subject	Geography
Chapter no.	Chapter 2
Chapter Name	(The World Population: Distribution, Density, and Growth)
Category	Class 12 Geography Important Questions in English
Medium	English

Chapter -2, (The World Population: Distribution, Density, and Growth)

1 Mark Questions

Q1 “Asia has many places where people are few and few places where people are many” Above mentioned remark about the uneven distribution of Asia, as well as the world population, is given by

1. Dudley Stamp b. G.

2. Cressey

3. Hartshorne

4. Griffith Taylor

Q2 The density of population is usually measured in

1. Persons/cm area

2. Persons/sq. km area

3. Persons/cubic area

4. All the above

Q3 When we found more than 200 persons on every square km then the area will be considered as

1. Highly or densely populated

2. sparsely populated

3. Rarely Populated

4. Under Populated

Q4 Which is the most important factor that attracts human inhabitation in a particular area?

1. Availability of water

2. Urbanization

3. Minerals

4. Social factors

Q5 Which Factor is responsible for the high density of population found in Katanga Zambia located in Africa?

1. Availability of mineral wealth (copper)

2. Availability of good forest resources

3. Socio-economic backwardness

4. Security of life

3 Marks Questions

Q1 Name three geographical factors that influence the distribution of population.

Ans. Geographical factors include:

• Availability of water: people prefer to live in areas where fresh water is easily available for drinking, and for cattle, crops, industries, and navigation.
• Landforms: people prefer living on flat plains and gentle slopes rather than on mountainous and hilly areas. This is because plain areas are favorable for the production of crops and to build roads and industries whereas, the mountainous and hilly areas are unfavorable for the development of transport networks, agriculture, and industries.
• Climate and Soils: Areas with a comfortable climate, where there is not much seasonal variation have a high population whereas, extreme climates such as very hot or cold, deserts, and heavy rainfall are uncomfortable for human living and have a low population. Fertile soils are important for agricultural and related activities. Therefore, areas that have fertile loamy soils have more people living in them as these can support intensive agriculture

Q2 Mention the name of areas where the density of population is very low.

Ans. The low density is found in the following areas

(i) Hot Desert. : Sahara, Kalahari, Atakama , West Australia

(ii) Extremely Cold Areas- North part of Canada, Greenland, and north part of Siberia

(iii) Cold Desert areas of Central Asia,

(iv) Equatorial Region—Amazon basin of South Africa.

5 Marks Questions

Q1 Discuss the factors influencing the distribution and density of population in the world.

Ans. The factors are grouped into three categories:

(A) Geographical Factor

1. Availability of water:

• People prefer to live in areas where fresh water is easily available for drinking, and for cattle, crops, industries, and navigation.
• E.g. it is because of this that river valleys are among the most densely populated areas of the world.

2. Landforms:

• People prefer living on flat plains and gentle slopes rather than on mountainous and hilly areas. This is because plain areas are favorable for the production of crops and to build roads and industries.
• Whereas, the mountainous and hilly areas are unfavorable for the development of transport networks, agriculture, and industries.
• E.g. The Ganga plans are among the most densely populated areas of the world while the mountainous zones in the Himalayas are sparsely populated.

3. Climate:

• Areas with a comfortable climate, where there is not much seasonal variation have high populations.
• Whereas, extreme climates such as very hot or cold, deserts, and heavy rainfall are uncomfortable for human living and have a low population.
• E.g. Mediterranean regions are inhabited since early periods in history due to their pleasant climate.

4. Soil:

• Fertile soils are important for agricultural and related activities. Therefore, areas that have fertile loamy soils have more people living in them as these can support intensive agriculture.
• E.g. Northern plains in India are the most densely populated.

(B) Economic Factors

1. Minerals:

• Areas with rich mineral deposits attract mining and industrial activities. Therefore, skilled and semi-skilled workers move to these areas for employment and make them densely populated.
• E.g Katanga Zambia copper belt in Africa is one such good example

2. Urbanisation:

• People migrate to the cities for better employment opportunities, educational and medical facilities, better means of transport and communication, and good civic amenities.
• Megacities of the world continue to attract a large number of migrants every year.

E.g. Delhi and Mumbai are the most densely populated cities in India.

3. Industrialisation:

• Industrial belts provide job opportunities and attract a large number of people. These include not just factory workers but also transport operators, shopkeepers, bank employees, doctors, teachers, and other service providers.
• E.g the Kobe-Osaka region of Japan is thickly populated because of the presence of a number of industries.

(C) Social and Cultural Factors

1. Religious:

• Some places attract more people because they have religious or cultural significance.
• E.g. in the USA people of different nationalities prefer their own regions where common culture and tradition are present.

2. Political unrest and wars:

• In the same way, people tend to move away from places where there is social and political unrest.
• E.g. Refugees from Ethiopia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, etc. have moved out from their own countries.

3. Government policies:

• Many a time government offer incentives to people to live in sparsely populated areas.

Q2 “90 percent of the world population lives in about 10 percent of its total land area, whereas the remaining 10 percent population resides in the 90 percent of its land area”. Support the statement with suitable examples.

Ans: It is true that 90 percent of the world population lives in about 10 percent of its total land area, whereas the remaining 10 percent population resides in 90 percent of its land area. The factors which affect the distribution of the population in the world are:

• Cultural Factors- Traditions and culture of a place include the distribution of a population.
• People like to migrate to areas where common traditions and cultures are found.
• Physical Factors Relief, climate, soil, and mineral are the physical factors that determine the population of any place. Tibet is a region with a very less population, whereas the Indo-Gangetic plain is overpopulated.
• Means of Transport Regions with better facilities of means of transport lead to better economic conditions. This led to a thick population. The Mumbai-Pune Industrial region is the best example.
• Economic Condition Industrial and agricultural regions of the world are thickly populated. The industrial regions of India, the USA, Japan, UK is the examples.

Q3 Explain three economic and two social and cultural factors influencing the distribution of the population in the world.

OR

Explain with examples the three economic factors influencing the population distribution in the world.

Ans: The three economic factors influencing the distribution of population are as follows:

• Minerals Areas with mineral deposits attract not only industries but also skilled and semi-skilled workers as they generate huge employment.
• Urbanization Urban centers offer better employment opportunities, education and medical facilities, and better means of communication which attract people.
• Industrialization Industrial belts provide job opportunities that attract not only factory workers, but also transport operators, shopkeepers, bank employees, doctors, teachers, and other service providers.
• Two social and cultural factors influencing the distribution of population are as follows:
• Religious and cultural significance Places having religious importance and cultural significance tend to attract a number of people due to they are densely populated. Social and political unrest Places where there is political turmoil and social unrest are not fit for living and people tend to move away from those areas. This is sparsely populated.

Q4 Describe in brief the different trends of population growth in the world from an early period to the present day.

Ans: The trends in population growth are as follows:

• In the early periods of history i.e. 8000 to 12000 years ago the populations grow at a slow rate.
• The population of the era was 8 million.
• The count of population in the first century was below 300 million.
• By 1600 AD world population increased to 0.5 billion as expansion in trade and the industrial revolution increased settlements.
• The world population touched 1 billion in 1830 due to advancements in the field of science and technology.
• In the next 100 years i.e. 1930, the population doubled to 2 billion due to improved medical, health, and sanitation facilities.
• In 1960, the population was 3 billion, in 1975; it was 4 billion after that one billion is added every 12 years.
• There is a great variation among regions in doubling their population.

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