Chapter 6 HUMAN RESOURCES

Distribution Of Population

The distribution of population refers to how people are spread across the Earth's surface. Over 90% of the world's population inhabits about 30% of the land, with significant variations in population density. Areas like South and Southeast Asia, Europe, and Northeastern North America are densely populated, while high latitudes, tropical deserts, high mountains, and equatorial forests are sparsely populated. More people live north of the Equator than south, and a large proportion reside in continents like Asia and Africa. Population density is measured as the number of people per square kilometer.

Density Of Population

Population density is the number of people living in a unit area of the Earth's surface, typically expressed per square kilometer. The world's average population density is 51 persons per square kilometer, with South Central Asia having the highest density, followed by East and Southeast Asia.

Factors Affecting Distribution Of Population

Population distribution is influenced by both geographical and socio-economic factors:

• Geographical Factors:
  • Topography: Plains are preferred over mountains and plateaus due to suitability for agriculture, manufacturing, and services.
  • Climate: People tend to avoid extreme climates (very hot or very cold).
  • Soil: Fertile plains with suitable soils attract more population for agriculture.
  • Water: Areas with easily accessible freshwater sources, particularly river valleys, are densely populated.
  • Minerals: Regions with mineral deposits often experience increased settlement due to employment opportunities.
• Social, Cultural, and Economic Factors:
  • Social: Areas with better housing, education, and health facilities attract more people.
  • Cultural: Places of religious or cultural significance also attract populations.
  • Economic: Industrial areas offering employment opportunities lead to higher population density.

Population Change

Population change refers to the alteration in the number of people over a specific period, primarily driven by variations in birth rates and death rates. Historically, population growth was slow due to high birth and death rates stemming from limited health facilities and food availability. However, since the 1800s, advancements in food supply and medicine led to a decline in death rates while birth rates remained high, resulting in rapid population growth, often termed a "population explosion."

Patterns Of Population Change

Population growth rates vary globally. Countries like Kenya experience high growth due to high birth and death rates (though death rates are declining due to improved healthcare). In contrast, countries like the United Kingdom have slow population growth due to low birth and death rates. Migration, the movement of people between areas, also influences population change. Emigrants leave a country, while immigrants enter it. Less developed nations often see migration to more developed nations for better opportunities, and within countries, people move from rural to urban areas seeking employment, education, and better healthcare.

Population Composition

Population composition refers to the structure of the population, detailing characteristics like age, sex, literacy level, health conditions, occupation, and income. Understanding these characteristics helps analyze a country's population as a resource. The population pyramid (or age-sex pyramid) is a graphical representation that illustrates the distribution of a country's population by age groups and sex, revealing patterns of dependency (young and old dependents) and the size of the working-age population.

Population Pyramid

A population pyramid graphically depicts the population composition. It shows the percentage of males and females in various age groups. The shape of the pyramid indicates demographic trends: a broad base suggests a high birth rate and a young population (like Kenya), a narrowing base indicates declining birth rates and a larger proportion of older people (like Japan), and a more balanced shape suggests a stable or slowly growing population (like India, with a larger young population indicating a strong labor force).

Exercises

The chapter concludes with exercises designed to assess comprehension of human resources and population dynamics. Questions cover the definition of human resources, reasons for uneven population distribution, causes of rapid population growth, factors influencing population change, the meaning of population composition, and the utility of population pyramids. Activities include studying population data, plotting countries on a map, and analyzing the characteristics of societies with varying age structures (e.g., high proportion of young vs. old people) to understand their implications.