Density and Distribution of Population

Density is the number of people living per unit area.

Density= People/Area
Distribution is the spread of people in an area.
Balochistan
Q. Why low population density in Balochistan?
 Low rainfall causes lack of water for agriculture, industry and domestic use
 High rate of evaporation/transpiration decreases availability of water even more.
 Very extreme weather in some areas so less people likely to live there.
 Lack of fresh water for human consumption and agriculture.
 Sandy soil of Kharan Desert.
 Not suitable for agriculture.
 Minerals in Balochistan are yet not exploited.
 Low economic activity.
 Lack of educational and health facilities.
 Lack of basic life amenities e.g. electricity, natural gas and telecommunication
facilities.
 Lack of development infrastructure.
Q. Why is there a high population density in Quetta?
 It is provincial capital so jobs are available in administrative departments.
 Better infrastructure e.g. roads which link Quetta with other parts of the country like
Karachi.
 Electricity facilities through QESCo make living there easier.
 International Airport so easy movement of people / goods.
 Dry ports for foreign trade.
 Agricultural valley - has orchards of Apricots and Apples.
 Woolen, Vegetable and Ghee Industry.
 Educational institutions e.g. Balochistan University.
 Cool in summers.
 Many defence site so many soldiers live there.
Khyber Pakhtun Khwa
Q. Explain why the population density of KPk varies considerably, with the help of
examples.
Low or No Density Areas
 Mountainous areas so unfit for agriculture.
 Areas of permanent snow difficult to live as
o Difficult of build houses there.
o Very cold in winter.
 Some areas unsuitable for agriculture.
  Lack of industry so less jobs.

High Density Areas e.g. Peshawar

 Provincial capital so administrative jobs available.
Main business centre.
 Basic amenities available e.g. electricity and natural gas. ‘
 Flat areas of Peshawar are suitable for agriculture due to easy use of machinery.
 Suitable for Tobacco and Sugar Cane crops.
 Developed industrial areas like sugar mills so more jobs.
 Better educational centres e.g. Peshawar university.
 Better health facilities available in private and public sector hospitals.
 Main defence site so many soldiers live there.
 Dry port for foreign trade.
 International airport for easy transport of goods and people.
 It has good infrastructure e.g. motor way that connects Peshawar to Islamabad,
Lahore, Faisalabad etc.
Sindh
Q. Explain the reason for low population density in Indus delta?
 Salty water difficult to farm.
 Flooding causes problems for farmers and industry.
 Swamps / Marshes so difficult to construct infrastructural facilities.
 Mangrove forests so less farm land.
 Dangerous tropical cyclones.
 Lack of roads so difficult to move.
 Fishing in decline due to the water pollution and cutting of mangroves.
 Lack of industries so few jobs.
Q. Why high population density near the river Indus in Sindh?
 Water available for irrigation through irrigation schemes such as Sukkur Barrage and
Kotri barrage so more areas can be cultivated and attracts more settlements.
 Main roads like Indus Highway and N-5 which connect Sindh with areas such as
Karachi and Punjab.
 Industrial areas e.g. cement factories in Hyderabad.
 Availability of utilities such as electricity and education.
 Dry ports in Hyderabad and Larkana.
 Flat land there use of machinery is easy.
 Alluvial soil due the river Indus so good for agriculture.
Q. Why low population density in Thar Desert?
 Very hot in summer.
 High rate of evaporation / transpiration.
 Very low amount of rainfall so lack of water.
  Temperature too high for agriculture.
 Lack of infrastructure facilities.
 Sandy soil not good for agriculture.
Dependency Ratio
The ratio of dependents to independents.
Dependents: Retired persons and below school leaving age (15 years) children.
Independents: Working age (normally 15 yrs. – 65 yrs.)
Pakistan has high dependency ratio because:
Dependents 55 – 60%
Independents 40 – 45%
Age Group Percentage
Children (under 15 yrs.) Increasing
Working (Age 15 – 65yrs.) Decreasing
Old (Above 65 yrs.) Increasing

Problems due to high dependency ratio

 More people need to look after dependent population.
 Need more schools for children.
 Hospitals and clinics for old.
 More teachers and doctors needed.
 More houses. Adaptation for old
 More unemployment.
 More pressure on government facilities.
 More stress on workers.
 Government may impose higher taxes to fulfill requirement of dependents. So more
burden on independents.
Q. Non-working population is a burden on working population. Explain why? You
might agree and disagree with the statement. [6]
Agree
 High dependency ration in Pakistan. More dependents (55 – 65%) and less
independents (35-45%).
 Many people are poor.
 Government imposes high taxes to fulfill demands of dependents therefore more
pressure on working population.
Disagree
  Many children start working part time from early age.
 Many start working full time after primary education.
 Joint family system helps to support large number of dependents.
 Many elders get pension from the government so not dependents.
 Many old people keep on working even after the age of 64 like business or farming.
Q. Describe the effects of population growth on the economy and development of
Pakistan. [6]
Economy
 If the population is skilled and productive – Population growth shall help in economic
growth.
 In case of non-productive population
 More population means more imports which shall result in negative balance of
trade/payment.
 More needs - more loans – more debt.
Development
 If the population is skilled and productive – Population growth shall help in rapid
development.
 In case of non-productive population
 More population may lead to shortages of:
 Food
 Water
 Education facilities.
 Health facilities.
 Employment opportunities.
Q. How is the shape of the population pyramid likely to change from 1998 – 2028?
 Young dependents i.e. children shall decrease due to controlled birth rate thanks to
more family planning programmes.
 The working population shall increase as the large number of children will grow up to
join the working population.
 The elderly shall increase due to better health facilities. The death rate shall decrease
and more people will grow old.
Advantages of the this demographic change
 Fewer children to look after.
 More workers to work for development of the country.
 More young and energetic workers.
 More old to give advice to the young.
 Better educational opportunities due to more room in schools.
Disadvantages
 More elderly to look after.
 More unemployment due to large working force.
  More taxes needed to support old people.
 Need of more old homes, more pensions etc.
Q. Explain why many people become ill in slums? [6]
 There is contaminated water which promotes mosquitoes growth which in its turn
promotes malaria.
 Unhygienic conditions so risk of typhoid.
 Lack of clean water.
 Dust causes air pollution which will lead to asthma and breathing disability.
 Congestion therefore easy spread of contaminated diseases.
 Fragile building, leaky roofs in slums so risk of bronchitis, pneumonia.
 Malnutrition due to poor food supply so no resistance to disease.
 Poverty or no jobs so unable to afford medical help.
 Illiteracy prevents them from being aware of ways to protect themselves against
diseases.
Self Help Schemes
Q. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of self-help schemes to improve slumps.
 Health environment so less diseases. .
 This will encourage people to better themselves and work harder.
 Can build better houses and so fewer slums.
 Better care of areas.
 Removes unwanted people so reduces crime rate.
Disadvantages
 High cost involved.
 Corruption (public money serves private interests)
 Takes time to achieve.
 High risk of failure in Pakistan.
 Attract more people from rural areas / more rural to urban migration.
 Need high literacy rate but Pakistan has low literacy rate?
Q. Explain how Relief, Rainfall, Rivers contributes to a high density of population in
Upper Indus Plane?
Relief [2 marks]
 Flat land so good for cultivation, mechanization, road building etc.
Rainfall [2 marks]
 Monsoon / high / enough rainfall.
 So plenty of water for rain fed / Barani farming, domestic and industrial use.
 Good air quality.
Rivers [2 marks]
 Indus and its tributaries.
 Bring silt and alluvium.
 Water for domestic and industrial use.
 Fishing.
 Perennial irrigation for agriculture.