Lesson 10-Human Resources

1. Which are the 3 age groups of population?

 The three age groups of population are 0−14 years (children), 15–64 years
(workingpopulation) and 65 years and above (old people).

2. What do you mean by sex ratio?

 Sex ratio is the ratio between males and females in the total population. It
is defined as the number of females per thousand males in the population of
a region.

3. Why are the rivers valleys densely populated?

 Water is essential for the survival of plants, animals and human beings.
 Also, fertilesoils of the valleys support agriculture.
 Hence, most settlements tend to develop along sources of water like rivers and lakes.
Hence, river valleys are densely populated.

4. Distinguish between birth rate and death rate.

 Birth rate is calculated as the number of births per thousand persons in a year
whereas death rate is calculated as the number of deaths per thousand persons in a
year.

5. How can you say human beings are the most important of all resources?

 Human beings are the most important of all resources because they add
value to the natural resources of a nation and convert them to wealth with
their knowledge and skill.
 All materials available in our natural environment became resources only
when humans put them to use and attached some value to them.
 Therefore, we cansay that human beings are the most important of all
resources.
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6. Name the regions of low population density in the world.

 The regions having low population density are:

 Equatorial regions: Thickly forested regions of the Amazon and the
Congo basins
 Polar regions: Ice-capped Antarctica and the Tundra region
 High mountain regions: the Himalayas, Alps, Rockies and Andes
 Desert regions: hot and cold deserts like Sahara, Kalahari and Namib, Gobi,
Takla Makan, Arabian and Thar, Mexican and Colorado, Atacama and
Patgoniaand the Great Australian Desert.

7. What are the economic and social factors that affect the distribution of population?
Explain any 2.

 The economic and social factors that influence the distribution of

population aremineral resources, industries, transport facilities,
urbanisation and government policies.
 Mineral resources: The regions rich in mineral resources attract people and
thushave high density of population. Uranium City in northern Canada,
Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie gold mines in Western Australia are examples of
population concentration in otherwise barren areas.
 Industries: Development of industries provides employment opportunities
andhence, attracts people. Therefore, these regions have high population
density. An example is the north-eastern part of the USA.

8. Discuss the physical factors that influence the distribution of population?

 The physical factors that influence the distribution of population are:

 Topography: Flat, level lands are suitable for agriculture, industries,
development of roads and railways and construction of buildings. Hence,
plainshave maximum concentration of population. On the other hand,
plateaus have comparatively less population because of their rough terrain.
The rugged relief and inaccessibility of the mountains make them sparsely
populated.
 Climatic conditions: Moderate climatic conditions are favourable while
extremes of climate are unfavourable for human habitation. This is why
the Polar Regions, which are too cold, and the deserts, which are too hot
and dry,support very little population.
 Natural vegetation: Dense forests are inaccessible and are therefore,
largelyuninhabited. For example, the Amazon and Congo basins.
 Soils: Owing to their ability to support agriculture, regions with fertile
soils have dense population. All ancient civilizations had developed along
river valleys. For example, the Indus Valley Civilization along the River
 Indus andthe Egyptian Civilization along the River Nile.
 Availability of water: Water is essential for the survival of plants, animals
and humans, most settlements tend to develop along the sources of water
like rivers and lakes. For example, the Great Lakes in the USA, river valleys
like the Ganga,the Mekong and the Rhine are densely populated.

9. Explain the factors that bring about a change in population?

 The following are the factors that bring about a change in population:
 Difference in birth rate and death rate:
 When the birth rate is more than the death rate, there is an increase in
population.
 Birth rate is the number of live births per thousand persons in a year and
death rate is the number of deaths per thousand persons in a year.
 The difference between the birth rate and deathrate is called the natural
growth rate.
 It indicates whether the population has increased or decreased.
 The annual growth rate of population is expressed as a percentage.
 For example, the developed nations like the USA, UK, Canada, Russia,
Japan, Australia and New Zealand have low growth rate of population. This
is because they have low birth rate and advanced medical facilities have
kept the death rate low too.
 On the other hand, the developing and underdeveloped countries like
India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico and Ethiopia have high growth
rate of population as their birth rate is high death rate is low due to
improved medical facilities.
 Migration of people into or out of a country:
 The size of population is also affected by migration of people into or out of
a country.
 Emigration is the movement of people out of a country. It reduces the
number of population.
 On the other hand, immigration is the movement of people into a country.
It results inan increase in the number of population.
 Population also increases when the number of people migrating into a
country exceeds the number migrating out of it.
 People generally migrate from less developed nations to the more
developed ones in search of better employment opportunities.
 Within a country allarge number of people may migrate from rural to urban
areas in search of employment, better healthcare and education facilities.