Population Test - 6

A large proportion of children in a population is a result of high birth rates. The birth rate is the total number of live births per 1000 of a population in a year. The birth rate are used to calculate population growth . There are many causes of high birth rate in India for eg; Early and Universal Marriage, preference for male child, joint family system, climatic factor, poverty, high infant mortality, inadequate supply of family welfare services, inadequate recreational facilities, effect of religion and agricultural occupation etc.

In 1999, less than 30 years later, the population doubled to 6 billion. The main reason for this growth was that with better food supplies and medicine, deaths were reducing, while the number of births still remained fairly high.

The change in the population size of a country during a specific period of time is called Population growth. The growth of population in a region depends upon fertility, mortality and migration. Fertility or the birth rate is measured in terms of total number of live births per thousand population per year. Mortality or the death rate is measured in terms of total number of deaths per thousand population per year and the difference between two rates is called the natural growth rate. The term migration refers to the movement of people from one area to the other or from one country to another. The rate of migration affects the growth of population of a region by increasing or decreasing the number of people living there.

• India’s population as on 1 March 2001 stood at 1,028 million (532.1 million males and 496.4 million females).
  
• As per Census 2011, India's population stood at 1,21,05,69,573.
  
• India accounts for a meagre 2.4 per cent of the world surface area of 135.79 million sq km. Yet, it supports and sustains a whopping 17.5 per cent of the world population.
  

• Rajasthan is India's largest state by area. It is located on the north-western side of the country,
  
• The northwestern portion of Rajasthan is generally sandy and dry.
  
• The Thar Desert is thinly populated.
  
• According to the final results of the 2011 census of India  Rajasthan has a total population of 68,548,437.
  

• Sex Ratio in Kerala is 1084 i.e. for each 1000 male, which is below national average of 940 as per census 2011. 
  
• In 2001, the sex ratio of female was 1058 per 1000 males in Kerala.
  

Age Composition

• The age composition of a population refers to the number of people in different age groups in a country.

• The number and percentage of a population found within the children, working age and aged groups are notable determinants of the population’s social and economic structure.

• Population of country can be grouped into three categories:

→ Children (below 15 years): economically unproductive, need to be provided with food, clothing, education and medical care. Comprises 34.4% of total India's population.

→ Working Age (15-59 years): economically productive and biologically reproductive. Considered as working population. Comprises 6.9% of total India's population.

→ Aged (Above 59 years): can be economically productive though they may have retired. May be working but they are not available for employment through recruitment. Comprises 58.7% of total India's population.