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Class 9 NCERT Geography Chapter 4
Climate
Climate refers to the sum total of weather conditions
and variations over a large area for a long period of time
(more than thirty years).

• Weather refers to the state of the atmosphere over an

area at any point of time.

• Elements of Weather and Climate:

→ Temperature

→ Atmospheric pressure

→ Wind

→ Humidity

→ Precipitation Instagram
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Climatic Controls

• There are six major controls of the climate

of any place. They are:

→ Latitude

→ Altitude

→ Pressure and wind system

→ Distance from the sea (continentality)

→ Ocean currents

→ Relief features
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Factors affecting India's Climate
→ Latitude

→ Altitude

→ Pressure and Winds

Latitude

• The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of the country. Half of the
country lying south of the Tropic of Cancer, belongs to the tropical area.

Altitude

• The Himalayas prevent the cold winds from Central Asia from entering the
subcontinent. making winter milder as compared to central Asia.

Pressure and Winds

• Atmospheric conditions that govern climate and associated weather conditions

in India are:

→ Pressure and surface winds

→ Upper air circulation

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Upper Air Circulation

• The higher level of the atmosphere is dominated by a westerly flow. An

important component of this flow is the jet stream.

• Jet Streams are a narrow belt of high altitude westerly winds in the
troposphere (transition between troposphere and stratosphere.

Western cyclonic disturbances and tropical cyclones

• The western disturbances, which enter the Indian subcontinent from

the west and the northwest during the winter months, originate over the
Mediterranean Sea and are brought into India by the westerly jet stream.

• Tropical cyclones originate over the Bay of Bengal and the Indian
ocean.

• Tropical cyclones occur during the monsoon as well as in October-

November, and are part of the easterly flow. Instagram
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The Indian Monsoon

• Monsoon are seasonal winds which reverse their direction of flow with the change of
season.

• The climate of India is strongly influenced by monsoon winds.

Factors that affect the mechanism of Indian Monsoon

• Differential heating and cooling of land and water create low pressure on land while the sea
experiences high pressure.

• Shifting of Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) over the Ganga plain during summers.

• The intensity and position of high-pressure area towards the east of Madagascar
approximately at 20°S over the Indian Ocean affects the Indian Monsoon. affects the Indian
Monsoon.

• The heating up of the Tibetan plateau in summers creates low pressure above the plateau.

• The movement of the westerly jet stream to the north of the Himalayas and the presence of
the tropical easterly jet stream over the Indian peninsula during summer.

• Southern Oscillation.
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The Onset of the Monsoon and Withdrawal

• The duration of the monsoon is between 100-120 days from early June to mid-
September.

• When the monsoon arrives the normal rainfall increases suddenly and continues
constantly for several days. This is known as the ‘burst’ of the monsoon.

• It proceeds into two – the Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of Bengal branch.

• The Arabian Sea branch reaches Mumbai about ten days later on approximately the
10th of June.

• The Bay of Bengal branch also advances rapidly and arrives in Assam in the first
week of June.

• The withdrawal of the monsoon begins in northwestern states of India by early

September.

• By mid-October, it withdraws completely from the northern half of the peninsula.

• By December, the monsoons retreat completely from the rest of India.

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The Seasons

• Four main seasons can be identified in India

→ the cold weather season

→ the hot weather season

→ the advancing monsoon

→ the retreating monsoon

The Cold Weather Season (Winter)

• The season begins from mid-November and stays till February in northern India.

• Coldest months are December and January in the northern part of India.

The Hot Weather Season (Summer)

• The hot weather season in India ranges from March to May.

• Temperatures upto 48 degree Celsius are experienced in North India.

• In peninsular India, temperatures remain lower due to the moderating influence of the
oceans.

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Advancing Monsoon (The Rainy Season)

• By early June, the trade winds of the southern hemisphere get

attracted to the northen hemisphere due to the creation of low-
pressure condition there.

• Rainfall in the Ganga valley decreases from the east to the west.

• Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat get scanty rainfall.

Retreating/Post Monsoons (The Transition Season)

• During October-November, the movement of the sun towards South

causes the monsoon trough in the Northern Plains to become weaker.

• By early November, the low-pressure conditions, over north-western

India, get transferred to the Bay of Bengal which cause cycloninc
depressions.
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Monsoon as a Unifying Bond

• There is great diversity in the climatic conditions

due to location, extent and relief features.

• These monsoon winds bind the whole country

by providing water to set the agricultural activities
in motion.

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Answer the following questions briefly.
(i) What are the controls affecting the climate of India?
Answer:
The factors controlling the climate of India are
1. Humidity
2. Wind
3. Temperature
4. Atmospheric Pressure
5. Precipitation
(ii) Why does India have a monsoon type of climate?
Answer:
There are various reasons why India has a monsoon type of climate.
1. InterTropical Convergence Zone
2. El Nino
3. Jet Stream
4. Coriolois
(iii) Which part of India does experience the highest diurnal range of
temperature and why?
Answer:
The regions experiencing this phenomenon are in the northwestern part of
India. The reason behind this effect is the Thar desert. Moreover, this region
does not have an ocean to moderate the tempera Instagram
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(iv) Which winds account for rainfall along the Malabar Coast?
Answer:
Southwest monsoon winds are responsible for rainfall along the Malabar Coast.
(v) What are Jet streams and how do they affect the climate of India?
Answer:
Jet Streams are a narrow belt of high altitude (above 12,000 m) westerly winds
in the troposphere. Their speed varies from about 110 km/h in summer to about
184 km/h in winter. A number of separate jet streams have been identified. The
most constant is the mid-latitude and subtropical jet stream. They cause
depressions during the monsoon season.

(vi) Define monsoons.

What do you understand by “break” in monsoon?
Answer:
Breaks in monsoon are related to the movement of the monsoon trough. For
various reasons, the trough and its axis keep on moving northward or
southward, which determines the spatial distribution of rainfall. When the axis of
the monsoon trough lies over the plains, rainfall is good in these parts. On the
other hand, whenever the axis shifts closer to the Himalayas, there are longer
dry spells in the plains and widespread rain occurs in the mountainous
catchment areas of the Himalayan rivers. Instagram
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vii) Why is the monsoon considered a unifying bond?
Answer:
The unifying influence of the monsoon on the Indian
subcontinent is quite perceptible. The seasonal alteration of
the wind systems and the associated weather conditions
provide a rhythmic cycle of seasons. Even the uncertainties
of rain and uneven distribution are very much typical of the
monsoons. The Indian landscape, it’s animal and plants life
and the entire agricultural calendar and the life of the
people (including their festivities) revolves around this
phenomenon. Year after year, people of India from north to
south and from east to west, eagerly await the arrival of the
monsoon. These monsoon winds bind the whole country by
providing water to set the agricultural activities in motion.
The river valleys which carry this water also unite as a
single river valley unit. Instagram
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3. Why does the rainfall decrease from the east to the west in
Northern India?
Answer:
As they move in the direction, the winds lose the moisture content.
Hence the reason for the reduction in rainfall.
4. Give reasons as to why.
(i) Seasonal reversal of wind direction takes place over the Indian
subcontinent?
Answer:
1. Seasonal change in wind direction due to pressure difference.
2. El-Nino plays a major role.
(ii) The bulk of rainfall in India is concentrated over a few months.
Answer:
Rainfall is dependent on the South West Monsoon winds, it rapidly
progresses and covers large swathes of the country by July.
(iii) The Tamil Nadu coast receives winter rainfall.
Answer:
It is because of North-East monsoon winds. Instagram
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(iv) The delta region of the eastern coast is frequently struck by cyclones.
Answer:
The Bay of Bengal faces frequent pressure changes.
(v) Parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and the leeward side of the Western Ghats are
drought-prone.
Answer:
Because they fall in the rain shadow region of Aravali Mountains.
5. Describe the regional variations in the climatic conditions of India with the help of
suitable examples
Answer:
1. The cold weather season begins from mid-November in northern India and
stays till February. December and January are the coldest months in the
northern part of India. The temperature decreases from south to north. The
average temperature of Chennai, on the eastern coast, is between 24° – 25°
Celsius, while in the northern plains, it ranges between 10°C and 15° Celsius.
Days are warm and nights are cold. Frost is common in the north and the
higher slopes of the Himalayas experience snowfall
2. In March, the highest temperature is about 38° Celsius, recorded on the
Deccan plateau. In April, temperatures in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are
around 42° Celsius. In May, the temperature of 45° Celsius is common in the
northwestern parts of the country. In peninsular India, temperatures remain
lower due to the moderating influence of the oceans.
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6. Discuss the mechanisms of the monsoon.
Answer:
1. Due to Sun, there is differential heating of land
and water.
2. ITCZ shifts over Ganga plains during the
Summer.
3. The high-pressure area, east of Madagascar
affects the monsoon.
4. Due to strong vertical air currents and formation
of high pressure over Tibetan plateau, the
plateau gets intensely heated during the summer.
5. Southern Oscillation affects the monsoon.

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7. Give an account of weather conditions and characteristics of
the cold season.
Answer:
The cold weather season begins from mid-November in
northern India and stays till February. December and January
are the coldest months in the northern part of India. The
temperature decreases as we go from the south to the north.
The average temperature in Chennai, on the eastern coast, is
between 24° – 25° Celsius. Whereas in the northern plains, it
ranges between 10°C and 15° Celsius. Here, the days are
warm and nights are cold. Frost is common in the north and
the higher slopes of the Himalayas experience snowfall.
During this season, the northeast trade winds prevail over the
country. They blow from land to sea and hence, for the most
part of the country, it is a dry season. Some amount of rainfall
occurs on the Tamil Nadu coast from these winds as here they
blow from sea to land. Instagram
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In the northern part of the country, a feeble high-pressure region
develops, with light winds moving outwards from this area.
Influenced by the relief, these winds blow through the Ganga
valley from the west and the northwest. The weather is normally
marked by clear sky, low temperatures and low humidity and
feeble, variable winds. A characteristic feature of the cold
weather season over the northern plains is the inflow of cyclonic
disturbances from the west and the northwest. These low-
pressure systems originate over the Mediterranean Sea and
western Asia and move into India, along with the westerly flow.
They cause the much-needed winter rains over the plains and
snowfall in the mountains. Although the total amount of winter
rainfall (locally known as ‘Mahawat’) is small, they are of
immense importance for the cultivation of ‘rabi’ crops. The
peninsular region does not have a well-defined cold season.
There is hardly any noticeable seasonal change in temperature
pattern during winters due to the moderating influence of the
sea. Instagram
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8. Give the characteristics and effects of the monsoon rainfall
in India.
Answer:
The Monsoon, unlike the trades, are not steady winds but are
pulsating in nature, affected by different atmospheric
conditions encountered by it, on its way over the warm
tropical seas. The duration of the monsoon is between
100120 days from early June to mid-September. Around the
time of its arrival, the normal rainfall increases suddenly and
continues constantly for several days. This is known as the
‘burst’ of the monsoon and can be distinguished from the pre-
monsoon showers. The monsoon arrives at the southern tip of
the Indian peninsula, generally by the first week of June.
Subsequently, it proceeds into two – the Arabian Sea branch
and the Bay of Bengal branch. The Arabian Sea branch
reaches Mumbai about ten days later on approximately the
10th of June. This is a fairly rapid advance. Instagram
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The Bay of Bengal branch also advances rapidly and
arrives in Assam in the first week of June. The lofty
mountains cause the monsoon winds to deflect towards
the west over the Ganga plains. By mid-June, the Arabian
Sea branch of the monsoon arrives over Saurashtra-
Kachchh and the central part of the country. The Arabian
Sea and the Bay of Bengal branches of the monsoon
merge over the northwestern part of the Ganga plains.
Delhi generally receives the monsoon showers from the
Bay of Bengal branch by the end of June (tentative date is
29th of June). By the first week of July, western Uttar
Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and eastern Rajasthan
experience the monsoon. By mid-July, the monsoon
reaches Himachal Pradesh and the rest of the country.
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Class 9 NCERT Geography Chapter 5
Natural Vegetation and Wildlife
List of current member countries
Introduction

• India is one of the 17 mega bio-

diversity countries of the world. India
occupies 10th place in the world with
about 47,000 plant species and 4th in
Asia in plant diversity. 

• 15,000 flowering plants in India

constitutes 6 percent in the world’s
total number of flowering plants. India
also has approximately 90,000 species
of animals as well as a rich variety of
fish in its fresh and marine waters.
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• A plant community which has grown naturally without human aid is called
Natural vegetation.

• Natural vegetation that has been left undisturbed by humans for a long time
is called virgin vegetation.

• Flora is used to denote plants of a particular region or period and fauna is

species of animals of a particular region or period. Flora and fauna kingdom
constitute biodiversity of a particular region or period.

• Relief, Climate and Ecosystem are three factors for biodiversity.

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Relief

→ Land: The nature of land influences the type of

vegetation. Fertile lands supports agriculture
while undulating and rough terrains have
grassland and woodlands which give shelter to a
variety of wild life.

→ Soil: Different types of soils provide basis for

different types of vegetation. The sandy soils of
the desert support cactus and thorny bushes
while wet, marshy, deltaic soils support
mangroves and deltaic vegetation. The hill slopes
with some depth of soil have conical tree Instagram
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Climate

→ Temperature: The character and extent of vegetation

are mainly determined by temperature along with
humidity in the air, precipitation and soil.

→ Sunlight: Due to differences in latitude, altitude,

season and duration of the day there is variation in
duration of sunlight.

→ Precipitation (Rains): Areas of heavy rainfall have more

dense vegetation as compared to other areas of less
rainfall. In India, almost the entire rainfall is brought in by
the advancing southwest monsoon (June to September)
and retreating northeast monsoons.
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Ecosystem

• All the plants and animals in an area are interdependent and interrelated to each
other in their physical environment, thus, forming an ecosystem.

• A very large ecosystem on land having distinct types of vegetation and animal life is
called a biome.

• Importance of Forests:

→ These are renewable resources and play a major role in enhancing the quality of
environment.

→ They modify local climate, control soil erosion, regulate stream flow, support a
variety of industries, provide livelihood for many communities and offer panoramic or
scenic view for recreation.

→  It controls wind force and temperature and causes rainfall. It provides humus to
the soil and shelter to the wildlife.

• Natural vegetation in India has undergone many changes due to several factors
such as the growing demand for cultivated land, development of industries and
mining, urbanisation and over-grazing of pastures.

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Types of Vegetation

• Types of vegetation may be identified in

our country are:

(i) Tropical Evergreen Forests

(ii) Tropical Deciduous Forests

(iii) Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs

(iv) Montane Forests

(v) Mangrove Forests

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Tropical Evergreen Forests:

→ These forests are restricted to heavy rainfall areas of the Western

Ghats and the island groups of Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar,
upper parts of Assam and Tamil Nadu coast.

→ They grow in an area of 200 cm of rainfall with a short dry season.

→ The trees reach great heights up to 60 metres or even above.

→ These forests have rich vegetation of all kinds – trees, shrubs, and
creepers which give it a multilayered structure since the region is warm
and wet throughout the year.

→ The forests appear green all the year round because there is no
definite time for trees to shed their leaves.

→ Commercially important trees of this forest are ebony, mahogany,

rosewood, rubber and cinchona.

→ Common animals found in these forests are elephants, monkey,

lemur and deer. Plenty of birds, bats, sloth, scorpions and snails are also
found.
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Tropical Deciduous Forests

→ Most widespread forest in India.

→ These are also called the monsoon forests and spread over the region receiving
rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm.

→ Trees of this forest-type shed their leaves for about six to eight weeks in dry summer.

→ These forests are further divided into two types: Moist and Dry deciduous.

→ Moist deciduous: Found in areas receiving rainfall between 200 and 100 cm. Present
mostly in the

eastern part of the country – northeastern states, along the foothills of the Himalayas,
Jharkhand, West Orissa and Chhattisgarh, and on the eastern slopes of the Western
Ghats. Teak is the most dominant species of this forest. Commercially important
species are Bamboos, sal, shisham, sandalwood, khair, kusum, arjun, mulberry.

→ Dry deciduous: Found in areas having rainfall between 100 cm and 70 cm. Present in
the rainier parts of the peninsular plateau and the plains of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
There are open stretches in which Teak, Sal, Peepal, Neem grow. A large part of this
region has been cleared for cultivation and some parts are used for grazing. Common
animals found are lion, tiger, pig, deer and elephant also huge variety of birds, lizards,
snakes, and tortoises are found here.
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Tropical thorn forests and Scrubs

→ These are found in the region of with less than 70 cm

of rainfall.

→ The natural vegetation consists of thorny trees and

bushes. Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti are the
main plant species.

→ Trees are scattered and have long roots penetrating

deep into the soil to get moisture. The stems are
succulent to conserve water. Leaves are mostly thick
and small to minimize evaporation.

→ Common animals are rats, mice, rabbits, fox, wolf,

tiger, lion, wild ass, horses and camels.
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→ Montane forests have a succession of natural vegetation belts in the same

order as we see from the tropical to the Tundra region.

→ Between a height of 1000 and 2000 metres, wet temperate type of forests
containing evergreen broad-leaf trees such as oaks and chestnuts are
predominate.

→ Between 1500 and 3000 metres, temperate forests containing coniferous

trees like pine, deodar, silver fir, spruce and cedar, are found.

→ At higher elevations, temperate grasslands are common.

→ At high altitudes, generally more than 3,600 metres above sea-level, alpine
vegetation found which have silver fir, junipers, pines and birches trees
common.

→ Near snow line, shrubs and scrubs, they merge into the Alpine grasslands
which are used extensively for grazing by nomadic tribes like the Gujjars and
the Bakarwals.

→ At higher altitudes, mosses and lichens form part of tundra vegetation.

→ The common animals found in these forests are Kashmir stag, spotted dear,
wild sheep, jack rabbit, Tibetan antelope, yak, snow leopard, squirrels, Shaggy
horn wild ibex, bear and rare red panda, sheep and goats with thick hair.
Mangrove Forests

→ These forests are found in the areas of coasts

influenced by tides where mud and silt get accumulated.

→ Dense mangroves are the common varieties with

roots of the plants submerged under water. These are
deltas of the Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, the
Godavari and the Kaveri

→ In the Ganga- Brahamaputra delta, sundari trees are

found, which provide durable hard timber.

→ Palm, coconut, keora, agar, also grow in some parts of

the delta.

→ Royal Bengal Tiger is the famous animal also turtles,

crocodiles, gharials and snakes are found in these
forests. Instagram
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Wildlife

• India has about 2,000 species of birds which constitute 13% of

the world’s total. There are 2,546 species of fish, which account for
nearly 12% of the world’s stock. It also shares between 5 and 8
percent of the world’s amphibians, reptiles and mammals.

• Elephants are found in the hot wet forests of Assam, Karnataka

and Kerala.

• One-horned rhinoceroses live in swampy and marshy lands of

Assam and West Bengal.

• Rann of Kachchh is habitat of wild ass and camels are found in

Thar desert.

• Indian bison, nilgai (blue bull), chousingha (four horned antelope),

gazel and different species of deer are some other animals found in
India. Instagram
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India is the only country in the world that has both tigers and lions. Gir
forest in Gujrat is the natural habitat of lion whereas Tigers are found in
the forests of Madhya Pradesh, the Sundarbans of West Bengal and the
Himalayan region.

• The Himalayas harbour a hardy range of animals, which survive in

extreme cold.

• Ladakh’s freezing high altitudes are a home to yak, the shaggy horned
wild ox weighing

around one tonne, the Tibetan antelope, the bharal (blue sheep), wild
sheep, and the kiang (Tibetan wild ass). The ibex, bear, snow-leopard
and very rare red panda are found in certain parts.

• In the rivers, lakes and coastal areas, turtles, crocodiles and gharials are
found.

• Birds like Peacocks, pheasants, ducks, parakeets, cranes and pigeons

are some of the birds inhabiting the forests and wetlands of the country.
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Conservation of Flora and Fauna

• The excessive exploitation of the plants and animal

resources by human beings, disturbed the ecosystem. About
1,300 plant species are endangered and 20 species are
extinct also few animals are endangered and some have
become extinct.

• Causes of this threats are:

→ Hunting by greedy hunters for commercial purposes.

→ Pollution due to chemical and industrial waste and acid

deposits

→ Introduction of alien species

→ Reckless cutting of the forests to bring land under

cultivation and inhabitation.
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Governmental steps to protect flora and fauna of country
are:

→ Fourteen biosphere reserves have been set up in the country

to protect flora and fauna.

→  Financial and technical assistance is provided to many

Botanical Gardens by the government since 1992.

→ Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard

and many other eco- developmental projects have been
introduced.

→ 89 National Parks, 490 Wildlife sanctuaries and Zoological

gardens are set up to take care of Natural heritage.

• The Sunderbans in the West Bengal, Nanda Devi in

Uttarakhand, the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu and the Nilgiris
(Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) have been included in the
world network of Biosphese reserves. Instagram
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1. Why are the southern slopes in Himalayan region covered with
thick vegetation cover as compared to northern slopes of the same
hills?

Answer

The northern slopes of the hills in Himalayan region are at high

altitude and have low temperature or are snow covered. This does
not allow much vegetation. In the southern part of the hills there are
plains and valleys watered by rivers and with fertile soil and pleasant
temperature levels all required for dense growth of vegetation.

2. Why have the western slopes of the Western Ghats covered with
thick forests and not the eastern slopes?

Answer

The westward facing slopes receive much more rain than the
eastward facing slopes and the Western Ghats are considerably
wetter than the dry Deccan to the east. Instagram
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Answer the following questions briefly.

(i) Define an ecosystem.

(ii) What factors are responsible for the distribution of plants and animals in India?

(iii) What is a bio-reserve? Give two examples.

(iv) Name two animals having habitat in different types of vegetation.

Answer

(i) All the plants and animals in an area are interdependent on each other. The plants and
animals, alongwith their physical environment make the ecosystem. Interrelation
between plants and animals in the natural environment is called Ecosystem.

(ii) Factors responsible for the distribution of plants and animals in India are:

(a) Relief: Land and soil

(b) Climate: Temperature, Humidity, Photoperiod and Precipitation.

(iii) Bio-reserves are the large areas where vegetation, wildlife and the environment are
conserved to preserve the biological diversity. In totality there are 14 bio-reserves in
India. For e.g. Sunderbans Bio-reserve in West Bengal and Nanda Devi Bio-reserve in
Uttaranchal.

(iv) Tropical animals: Tiger, Elephant

Montane animals: Snow Leopard, Spotted dear Instagram

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4. Name different types of vegetation found in India and
describe the vegetation of high altitudes.

Answer

The different types of vegetation found in India are:

(i) Tropical Evergreen Forests

(ii) Tropical Deciduous Forests

(iii) Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs

(iv) Montane Forests

(v) Mangrove Forests

Alpine vegetation is found at places over 3,600 m in height.

The trees common to these are silver fir, junipers, pines and
birches. The trees get stunted as they reach the snow line.
There are shrubs and scrubs that ultimately merge into Alpine
grasslands. Tundra vegetation is limited to lichens and
mosses.
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5. Quite a few species of plants and animals are
endangered in India. Why?

Answer

Few species of plants and animals are

endangered in India because of:

→ Increase in population.

→ Urbanization and Industrialization.

→ Large scale deforestation.

→ Pollution.

→ Hunting for pleasure and commercial purpose,

etc.
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6. Why has India a rich heritage of flora and fauna?

Answer

India has a rich heritage of flora and fauna due to following reasons:

→ India is a diverse country with different relief features (i.e. mountains,

plateaus, plains, etc.) Different types of vegetations are found in these
regions and the vegetations support different type of animals.

→ Availability of different types of soil providing base for different type

of vegetations.

→ Variation in the climatic conditions (Temperature, humidity, etc.).

Climate of India differs from north to south and east to west. Thus,
supporting large variety of flora and fauna.

→ India has a monsoon type of climate where rainfall varies from 20

cms to 300 cms distributed through out the year supporting large
amount of flora and fauna.

→ Variation in the duration of sunlight at different places due to

difference in the latitude and altitude.

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Class 9 NCERT Geography Chapter 6
Population
Introduction

• People make and use resources.

They are also considered as
resources having different quality.

• Population (total number of

persons inhabiting a particular
place like city, state, country etc.) is
the central element in social
studies. It is the point of reference
from which all other elements are
observed.

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• Human beings are producers as well as consumers of the
resources so information about population of a country
such as their size, distribution are important.

• A census is an official enumeration of population done

periodically. In India the first census was held in the year
1872.

• The census of India provides us with information

regarding the population of our country. The data provided
by the census cover below three major questions about the
population:

→ Population size and distribution

→ Population growth and processes of population change

→ Characteristics or qualities of the population Instagram

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Size and distribution

• As per March 2001, India’s population stood at 1,028

million, which account for 16.7 percent of the world’s
population.

• According to the data, Uttar Pradesh is the most populous

state of India with a population size of 166 million, which
account for 16 percent of total India's population.

• Sikkim's population - 0.5 million (5 lakhs) while

Lakshadweep has 60 thousand people.

• The five states Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West

Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh holds almost half of Indian
population (48.8%). Instagram
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India’s Population Distribution by Density

• Population density is calculated as the number of

persons per unit area.

• The population density of India in the year 2001

was 324 persons per sq km making it one of the
most densely populated countries of the world.

• Densities vary from 904 persons per sq km in West

Bengal to only 13 persons per sq km in Arunachal
Pradesh.

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• The reason for scarce (thinly distributed)
population in some states such as Meghalaya,
Orissa etc. are rugged terrain and unfavourable
climatic conditions.

• Hilly, dissected and rocky nature of the terrain,

moderate to low rainfall, shallow and less fertile
soils have influenced population in Assam and most
of the Peninsular states.

• The Northern Plains and Kerala in the south have

high to very high population densities because of
the flat plains with fertile soils and abundant rainfall.
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Population Growth

• Population Growth refers to the change in the number of

inhabitants of a country or territory during a specific period
of time, say during the last ten years. 

• The change can be expressed in two ways

→ in terms of absolute numbers

→ in terms of percentage change per year

• The absolute number is calculated by simply subtracting

the earlier population (e.g. that of 1991) from the later
population (e.g. that of 2001). It is referred to as the
absolute increase.

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• The rate of population is studied in percent per annum,
e.g. a rate of increase of 2 percent per annum means that
in a given year, there was an increase of two persons for
every 100 persons in the base population. This is referred
to as the annual growth rate.

• India’s population has been steadily increasing from 361

million in 1951 to 1028 million in 2001.

• Since 1981, however, the rate of growth started declining

gradually as birth rates declined rapidly. But India has a
very large population so when a low annual rate is applied
to a very large population, it yields a large absolute
increase.

• At this growth rate, India may overtake China in 2045 to

become the most populous country in the world. Instagram
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Processes of Population Change/Growth

• There are three main processes of change of

population: birth rates, death rates and migration.

• Birth rate is the number of live births per

thousand persons in a year. In India, birth rates
have always been higher than death rates.

• Death rate is the number of deaths per

thousand persons in a year. In India, there is rapid
decline in death rates which is the main cause
of growth of the Indian population.

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• Till 1980, high birth rates and declining death rates resulted
in higher rate of population growth but since 1981, birth rates
have also started declining gradually, resulting in a gradual
decline in the rate of population growth.

• Migration is the movement of people across regions and

territories. This can be internal (within the country) or
international (between the countries).

• Internal migration does not change the size of the

population, but changes the distribution of population within
the nation.

• In India, most migrations have been from rural to urban

areas because of adverse conditions of poverty and
unemployment in the rural areas and increased employment
opportunities and better living conditions in city.
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• Effects of Migrations:
→ It changes the population size.

→ It also changes the population composition of

urban and rural populations in terms of age and sex
composition.

• In India, the rural-urban migration has resulted in a

steady increase in the percentage of population in
cities and towns.

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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.

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Sex Ratio

• Sex ratio is defined as the number of females per 1000 males in the population.

• Importance: measuring the extent of equality between males and females in a

society at a given time. In India, sex ratio has always remained unfavourable to
females.

• Census year with Sex ratio:

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Literacy rates

• According to the Census of 2001, a person

aged 7 years. and above who can read and
write with understanding in any language, is
treated as literate. Low levels of literacy are a
serious obstacle for economic improvement.

• The literacy rate in the country as per the

Census of 2001 is 64.84 per cent; 75.26 per
cent for males and 53.67 percent for females.

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Occupational Structure

• The distribution of the population according to different

types of occupation is referred to as the occupational
structure.

• Occupations are generally classified into three categories:

→ Primary activities (related to land): It includes agriculture,

animal husbandry, forestry, fishing, mining and quarrying
etc.

→ Secondary activities (related to industry): It includes

manufacturing industry, building and construction work
etc.
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→ Tertiary activities (related to services): include transport,
 communications, commerce, administration and other
services.

• Developed nations have a high proportion of people in

secondary, and tertiary activities while developing
nations have a higher proportion of their workforce engaged
in primary activities.

•  In India, about 64 percent of the population is engaged

only in agriculture. 13 percent are dependent on secondary
and 20 percent are on tertiary sectors.

• In recent times, people are moving towards secondary and

tertiary sectors because of growing industrialisation and
urbanisation in recent times.

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Health

• Health is an important component of population composition, which affects the

process of development.

• There has been a significant improvement in health conditions in India. Death rates
have declined from 25 per 1000 population in 1951 to 8.1 per 1000 in 2001 and life
expectancy at birth has increased from 36.7 years in 1951 to 64.6 years in 2001.

• The improvement is due to:

→ Improvement in public health

→ Prevention of infectious diseases

→ Application of modern medical practices in diagnosis and treatment of ailments.

• Health is still a major concern for India because:

→ The per capita calorie consumption is much below the recommended levels and
malnutrition afflicts a large percentage of our population.

→ Safe drinking water and basic sanitation amenities are available to only one- third of
the rural population.
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Adolescent Population

• The age-group of 10 to 19 years are considered as

Adolescent Population. It constitutes one-fifth of the total
population of India.

• They are most important future resources for any country.

Nutrition requirements of adolescents are higher than those of
a normal child or adult.

• In India, the diet available to adolescents is inadequate in all

nutrients. A large number of adolescent girls suffer
from anaemia (deficiency of red blood cells or haemoglobin).

• The awareness can be improved through the spread of

literacy and education among adolescent girls.
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National Population Policy

• The Government of India initiated the comprehensive Family Planning

Programme in 1952 for improving individual health and welfare.

• It sought to promote responsible and planned parenthood on a voluntary

basis.

• National Population Policy (NPP) 2000 is the peak of years of planned efforts.

What NPP aims at?

→ It provides a policy framework for imparting free and compulsory school

education up to 14 years of age,

→ Reducing infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1000 live births

→ Achieving universal immunisation of children against all vaccine-preventable

diseases,

→ Promoting delayed marriage for girls

→ Making family welfare a people-centered programme. Instagram

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Relation between NPP 2000 and Adolescents

• NPP 2000 identified adolescents as one of the major sections

of the population that need greater attention.

• Besides nutritional requirements, the policy put greater

emphasis on other important needs of adolescents including
protection from unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted
diseases (STD).

• The programmes started by NPP 2000 for adolescents aims at:

→ Encouraging delayed marriage and child-bearing.

→ Education of adolescents about the risks of unprotected sex.

→ Making contraceptive services accessible and affordable.

→ Providing food supplements, nutritional services.

→ Strengthening legal measures to prevent child marriage.

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1. What could be the reasons of uneven distribution of population in India.

Answer

The reasons of uneven distribution of population in India are:

(i) Topography

(ii) Climate

(iii) Basic Facilities such as education, health, electricity etc.

(iv) Employment opportunities

2. Table 6.1 reveals that despite the decline growth rates, the numbers of
people being added every decade is steadily increasing. Why?

Answer

Increased facilities provided comfortable life to people and better medical

facilities that have brought down the death rate is the cause for an
increase in people being added every decade despite the decline in
growth rate.

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3. What could be the reasons for such (sex ratio) variations?

Answer

The reasons for such (sex ratio) variations due to:

→ Society structure: Indian society is male dominant

society. The people here have remained in favour of a male
child leading to female foeticide and dowry problems which
make people think of female children as a burden.

→ Illiteracy: India's literacy level is very low. They don't have

proper education and discriminate between male and female
children. In states like Kerala there are well-educated people
who also follow matriarchal society rules and sex ratio in
Kerala is 1058 females per 1000 males.
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Answer the following questions briefly.
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(i) Why is the rate of population growth in India declining since 1981?

(ii) Discuss the major components of population growth.

(iii) Define age structure, death rate and birth rate.

(iv) How is migration a determinant of population change?

Answer

(i) The rate of population growth has been declining as a result of greater use of birth
control measures.

(ii) The major components of population growth are Birth Rate, Death Rate and
Migration. The difference between birth rate and death rate accounts for natural
increase in population. Immigration refers to the inflow of people into a region from
other regions.

(iii) The age structure of a population refers to the number of people in different age
groups in that population.

Birth rate is the number of live births per thousand persons in a year.

Death rate is the number of deaths per thousand persons in a year.

(iv) Migration is the movement of people across regions and territories. It is a

determinant factor of population change as it changes the demographics (size and
composition) of both the areas of departure and arrival.

4. What is the relation between occupational structure

and development?

Answer

Development is related to occupational structure of the

population. Countries are less developed where a higher
percentage of population is engaged in primary
occupations like agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry
and fishing.

As development takes place more people move into

secondary occupations like manufacturing.In highly
developed societies, there are a high percentage of
people involved in tertiary occupations like banking,
commerce, transport and administration.

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5. Distinguished

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6. What are the advantages of having a healthy
population?

Answer

The advantages of having a healthy population are:

→ A healthy individual is much more efficient and

productive than an unhealthy individual.

→ He or she is able to realise his or her potential, and

play an important role in social and national
development.

→ Absenteeism is low where the workers are healthy.

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7. What are the significant features of the National Population Policy
2000?

Answer

The National Population Policy 2000 provides a policy framework for:

→ Imparting free and compulsory school education up to 14 years of

age.

→ Reducing infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1000 live births.

→ Achieving universal immunisation of children against all vaccine-

preventable diseases.

→ Promoting delayed marriage and child bearing.

→ Making family welfare a people-centred programme.

→ Providing nutritional services and food supplements to adolescents.

→ Protecting adolescents from unwanted pregnancies and sexually-

transmitted diseases, and educating them about the risks of
unprotected sex.

→ Making contraceptive services accessible and affordable. Instagram

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