Population Pyramid, Demographic Dividend, Migration and Settlement Patterns

Population Pyramid

Meaning

A Population Pyramid is a graphical representation showing:

• Age composition
• Sex composition
• Distribution of population across different age groups

It usually appears in the shape of a pyramid when the population is growing.It is also used in ecology to study:

• Age distribution of species
• Reproductive capability
• Continuity of species

Information Derived from Population Pyramid

The population pyramid helps in understanding:

• Percentage-wise age distribution
• Male-female composition
• Birth rate trends
• Death rate trends
• Working-age population
• Ageing population
• Dependency burden
• Whether population is growing, stable or declining

Information That Cannot Be Derived

The population pyramid does not provide:

• Exact size of the total population

It only reveals:

• Characteristics of population composition

Age Structure

Age structure refers to:

• Number of people in different age groups

It is an important indicator of:

• Population composition
• Workforce potential
• Dependency burden

Dependency Ratio

Meaning

Dependency ratio refers to the ratio between:

Dependent Population

• Below 15 years
• Above 65 years

and

Working-age Population

• 15–64 years

Interpretation of Population Pyramid

Large Working Population

A large share of population in:

• 15–59 years age group

indicates:

• Strong workforce potential

Ageing Population

A higher proportion above:

• 60 years

indicates:

• Elderly population
• Greater healthcare expenditure requirement

Youthful Population

A large proportion below:

• 15 years

indicates:

• High birth rate
• Young population structure

Demographic Dividend

Economic Survey 2011–12 Observations

India showed:

• Comparatively stronger growth in:
  • Total Factor Productivity (TFP)

than some countries.China’s growth occurred because of:

• High capital deployment
• Strong TFP growth

Requirement for India

To benefit from demographic transformation, India requires:

• Higher savings
• Increased investment
• Improved intrinsic productivity of jobs

This intrinsic productivity is called:

• Total Factor Productivity (TFP)

Measures Needed to Reap Demographic Dividend

India can benefit from demographic dividend through:

Sectoral Transition

• Agriculture → Manufacturing and Services

Structural Transition

• Unorganized sector → Organized sector

Skill Development

Skill development is considered crucial for:

• Productivity improvement
• Employment generation
• Demographic dividend realization

Rural and Urban Population (Census 2011)

Population Distribution

More than:

• Two-thirds of India’s population lived in rural areas.

Urbanization Trend

Urban population increased from:

EAG and Non-EAG States

Highest Urbanized Regions

Urban vs Rural Growth

The:

• Urban decadal growth rate

is higher than:

• Rural growth rate

Main reason:

• Increasing urbanization
• Expansion of urban areas

Contribution to Population Increase

Both:

• Rural areas
• Urban areas

contributed almost equally to total population increase:

• Around 91 million each

Demographic Condition at Independence

At the time of independence India had:

• High birth rate
• High death rate

These are considered indicators of:

• Backwardness

Birth and Death Rates

Infant Mortality Rate

Infant mortality refers to:

• Death of children below one year of age

It was:

• Around 18 per thousand live births

Life Expectancy

Life expectancy means:

• Average years a newborn is expected to live

At independence it was:

• Around 32 years

Literacy

Mass illiteracy was considered an indicator of:

• Poverty
• Social backwardness

Population Change

Population change refers to:

• Change in population size over time

Main determinants:

• Birth rate
• Death rate
• Migration

Birth Rate

Birth rate refers to:

• Number of live births per 1000 population

Death Rate

Death rate refers to:

• Number of deaths per 1000 population

Impact of Medical Advancement

Medical inventions:

• Improve life expectancy
• Reduce mortality rate

Natural Growth Rate

Natural growth rate is:

• Difference between birth rate and death rate

Rapid world population growth mainly occurred because of:

• Increase in natural growth rate

Migration

Migration refers to:

• Movement of people from one place to another

It can occur:

• Within countries
• Between countries

Emigrants

Emigrants are:

• People leaving a country

Increase in emigrants leads to:

• Reduction in population of origin area

Immigrants

Immigrants are:

• People entering a country

Migration Trend

General international migration trend:

• Less developed countries → More developed countries

Main reasons:

• Employment opportunities
• Better living conditions

Rural to Urban Migration

Within countries, migration mainly occurs:

• Rural → Urban

Main reasons:

• Employment
• Education
• Health facilities

Political Instability and Migration

Political instability pushes people out of countries, increasing:

• Emigration

and reducing population in that region.

Types of Migration

Net Migration

Net migration refers to:

• Difference between in-migrants and out-migrants

Push and Pull Factors

Push Factors

Conditions forcing people to leave:

• Lack of services
• Crime
• Insecurity

Pull Factors

Conditions attracting people:

• Employment
• Wealth
• Better opportunities

Migration in India

According to Census 2011:

• Uttar Pradesh and Bihar contributed highest number of migrants

About:

• 20.9 million people migrated outside these states

Major destinations:

• Delhi
• Mumbai

Dispersed Settlements

Meaning

Dispersed settlements are settlements where:

• Houses are physically separated
• Farmsteads are scattered over large areas

Causes of Dispersed Settlements

Mainly caused by:

• Physical factors
• Environmental conditions
• Topography
• Agricultural practices

Not primarily due to:

• Social or ethnic divisions

Regions with Dispersed Settlements

Common in:

• Uttarakhand
• Himachal Pradesh
• Kerala

Main reason:

• Hilly terrain
• Land distribution pattern

Important Concepts

Population Pyramid

Graphical representation of age-sex composition.

Dependency Ratio

Ratio of dependent population to working-age population.

Total Factor Productivity (TFP)

Intrinsic productivity of labour and capital.

Demographic Dividend

Economic growth potential resulting from increase in working-age population.

Conclusion

Population structure, migration patterns, demographic transition and settlement distribution are important indicators of socio-economic development. Population pyramids help understand age composition and dependency structure, while demographic dividend depends on productivity improvement, skill development and structural transformation of the economy.