Population chapter 6 class 9 is full with old obsolete facts and numbers. These numbers are not important for examination point of view. Yet many memorize it, just waste of time.
Therefore we have created this short notes “Population Class 9 Short Notes”. It is written only keeping in mind the most asked questions from the chapter and the other importnat points.
Why Population Matters in Social Studies
People are the most important resource not just users, but creators of value.
→ Coal is just a piece of rock until people use technology to turn it into a usable resource.
→ A flood or tsunami is just a natural event — it becomes a disaster only when it affects human settlements.
Nothing has meaning without people.
→ Resources only exist because humans transform nature through knowledge and labour.
→ Calamities and disasters are socially defined — they require human presence to be meaningful.
→ Without people, there are no economies, no cultures, no societies.
Population is the pivotal element in social studies.
→ All other concepts — resources, environment, development, planning — are observed and understood in relation to people.
→ Population gives significance and meaning to every other idea in social science.
four key aspects of population:
- Numbers — How many people are there?
- Distribution — Where do they live? (urban/rural, coastal/inland)
- Growth — Why are numbers increasing or decreasing? (birth rate, death rate, migration)
- Characteristics — Who are they? (age, sex, literacy, occupation, health)
The Census of India is the official source of this data.
→ It provides the basic background needed to plan schools, hospitals, transport, and resource allocation.
Population Size and Distribution
Per 2011 Census –
Uttar Pradesh – most populous state
Uttar Pradesh = 16 per cent of India’s total population.
Sikkim and Lakshadweep — among the smallest populations in the country.
Almost half of India’s total population
lives in only five states:
→ Uttar Pradesh
→ Maharashtra
→ Bihar
→ West Bengal
→ Andhra Pradesh
Rajasthan is the largest state in terms of geographical area, but it has only 5.5 per cent of India’s total population, indicating uneven population distribution.
Also Read | Poverty as a challenge short notes
Population Distribution by Density
- Population density = how people are distributed across space.
- number of persons per unit area (persons per square kilometre).
- In 2011, the average population density = 382 persons per sq km.
- Bihar has the highest density — due to fertile land and high agricultural output.
- Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest density — due to difficult terrain and climate.
States with Low Population Density (<250 persons/km)
States with density below 250 persons per sq km include:
→ Arunachal Pradesh
→ Mizoram
→ Sikkim
→ Himachal Pradesh
→ Jammu and Kashmir (now Union Territories)
→ Rajasthan
→ Odisha (parts)
These areas have sparse population due to:
→ Rugged terrain
→ Unfavourable climatic conditions
→ Inaccessibility and limited infrastructure
States with Moderate Population Density
- Assam and most Peninsular states (like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Chhattisgarh) have moderate population densities.
This is due to:
→ Hilly, dissected, and rocky terrain
→ Moderate to low rainfall
→ Shallow and less fertile soils
→ Limited agricultural potential compared to the plains
States with High to Very High Population Density
- The Northern Plains — especially Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal — have high to very high population densities.
- Kerala in the south also has very high density.
Reasons for high
density in these regions:
→ Flat plains ideal for agriculture and transport
→ Fertile alluvial soils support intensive farming
→ Abundant rainfall ensures reliable crop production
→ Long history of settlements, urbanisation, and economic activity
Population Growth And Processes Of Population Change
Population is a dynamic phenomenon — its numbers, distribution, and composition constantly change over time.
This change results from
the interaction of three key processes:
→ Births
→ Deaths
→ Migration
What Is Population Growth?
Population growth refers to the change in the number of inhabitants of a country or territory during a specific period (e.g., 10 years).
It can be measured in two ways:
- Absolute increase — the actual number of people added (e.g., 2011 population minus 2001 population).
- Annual growth rate — expressed as a percentage per year (e.g., 2% per annum means 2 additional people for every 100 in the base population).
→ The large addition of population strains resources and hampers environmental conservation.
- Despite a declining trend in the growth rate (due to birth control efforts), total population additions remain high.
Three Processes of Population Change
1. Birth Rate
- Birth rate = number of live births per thousand persons per year.
- Birth rates have always been higher than death rates in India.
- It is a major component of population growth.
2. Death Rate
- Death rate = number of deaths per thousand persons per year.
- The main cause of rapid population growth till 1980 was the sharp decline in death rates (due to better healthcare, sanitation, and public health measures), while birth rates remained high.
- Natural increase = Birth rate – Death rate.
→ This difference drove high population growth in the past. - Since 1981, birth rates have also declined gradually, leading to a slower rate of population growth.
3. Migration
- Migration = movement of people across regions or territories.
→ Can be internal (within India) or international (between countries). - Internal migration does not change total population size, but reshapes distribution — e.g., from rural to urban areas.
- Rural-to-urban migration is driven by:
→ Push factors: poverty, unemployment, and lack of infrastructure in villages.
→ Pull factors: better jobs, education, healthcare, and living conditions in cities. - Migration changes the population composition — especially age and sex structure of urban and rural areas.
Adolescent Population
- The most significant feature of the Indian population is the large size of its adolescent population.
- Adolescents = 20% of India’s total population.
- Adolescents = age group of 10 to 19 years.
- Most important human resource for India’s future — representing tomorrow’s workers, parents, and citizens.
- Nutrition requirements of adolescents are higher than those of both normal children and adults due to rapid physical growth, mental development, and hormonal changes.
- Poor nutrition during adolescence can lead to:
→ Nutritional deficiency
→ Stunted growth
→ Reduced learning capacity
→ Long-term health problems - In India, the diet available to adolescents is inadequate in all essential nutrients — including proteins, vitamins, iron, and calcium.
- A large number of adolescent girls suffer from anaemia due to iron deficiency, especially during menstruation.
- Adolescent girls need to be sensitised to the challenges they face, including health, education, early marriage, and gender inequality.
- Awareness among adolescents can be significantly improved through the spread of literacy and universal access to education.
National Population Policy
- Recognising that family planning improves individual health and welfare, the Government of India launched a comprehensive Family Planning Programme in 1952.
- The Family Welfare Programme aimed to promote responsible and planned parenthood on a voluntary basis — not through coercion, but through awareness and choice.
- The National Population Policy (NPP) 2000 represents the culmination of decades of planned population-related efforts in India.
- The NPP 2000 provides a policy framework with the following key objectives:
→ Free and compulsory school education up to 14 years of age
→ Reduction of infant mortality rate (IMR) to below 30 per 1,000 live births
→ Universal immunisation of children against all vaccine-preventable diseases
→ Promotion of delayed marriage for girls (to improve health and education outcomes)
→ Making family welfare a people-centred programme — focused on health, rights, and empowerment, not just population control - The policy shifts focus from population control to holistic human development, linking reproductive health, education, child survival, and gender equity.
