Question.
Name three geographical factors that influence the distribution of population.
(Class 12 geography, Fundamentals of Human Geography, Chapter-2. The World Population Distribution, Density, and Growth )
Answer.
The population is the most valuable resource for any country because it is the population that uses the other resources of the country and decides its policy. Ultimately, a country is known for its population not the resources like gold. Like other resources, the population is not equally distributed on the earth. As per estimates, 90 % of the world population lives in 10 % of the geographical area of the earth.
The following are the three geographical factors that influence the distribution of population:
- Climate
- Topography
- Availability of water resources
Role of climate in the distribution of population:
Climate is the most influential geographical factor in the distribution of population.
There is low population density where there is an unfavorable climate. Hot deserts ( too hot climate), cold deserts ( too cold climate), and heavy rainfall areas are some examples of unfavorable climatic regions for the population. The Sahara Desert has a low population due to a very hot climate. The equatorial region has a low population due to heavy rainfall throughout the year. Tundra and Taiga region has a low population due to the cold climate.
People prefer to live in a region where there is a pleasant climate-neither too hot nor not too cold. Subtropical wet climates and wet temperate climates are favorable climates for the population. Mediterranean climates are thickly populated due to the pleasant climate.
Role of topography in the distribution of population:
Plain and gentle slope areas are preferable for human settlement because it is most suitable for agriculture and other activities. Most of the plain areas of the world ( like the Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra plain) are thickly populated regions.
Difficult terrain like Hilly, Mountainous, and plateau regions are sparsely populated as they are not suitable for human settlements and farming.
Role of water resources in the distribution of population:
Drinking water is the most valuable resource for the population as it is used for drinking, cleaning, irrigation, and other purposes.
People prefer to live where there is an abundance of drinking water. That is why river valleys are thickly populated regions of the world. Indo-Gangetic plain is an example of it.
Most civilizations in the world flourished on the bank of the major river systems. Indus civilization flourished on the bank of the Indus river and Egyptian civilization flourished on the bank of the Nile river.
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