Question.
What are the causes of the uneven distribution of population in the world?
( Chapter - 6 Human Resources, Cass 8 NCERT, Resources and Development ( Geography) )
Answer.
Like other resources, populations( which is one type of resource) are unevenly distributed in the world. As per estimates, about 90 percent of the world's population lives in about 30 percent of land areas of the world. Some regions like South Asia, South East Asia, East Asia, and Europe are highly populated regions whereas some regions like the high latitude region of Russia and Canada, equatorial forested regions, tropical deserts, and high mountain regions have very low populations.
The following factors cause the uneven distribution of population in the world:
- Geographical factors( topography, Climate, soil, water, and minerals).
- Social, cultural, and economic factors.
Topography's role in the uneven distribution of population in the world:
People do not prefer to live in mountainous and plateau regions; they always prefer to live in plains areas as the plain area is most suitable for farming, manufacturing, and services activities.
That is why the Ganga plains are the most densely populated region of the world and the Himalayas, Andes, and Rocky regions are sparsely populated regions.
Role of Climate in the uneven distribution of population in the world:
People do not like extreme climates like very hot like the Sahara desert or very cold like the polar region of Russia and Canada.
That is why the region with subtropical and temperate climate has densely populated region whereas equatorial and polar climate has sparsely populated region.
Role of soil in the uneven distribution of population in the world:
Fertile land attracts people as they provide suitable land for agriculture, which is why fertile plain land such as the Ganga plain and Brahmaputra plains in India and Hwang-He, Chang Jiang in China, and the Nile plain of Egypt are densely populated region.
Role of water in the uneven distribution of population in the world:
People prefer to live where freshwater is easily available, which is why the river valley is densely populated and the desert region is sparsely populated.
Role of Minerals in the uneven distribution of population in the world:
The Discovery of mineral deposits attracted the people's settlements as it attracts the mining employment opportunities and industrial set-up in the mineral-rich areas, that is why diamond mines in South Africa and the discovery of oil in the middle east leads to the migration of people in these areas.
Role of social factors in the uneven distribution of population in the world:
Social factors like better housing, better education facilities, better health facilities, and social stability attract human settlement which is why the region is denser whereas the region with the socially tense environment makes sparsely populated; for example, Afghanistan has a sparsely populated region.
Role of cultural factors in the uneven distribution of population in the world:
The region with cultural and religiously significant attract people. Varanasi, Jerusalem, and Vatican City are some examples of densely populated regions.
Role of Economic factors in the uneven distribution of population in the world:
Industrial areas provide large employment opportunities, which is why industrialized cities like Mumbai and Osaka are densely populated.
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