Selina Concise Solutions for ICSE Class 8 Geography Chapter 2 Population

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

Question 1: ........ has the largest population in the world.
Answer: China
China is currently the nation with the most residents on Earth, though India is very close behind. Having a large population means a country has a vast workforce but also needs many resources like food and water.
Teacher's Tip: To remember the top countries, think of the "Big Three" as China, India, and the USA.
Exam Tip: Always underline the word you write in the blank to make your answer sheet look neat.

Question 2: ........ is number of deaths per year per 1,000 of the population.
Answer: Death rate
This term helps scientists understand the health and safety conditions of a specific area. A high death rate often suggests that medical facilities or living conditions need to be improved.
Teacher's Tip: Think of "Rate" as a measurement used to compare different groups of people fairly.
Exam Tip: Remember that "rate" is always calculated per 1,000 people, not per 100.

Question 3: ........ is the number of years that a person is likely to live.
Answer: Life expectancy
This number represents the average age people reach before they pass away in a certain country. It usually increases as a country gets better hospitals and cleaner drinking water.
Teacher's Tip: Associate "Expectancy" with what we "expect" to happen in the future regarding age.
Exam Tip: Do not confuse life expectancy with the actual age of an individual person; it is a mathematical average.

Question 4: Urban areas generally have a ........ population density.
Answer: higher
Cities are crowded because many people move there for better jobs, schools, and entertainment. This creates high density where many people live in a small amount of space.
Teacher's Tip: Remember that "Urban" means cities where buildings are tall and close together.
Exam Tip: Use words like "crowded" or "congested" to describe areas with high population density in your explanations.

Question 5: A ........ is a diagram that shows the age and sex composition of a population.
Answer: population pyramid
This special graph uses bars to show how many males and females exist in different age groups. It helps governments plan for the future, such as building more schools for children or homes for the elderly.
Teacher's Tip: Imagine a pyramid where the "foundation" or bottom represents the babies and the "peak" represents the oldest people.
Exam Tip: When drawing a pyramid, always place males on the left side and females on the right side.

B. Choose the correct answer

Question 1: Which continent has the highest population?
1. Asia
2. Europe
3. North America
4. South America
Answer: 1. Asia
Asia is the largest continent and is home to about sixty percent of the world's total population. It contains very populous nations like China, India, and Indonesia which contribute to this high number.
Teacher's Tip: "A" stands for Asia and "A" also stands for "Above all others" in population.
Exam Tip: In multiple-choice questions, write both the option number and the word for better clarity.

Question 2: Which of these is an adverse effect of over population?
1. Environmental degradation
2. Poverty
3. Unemployment
4. All of these.
Answer: 4. All of these.
When too many people live in one area, there are not enough jobs or resources for everyone, leading to many problems. Nature also suffers because more trees are cut down to build houses for the growing population.
Teacher's Tip: Think of a classroom with 100 students but only 20 chairs; this "overcrowding" creates problems for everyone.
Exam Tip: If three options seem like negative consequences, "All of these" is almost always the correct choice.

Question 3: Which of these is not a positive effect of under population?
1. Adequate employment
2. fewer taxpayers
3. Lesser environmental degradation
4. Lower levels of poverty
Answer: 2. fewer taxpayers
While having fewer people means more space and resources, it also means the government collects less money to build roads and hospitals. This lack of funds is considered a disadvantage or a negative effect for the country's development.
Teacher's Tip: "Fewer taxpayers" is a negative because the government needs money to keep the country running smoothly.
Exam Tip: Read the word "not" carefully in the question as it completely changes the meaning of what you are looking for.

Question 4: Which of these is a part of the demographic structure of a population?
1. Age composition
2. Sex ratio
3. Rural and urban populations
4. All of these
Answer: 4. All of these
Demographic structure refers to all the different ways we can group and describe the people living in a country. This includes how old they are, their gender, and whether they live in the countryside or the city.
Teacher's Tip: "Demo" refers to people and "graphic" refers to data or images; so it is just data about people.
Exam Tip: Structure usually implies multiple components, so look for options that describe groups within a population.

Question 5: Which type of population is shown in a bell-shaped population pyramid?
1. Expanding population
2. Declining population
3. Constant population
4. None of these
Answer: 3. Constant population
A bell shape indicates that the birth and death rates are nearly equal, resulting in a stable number of people over time. This shape is often found in developed countries where the population size does not change much.
Teacher's Tip: A "Bell" stays the same size while a "Triangle" (expanding) gets wider at the bottom.
Exam Tip: Learn to recognize the three main pyramid shapes (triangle, bell, and tapered) and what they represent.

C. State whether the following are true or false

Question 1: In 2016 alone, the population of the world increased by more than 80 million.
Answer: True.
The global population is growing at a very fast pace every year due to improvements in medicine. This massive increase means we are adding the equivalent of a large country to the world every twelve months.
Teacher's Tip: Visualize 80 million as roughly the population of a large European country like Germany being added every year.
Exam Tip: For true/false questions, always read the entire sentence as one wrong word can make the whole statement false.

Question 2: Immigration is a factor that can cause overpopulation.
Answer: True.
When a huge number of people move into a new country permanently, it can put pressure on that country's limited resources. If the number of arrivals exceeds what the land can support, overpopulation occurs.
Teacher's Tip: Remember "I" in Immigration for people coming "In" to a country.
Exam Tip: Connect migration factors directly to population density in your written answers.

Question 3: In rural areas, people are typically engaged in secondary activities.
Answer: False. In rural areas, people are typically engaged in primary activities.
Primary activities include things like farming and fishing that deal directly with natural resources found in the countryside. Secondary activities, like factory work, usually happen in cities where materials are processed.
Teacher's Tip: Primary means "first" - extracting materials from nature is the very first step in production.
Exam Tip: If a statement is false, it is a good habit to write the correct statement next to it to show your understanding.

Question 4: An adverse sex ratio shows the high position given to women in society.
Answer: False. An adverse sex ratio shows the low position given to women in society.
An adverse or unfavorable ratio means there are significantly fewer women than men, which often indicates discrimination. This situation usually arises from social preferences and a lack of equal rights for females.
Teacher's Tip: "Adverse" means harmful or unfavorable; it is never a sign of a "high position" or good status.
Exam Tip: Link social issues like gender discrimination to demographic data like the sex ratio.

Question 5: In a population pyramid, the youngest age group is shown at the bottom.
Answer: True.
The graph is designed like a building where the newest generation forms the foundation at the base. As people get older, they move up the levels of the pyramid until they reach the top.
Teacher's Tip: Think of a tree; the new roots and youngest growth are at the bottom while the old branches are higher up.
Exam Tip: Always label the Y-axis of a population pyramid with "Age Groups" to earn full marks.

D. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1: Define the term ‘population’.
Answer: The term ‘population’ refers to all the people who live in a particular area, city or country.
It is basically a count of human beings residing in a specific geographical location at a given time. Knowing this number helps planners provide enough electricity and water for everyone.
Teacher's Tip: Think of population as the total "headcount" of a place.
Exam Tip: When defining a term, always specify that it refers to a "particular area" to be precise.

Question 2: Define population density.
Answer: Population density refers to the number of people living in a unit area of space, such as a square kilometre.
It tells us how "crowded" an area is by comparing the number of people to the amount of land available. For example, a city has high density while a desert has very low density.
Teacher's Tip: Density = People ÷ Land Area.
Exam Tip: Always include the unit "per square kilometre" in your definition of density.

Question 3: Distinguish between immigration and emigration.
Answer: Immigration is the process of coming to live permanently in another country that is not one’s own. Emigration is the process of leaving one country to go and live permanently in another country.
The main difference is the direction of travel relative to a specific country. One increases the population of a new home, while the other decreases the population of the old home.
Teacher's Tip: Use "I" for Immigration (In) and "E" for Emigration (Exit).
Exam Tip: Use a T-chart or two distinct paragraphs when asked to "distinguish" between two terms.

Question 4: Write any two causes of overpopulation?
Answer: Causes of overpopulation are :
1. Immigration - When people come from another country.
2. Increased birth rate - due to better medical facilities
3. Decreased death rate - due to better medical facilities.
4. Better medical facilities
5. Lack of family planning.
The primary reason for rapid growth is that fewer people are dying while many babies continue to be born. Better medicine and food have allowed people to live much longer than they did in the past.
Teacher's Tip: Remember that "Better Medicine" is a double-edged sword; it saves lives but increases population size.
Exam Tip: Even if the question asks for "any two," providing three ensures you get full marks if one is slightly incorrect.

Question 5: Mention any two factors that cause population growth in a developed country.
Answer: In the developed countries of the world, the population increased earlier due to :
1. Economic growth and prosperity as a result of industrialization.
2. Improved medical techniques and health care facilities.
3. Immigration because of better job opportunities and better living conditions.
Rich countries grew because they built factories that provided many jobs and wealth for their citizens. They also attracted many people from other nations who wanted a higher standard of living.
Teacher's Tip: Associate developed countries with "Money" and "Medicine" as growth drivers.
Exam Tip: Use the term "Industrialization" as it is a key technical word for this topic.

Question 6: Mention any two factors that cause population growth in a developing country.
Answer: In developing countries of the world, rapid increase in population was due to :
1. Modern medical techniques which increased the lifespan of the people.
2. Ignorance of the masses.
3. Traditional beliefs, customs and outlook of people.
In these nations, the population often grows quickly because cultural traditions may encourage having large families. At the same time, new medicines are preventing many deaths that used to occur in childhood.
Teacher's Tip: Focus on "Tradition" and "Lack of Awareness" as the main causes here.
Exam Tip: Mentioning "increased lifespan" is a professional way to say people are living longer.

Question 7: What do the rural and urban population consist of?
Answer: The rural population consists of the people residing in villages. The urban population consists of the people living in towns and cities.
This division helps us understand where people live and what kind of lifestyle they lead. Rural life is usually tied to nature and farming, while urban life involves offices, factories, and trade.
Teacher's Tip: Rural = Fields/Villages; Urban = Buildings/Cities.
Exam Tip: Use simple examples like "villages" and "towns" to make your answer clearer.

Question 8: What do you understand by the term ‘working population’?
Answer: The section of the population between 14 - 60 years of age is considered to be the working population. They are willing and eligible to work and considered an asset for a country as it means high availability of labour for the development of the nation.
These are the people who earn money, pay taxes, and keep the economy running. They support the "dependent" population, which includes children and retired elderly people.
Teacher's Tip: Think of the working population as the "Engine" that pulls the rest of the train (country) along.
Exam Tip: Always mention the specific age range (14 - 60) to provide a complete answer.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs:

Question 1: Write a note on the distribution of population in the world.
Answer: At present, the population of the world stands at 7.35 billion. China has the largest population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, followed by India, with over 1.2 billion people, the USA with over 321 million people and Indonesia with over 257 million people. Island nations of the Pacific Ocean have populations of just a few thousand. Continent-wise, Asia has the largest population with over 4.4 billion people, followed by Africa with 1.18 billion people. Europe has over 738 million people, North America has over 573 million people, South America has over 418 million people and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Samoa, etc) has over 3'9 million people)
Population is not spread evenly; some places are very crowded while others are almost empty. Factors like climate, water availability, and job opportunities determine where people choose to settle down.
Teacher's Tip: Visualize the world as a map where Asia is colored very brightly because it holds more than half the people.
Exam Tip: When writing long answers, mention specific continents and their relative sizes to show depth of knowledge.

Question 2: Briefly explain any four factors that affect the population of a place.
Answer: The are various factors that affect the population of a place such as birth rate, death rate, immigration, emigration, influx of refugees, agricultural development, urbanization, education, topography and climate of a place, employment opportunities, etc. In developed countries, due to improvements in medical facilities, the death rates have reduced and the lifespan of the people have increased resulting in increase in population.
People prefer to live in places with flat land, mild weather, and plenty of water for farming or industry. Areas with good schools and hospitals also attract more families, causing the population there to grow.
Teacher's Tip: Use the "Four C's": Climate, Career (jobs), Comfort (services), and Conditions (topography).
Exam Tip: Use bullet points for factors even if the text is in a paragraph to make it easier for the examiner to read.

Question 3: What is the impact of overpopulation?
Answer: Impact of Overpopulation :
1. Adverse effect on the environment : Higher population consumes more natural resources like fresh water, arable land and mineral resources. This leads to deforestation, scarcity of water, extinction of plants and animals, depletion of fossil fuels, pollution, global warming.
2. Adverse effect on economy : Higher population leads to unemployment, overcrowding, shortage of food, fuel, minerals and other resources. This leads to poor quality of education, low per capita income, inflation, less productivity and slow economic growth of the country.
3. Poor quality of life : There is not enough affordable food, shelter and education. People live in congested areas with poor sanitary conditions leading to spread of diseases, poverty and rise in crime rate.
When there are too many people, the Earth's "savings account" of resources gets used up much too fast. This creates a cycle where both nature and human happiness suffer because there isn't enough to go around.
Teacher's Tip: Remember the "Triple Threat": Environment, Economy, and Quality of Life.
Exam Tip: Categorize your points under headings (like Environment or Economy) to structure your answer logically.

Question 4: Write the positive as well as negative effects of under population.
Answer: Impace of Under population
Under population has several positive effects :
1. There are sufficient employment opportunities for everyone.
2. There are fewer instances of overcrowding.
3. There are lower levels of poverty.
4. There are adequate educational, medical and other facilities to meet everyone’s needs.
5. There are sufficient natural resources to meet the requirements of the population.
6. There is lesser pressure on the environment, and hence, lower rates of environmental degradation.
However, there are also some negative effects of under population :
1. The lack of adequate labour leads to low productivity.
2. In some instances, a higher proportion of the population is either too young or too old to work.
3. There are lesser taxpayers, leading to low income for the government.
4. There are not enough people to develop the natural resources of the country.
Under population is a state where the number of people is less than what is needed to use a country's resources fully. While it means lots of space for everyone, it can also lead to a weak economy because there aren't enough workers.
Teacher's Tip: Think of under population as having a huge playground but only two kids to play in it.
Exam Tip: When a question asks for "positive as well as negative," make sure you give an equal number of points for both sides.

Question 5: Write the main differences between rural and urban populations.
Answer: Rural Population
1. It refers to people living in villages.
2. The population density in rural areas is low.
3. The people do primary activities like farming, fishing, mining etc.
4. The educational and medical facilities are not very highly developed.
5. Poor standards of transport and communication there.
6. Village communities are usually closely-knit with strong emphasis on culture and traditions.
Urban Population
1. It refers to people living in towns and cities.
2. The population density in urban areas is generally high.
3. The people do secondary and tertiary activities like trade, transport, services, etc.
4. The educational and medical facilities are highly developed.
5. Better standards of transport and communication.
6. The socio-cultural ties between people in cities are not as strong as in villages.
Rural life is often slower and focused on the land, while urban life is fast-paced and focused on services and technology. Both are important because rural areas provide food, while urban areas provide advanced tools and services.
Teacher's Tip: Remember "Primary for Rural" (Farming) and "Secondary/Tertiary for Urban" (Factories/Services).
Exam Tip: Use a comparative table format for "difference" questions to show direct contrasts point-by-point.

Question 6: What is sex ratio ? What is the meaning of favourable and unfavourable sex ratios ?
Answer: Sex-ratio means the number of females per 1000 males in a given population. In India, sex ratio is calculated in terms of females per 1000 males. The formula to calculate the sex ratio is — Sex ratio = Female\ population/Male population x1000
The sex ratio is an important characteristic that helps us to study the population of a given area. For example, when we say that the sex ratio in India is 940, it means that there are 940 girls for every 1000 boys.
Favourable sex ratio: The sex ratio is considered favourable if there is an equal or higher number of females per 1000 males in the population. For example, Latvia in Europe has the highest sex ratio with 1179 females for every 1000 males.
Unfavourable sex ratio : An unfavourable sex ratio means that there is a lower number of females per 1000 males in the population. Practices like female foeticide (killing of girls in the womb), female infanticide (killing of girls when they are babies) and domestic violence towards women due to gender discrimination lead to unfavourable sex ratio. For examples, countries like India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Saudi Arabia have low sex ratio.
A balanced sex ratio indicates a healthy society where both men and women are valued equally. When this ratio is skewed, it often points to deep social problems and unfair treatment of females.
Teacher's Tip: "Favourable" means "Good for females" (more or equal women); "Unfavourable" means "Bad for females" (fewer women).
Exam Tip: Always include the formula in LaTeX format to show you understand the mathematical part of geography.

G. Picture study

Question 1: What does the picture tell us?
Answer: A crowded street in Mumbai, India’s most populous city.
The image shows how high population density looks in reality, with many people and vehicles sharing a small space. Mumbai is a prime example of an urban center struggling with extreme overcrowding.
Teacher's Tip: When looking at a picture of a crowd, immediately think of "High Population Density."
Exam Tip: In picture study, identify the main subject (crowd) and the location (Mumbai) if provided.

Question 2: Mention any three impacts of such a condition.
Answer: Overpopulation usually has an adverse effect on the environment, the economy and the quality of life that people lead. A larger population consumes more natural resources such as fresh water, arable land and mineral resources. As more land is brought under cultivation, the amount of land under forests keeps reducing, impacting the diverse animal and plant populations in these forests. Increases mining for minerals causes further environmental damage. As more factories are set up to meet the needs of the people, more fossil fuels are used and more pollutants are released into the environment.
High density leads to traffic jams, pollution, and a lack of privacy for residents. It also puts a heavy strain on city services like waste management and the supply of clean water.
Teacher's Tip: Connect the picture of the crowd to the list of negative impacts you learned earlier.
Exam Tip: Use specific examples like "deforestation" or "air pollution" to make your impacts more concrete.

G. Map work

Question: On an outline map of the world mark the top five populous countries of the world.
Answer: The countries to be marked are USA, Brazil, China, India, and Indonesia.
These five nations represent a huge portion of the global population across different continents. Mapping them helps us visualize where the world's human resources and challenges are concentrated.
Teacher's Tip: Most of the most populous countries are in Asia; only the USA and Brazil are in the Americas.
Exam Tip: Use different colors or neat dots to mark the countries, and always provide a key/legend for your map.

Extra questions

Question 1: Define the following —
1. Birth rate
2. Death rate
3. Life expectancy
4. Family planning
5. Demography
6. Overpopulation
7. Under population
8. Population pyramid
Answer:
1. Birth rate - It is the number of live births per year per 1000 of the population. The formula for calculating birth rate is Birth rate =Number of births/Total population x 1000
2. Death rate - It is the number of deaths per year per 1000 of the population. It is calculated as : Death rate = Number of deathsTotal population x1000
3. Life expectancy - It is the number of years that a person is likely to live. It is calculated as the average life span of a population.
4. Family planning - It is the process of controlling the number of children that a person has and the intervals between their births.
5. Demography - It refers to the study of population of a place especially of humans, based on physical, socio-cultural and economic factors such as age and sex, language, religion, economic status, literacy, marital status, etc.
6. Overpopulation - It is an undesirable condition where the number of people in a given area exceeds the availability of resources to meet the needs of all the people. In an over-populated environment, the number of people might be more than the available essential materials for survival like food, clothes, water, shelter, transport, etc.
7. Under population - It is a condition where the number of people living in a given area is less in relation to the available resources of a country. This happens when there are not enough people to make full use of resources such as land, water, forests and the available technology.
8. Population pyramid - It is specially designed diagram that shows the age and sex composition of a population. It is also called as age-sex pyramid.
These definitions form the basic vocabulary of population studies, which is also known as demography. Mastering these terms is the first step toward understanding how societies grow and change over time.
Teacher's Tip: Create flashcards for these eight terms to help with quick memorization.
Exam Tip: Use the LaTeX formulas whenever a "rate" is mentioned to ensure maximum points.

Question 2: List few countries with high population density (over population) and few with low population density (under population) ?
Answer:
(i) COUNTRIES WITH HIGH POPULATION DENSITY
Singapore: 5.60 million population, 8005.3 persons per sq. km
Bahrain: 1.38 million population, 1,812.2 persons per sq. km
Bangladesh: 161.0 million population, 1,236.8 persons per sq. km
Maldives: 0.36 million population, 1,212.2 persons per sq. km
Lebanon: 5.85 million population, 571.9 persons per sq. km
COUNTRIES WITH LOW POPULATION DENSITY
Mongolia: 2.96 million population, 1.9 persons per sq. km
Namibia: 2.46 million population, 3.0 persons per sq. km
Australia: 23.97 million population, 3.1 persons per sq. km
Iceland: 0.33 million population, 3.3 persons per sq. km
Suriname: 0.5 million population, 3.5 persons per sq. km
This table shows that land area is just as important as the number of people when calculating density. Small island nations like Singapore have huge densities, while giant countries with harsh climates like Mongolia have very few people per kilometer.
Teacher's Tip: Notice how Australia is a huge continent but has a very low density because much of its land is desert.
Exam Tip: Remember that density is not just about the total population; it's about population divided by land size.

Question 3: Mention the causes of underpopulation ?
Answer: Causes of underpopulation are :
1. Increase in the death rate due to natural disaster like earthquake, Tsunami, flood or man-made disasters such as war.
2. Decrease in birth rate due to genetic reasons.
3. Infertility in the people
4. Emigration - people moving out of a country.
Underpopulation can happen suddenly due to a tragedy or slowly over many years if people choose not to have many children. If more people leave a country (emigration) than arrive, the population will naturally shrink.
Teacher's Tip: Think of underpopulation as "Population loss" through death, non-birth, or moving away.
Exam Tip: List both "natural" (disasters) and "human" (war, emigration) causes for a balanced answer.

Question 4: What do you mean by composition of population or demographic structure? What is its significance? Name any two characteristics of a population.
Answer: Population composition or demographic structure: Refers to the physical, sociocultural and economic attributes of the population such as age and sex, place of residence, language, religion, martial status, literacy, etc.
Significance: The characteristics of population composition are measurable and help in distinguishing one group from another.
Two Characteristics of a population are :
1. Rural and Urban Composition: This is on the basis of where a person resides. Rural refers to villages and urban refers to cities and towns.
2. Age and sex Composition : It refers to the percentage of people in different age groups in a given population and sex ratio (number of females per 1000 males in a population).
Knowing who makes up a population helps a government provide the right services, like more schools if there are many children. It’s like a "profile" of a country that tells its story through numbers.
Teacher's Tip: Think of "Composition" as the "Ingredients" that make up the whole population cake.
Exam Tip: Use the word "measurable" to explain why demographic data is useful for scientists.

Question 5: What do you understand by age composition of a population ?
Answer: Age composition refers to the percentage of people in different age groups in a given population. It differs from country to country. It can be working population (people between 14-60 years of age) or dependent population (below 14 and above 60 years of age).
This statistic tells us if a country is "young" with many children or "old" with many retirees. Having a balanced age composition is important for a healthy and growing economy.
Teacher's Tip: Divide age groups into "Under 14" (Children), "14-60" (Workers), and "Over 60" (Seniors).
Exam Tip: Clearly define "working" vs "dependent" populations in your answer for full marks.

Question 6: What is the working population of India ?
Answer: 62.5 per cent of the population of India is working population. 29.5 % is in the age group of 0-14 years while 8 % is above 60 years of age.
India has a very large number of young workers, which is often called a "demographic dividend." This means the country has a lot of potential to grow because so many people are at an age where they can work.
Teacher's Tip: India is a "young" nation because such a high percentage of people are under 60.
Exam Tip: Memorize the figure 62.5% as it is a key statistic for India's population studies.

Question 7: What leads to unfavourable sex ratio at some places ? Name few social practices leading to it ?
Answer: Gender discrimination is the major cause of unfavourable sex ratio which gives women a lower status in society. Few social practices leading to unfavourable sex ratio are :
1. Female Foeticide
2. Female infanticide
3. Domestic violence.
When societies value boys more than girls, it leads to these harmful practices that reduce the number of females. This creates a big social imbalance that can cause problems for future generations.
Teacher's Tip: "Discrimination" is the root cause; the other points are just the results of that bad attitude.
Exam Tip: Be sensitive but clear when listing these social practices in your exam paper.

Question 8: Name one scheme launched by the government of India that works towards generating awareness and improving the efficiency of welfare services meant for women in the country.
Answer: Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save girl child, educate girl child).
This program aims to protect girls and ensure they go to school so they can have a bright future. It is a direct effort by the government to fix the problem of an unfavorable sex ratio.
Teacher's Tip: The name itself explains the goal: "Save" (Bachao) and "Educate" (Padhao).
Exam Tip: Writing the English translation in brackets alongside the Hindi name shows extra effort.

Question 9: What is the most effective way to show the age and sex structure of a population ?
Answer: Population pyramid or Age-sex Pyramid.
This visual tool is much easier to understand than a long list of numbers and percentages. It allows us to see the history and future of a population at a single glance.
Teacher's Tip: Think of this pyramid as a "Snapshot" of a country's people.
Exam Tip: Use the term "Age-sex Pyramid" as an alternative name to show you know the technical terminology.

Question 10: Explain the diagram of a population pyramid. Also show the three types of pyramids.
Answer: The diagram of a population pyramid consists of bars arranged in the form of a pyramid. The bars show different age groups, with the males on the left and females on the right. The base represents the youngest age group and the top represents the oldest. The shape of the population pyramid shows the characteristics of the population. The three types of pyramid are :
1. Expanding population : In this case, the age-sex pyramid is more or less triangular with a broad base and a narrow top. The broad base shows large population of young people which indicates high birth rate. The narrow top shows high death rate in the older age group. Such a pyramid indicates rapid population growth. For example, countries like Bangladesh, India, Mexico, Nigeria have such a population pyramid.
2. Constant Population : The shape of the pyramid is like a bell, with the narrow top and a broad middle for several bars. This shows that the birth rate is almost equal to the death rate, leading to a constant population with the percentage of males and females remaining almost the same. Usually, developed countries such as the USA have this kind of a pyramid.
3. Declining Population : Such a pyramid has a narrow base, a bulging middle that indicates low birth rate and death rates and a slightly narrow apex. Countries like Japan, Germany and Italy have this kind of a pyramid.
Each shape tells us a story about a country's health and development level. Governments use these shapes to decide if they need to build more kindergartens or more nursing homes.
Teacher's Tip: Remember: Triangle = Growing; Bell = Steady; Tapered Base = Shrinking.
Exam Tip: Practice sketching all three shapes as you may be asked to draw them in a long-answer question.

Question 11: Why is it important to study the population ?
Answer: Studying the population helps us to understand how it shapes the world in different ways. Controlling the population correctly is an important task for the government. It plays a big role in the development of a country.
It also helps us predict future needs for resources like food, housing, and healthcare. Without this study, a country would not know how to prepare for its future citizens.
Teacher's Tip: Population study is the "Compass" that guides a government's planning.
Exam Tip: Focus on the word "development" to explain the ultimate goal of studying population.

12. Fill in the blanks

Question 1: ........ refers to all the people who live in a particular area.
Answer: Population
This is the most basic term used to describe the total group of humans in a place. It can be measured for a village, a city, or the entire planet.
Teacher's Tip: Think of this as the "Total Number."
Exam Tip: Check your spelling for "Population" as it is the most important keyword in the chapter.

Question 2: At present, the population of the world stand at ........ billion.
Answer: 7.35
This number represents the total human headcount across all continents based on recent data. It continues to grow every second as more babies are born than people pass away.
Teacher's Tip: Remember the number 7 followed by the decimal .35.
Exam Tip: Be careful with the decimal point; writing 73.5 would be a huge mistake.

Question 3: Second most populated country in the world is ........
Answer: India
India has a massive population that is currently catching up to China's total. This large population provides many young workers but also requires careful resource management.
Teacher's Tip: India is the "Runner-up" in the global population race.
Exam Tip: Capitalize the "I" in India as it is a proper noun.

Question 4: Continent-wise, ........ has the largest population, followed by Africa
Answer: Asia
Asia holds more than half of the world's people due to its vast size and many fertile river valleys. Africa is currently the fastest-growing continent in terms of population percentage.
Teacher's Tip: Asia is the "Giant" among continents for both land and people.
Exam Tip: Remember the order: 1st Asia, 2nd Africa.

Question 5: India’s most populous city is ........
Answer: Mumbai
Mumbai is the financial capital of India and attracts millions of people looking for work. This has made it extremely crowded with a very high population density.
Teacher's Tip: Think of the "City of Dreams" where everyone goes to find jobs.
Exam Tip: If the question asks for the "city," make sure you don't accidentally write the name of a state.

Question 6: ........ refers to the number of people living in a unit area of space.
Answer: Population Density
This measurement tells us if people are spread out or packed closely together. It is usually calculated by dividing the total population by the land area.
Teacher's Tip: Density = How "Thick" or "Crowded" the population is.
Exam Tip: Don't forget the word "Density"; writing just "Population" would be incorrect here.

Question 7: In ........ condition, the number of people in a particular area is more than the available resources.
Answer: Overpopulation
This happens when there are "too many mouths to feed" and not enough food or space. It puts a lot of stress on nature and the quality of human life.
Teacher's Tip: Over = Too much; Population = People.
Exam Tip: Use "Resources" as a keyword when explaining overpopulation.

Question 8: ........ population puts less pressure on the environment.
Answer: Under
When there are fewer people, there is less trash, less pollution, and more forest land left untouched. This is one of the biggest environmental benefits of having a smaller population.
Teacher's Tip: Under = Not enough/Fewer; this is the opposite of Overpopulation.
Exam Tip: Contrast "Under" with "Over" in your mind to remember which one helps the environment.

Question 9: Sex ratio of 940 means there are 940 girls for every ........ boys.
Answer: 1000
The sex ratio is always measured against a standard group of one thousand males. A number lower than 1000 shows that there are fewer females in that specific population.
Teacher's Tip: The "Magic Number" for sex ratio comparison is always 1000.
Exam Tip: Never write "100" or "per cent" for sex ratio; it is always "per 1000."

Question 10: The sex ratio is usually unfavourable in those countries where ........ is widespread.
Answer: gender discrimination
In places where women are not treated as equals, fewer girls are born or allowed to survive. Fixing this requires changing how people think about the value of women.
Teacher's Tip: Discrimination means treating someone unfairly; gender discrimination means doing so based on sex.
Exam Tip: This is a two-word answer; make sure you write both words clearly.

Question 11: The average sex ratio in the world is ........ females to every 1000 males.
Answer: 982
This global average shows that there are slightly more men than women on our planet currently. This number varies widely between different continents and countries.
Teacher's Tip: Remember 982—it's just 18 short of a perfect 1000 balance.
Exam Tip: This is a specific fact; try to memorize it precisely for objective-type questions.

Question 12: ........ in Europe has the highest sex ratio with 1179 females for every 1000 males.
Answer: Latvia
Latvia is unique because it has far more women than men, which is the opposite of the situation in many Asian countries. This makes it a great example of a highly "favorable" sex ratio.
Teacher's Tip: Latvia is the "Lady Leader" of sex ratios.
Exam Tip: Be sure to spell "Latvia" correctly as it is a specific country name.

Question 13: ........ shaped population pyramid indicates rapid population growth.
Answer: Triangular
The wide base of a triangle shows that many babies are being born every single year. As long as the base is wider than the middle, the population will keep getting bigger.
Teacher's Tip: Wide base = Lots of babies = Rapid growth.
Exam Tip: Draw a small triangle in your rough work to visualize why the base represents growth.

Question 14: Not being able to have babies or produce young ones is called ........
Answer: infertility
This is a biological condition that can cause the birth rate of a country to go down. If many people in a population are infertile, the total population might eventually start to shrink.
Teacher's Tip: In- (not) + fertile (able to produce life).
Exam Tip: This is often listed as a cause for underpopulation, so learn to link the two concepts.

Question 15: In India 69 % population is rural and ........ % urban.
Answer: 31
This means most people in India still live in villages and work in agriculture-related fields. However, the urban percentage is slowly rising as more people move to cities every year.
Teacher's Tip: Just remember 100 - 69 = 31 to find the urban percentage.
Exam Tip: Always make sure your rural and urban percentages add up to exactly 100%.