Factors influencing spatial distribution and density of population

Factors Influencing Spatial Distribution and Density of Population

1. Factors Influencing Spatial Distribution and Density of Population Mithun Ray Department of Geography Malda College (University of Gour Banga) E-mail: [email protected]

2. Population Distribution Actual pattern of spacing of units of individuals or H ow the individuals are distributed, or spread throughout their habitat Population Density T he average number of individuals per unit of area or An expression of the ratio between population and land area

3. Measures of Population Density Crude Density or Arithmetic Density The number of people divided by the total area Physiological Density The number of people divided by the amount of land under cultivation Agricultural Density The number of agricultural population divided by the amount of land under cultivation Comparative Density Total population of a region is related to the aggregate of weighted land-according to its productivity-under cultivation (Proposed by Vincent, a French Geographer in 1946; special type of Physiological Density ) Room Density Average number of persons per room

4. Measures of Distribution Mean Centre of Population Median Centre of Population Centre of minimum travel Modal Centre

5. Population Density by Country 2016 https://www.jkgeography.com/physical-and-human-factors-affecting-global-population-distribution.html

6. https://www.mapsofindia.com/census2011/population-density.html

7. Physical Factors Terrain Terrain of land is a potent factor which influences the concentration and growth of population. Normally, plain areas encourage higher density of population as compared to mountain regions. The steep slope in mountain areas restrict the availability of land for agriculture, development of transport, industries and other economic activities which may tend to discourage concentration of population and its proper growth. It is because of these adverse circumstances that the Himalayan region, though occupies about 13 per cent of India’s land area, supports only 1-2 per cent of the country’s population. In contrast to this, the Great Plain of North India is a land of extremely gentle slope and offers great opportunities for the growth of agriculture, transport and industries. This results in higher concentration of population. Although the Great Plain of North India covers less than one fourth of the country’s land area, it is the home to more than half of India’s population.

8. Climate Temperature & rainfall play an important role in determining the population of an area. Climatic extremes discourage the concentration of population. Such climates include the extremely cold climate like we have in the Himalayas or Extremely dry & hot climate like we have in the Thar desert. A moderate climate is favourable for population. The population map of India follows its rainfall map to a large extent. Rainfall supplies sufficient water for agriculture which is the main occupation of Indian masses. As we move from the Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta in the east towards the Thar Desert in the west, the amount of rainfall and consequently the density of population decrease. However, there are a few exceptions to this general observation.

9. Soil Soil is an important factor in determining the density of population in an overwhelmingly agricultural country like India. Fertile soil supports higher population density while infertile soil leads to low density. In the northern plain of India, the soil is regularly enriched by annual floods of the great rivers like the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra and their tributaries. Therefore, this is an area of high population density. The coastal plains also have fertile soils and are areas of high population density. The Black soil of the Deccan Plateau also supports high population density. On the other hand, desert soils, mountain soils, laterite soils are infertile soils and are not capable of supporting high population densities. However, new technology in agricultural field may change the future population scenario to some extent.

10. Water supply Water supply is essential for human survival and development and because of this areas which have sufficient water (but not too much) tend to have denser populations than areas which are dry or suffer from regular drought or areas which have excessive rainfall or which may be prone to flooding. Vegetation Some types of vegetation make the development of settlement more likely, e.g. grasslands. Areas with particularly dense rainforest, coniferous forests or those with little vegetation tend to have sparse populations.

11. Availability of Mineral Resources Minerals act as great source of attraction for people from different areas, which results in higher density of population. The higher population densities in the Chhota Nagpur Plateau of Jharkhand and in the adjoining areas of Orissa are largely due to the availability of minerals.

12. Human Factors Industrialisation Population has a magnetic attraction towards industrial centres & regions as they provide massive employment opportunities. Thus, such areas have a high density of population. Industries are capable of supporting more people as compared to agricultural lands Transport Growth of population is directly proportional to the development of transport facilities. The northern plain of India has a dense network of transport routes and is densely populated region. The peninsular plateau has moderate network of transport route and is moderately populated area. The Himalayan region badly lacks transport facilities and is scarcely populated.

13. Urbanization Urbanization and population concentration go hand-in-hand and are closely related to each other. All the urban centres are marked by high density of population. The minimum density, that an area should have to be designated as urban, is 400 persons per sq km. The highly urbanized districts of Kolkata, Chennai, Greater Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi and Chandigarh have population densities of over 6,000 persons per sq km.

14. Political factors influencing population distribution War, political disturbance, conflict, and weak administration negatively affect population distribution. War and political conflicts take a great toll on human lives. Death rates are high, and people are forced to move out in search of safety. Mortality rates peak and the out-migration dominates. Safer locations experience a sizeable population growth because of the in-flow of migrants. This is also the situation in regions near the political boundaries of countries that do not have peaceful relations. Even if there is no conflict, the fear of one compels people to move, making these areas the least populated ones.

15. Political unrest and discrimination are detrimental to population growth. Clashes between different political parties or people with different religious beliefs have often resulted in a reduction of population in the affected area. Before settling in a new place permanently, migrant population looks for a place that not only provides economic opportunities but also provides safe and healthy environment for wholesome living. A politically unstable region is unable to provide both these conditions and hence it discourages not only the incoming migrant population but also the already residing population which might be forced to leave the region in search of peaceful locations for settlement. Discrimination faced by migrants because of race, language, food, culture etc., discourages in-migration. This has reduced the population growth on one hand and newer settlements on the other.

16. Policies encouraging migration have often led to population growth in the destination region. International labour movements take place where rules governing cross-border migration are lenient. Migration helps in the redistribution of population. Policies that promote reduction in fertility levels, banning of infanticide, etc. also influence the population growth in a place. For example, China’s strict enforcement of one-child policy succeeded in curbing fertility levels and controlling population.

17. Conclusion Apart from physical factors, numerous social, demographic, economic, political and historical factors affect population distribution. These factors operate not in isolation but in combination with each other. One cannot, therefore, isolate the influence of any one factor on population distribution. Further, the interplay between these determinants is generally very complex.

18. This Power Point Presentation (PPT) has been prepared only to deliver the lecture. The materials (Maps, Diagrams and Images) used in this presentation have been collected and compiled by the presenter from various academic blogs, research papers, books etc.

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