Human Resources

A. Choose the correct answer and fill in the blanks.

1. c; 2. d; 3. a; 4. e; 5. b

B. State whether true or false. If false, correct the statement. 

1. T

2. F (correct: India has an unfavourable sex ratio.)

3. F (correct: Higher the literacy

rate, higher the level of economic development of a nation.); 4. T

5. T

C. Match the columns.

1. c; 2. d; 3. a; 4. e; 5. b

D. Fill in the blanks.

1. value

2. working

3. Kerala

4. Emigration

 5. low

E. Answer the following questions in 10-20 words.

1. The three age groups of population are 0−14 years (children), 15–64 years (working

population) and 65 years and above (old people).

2. Sex ratio is the ratio between males and females in the total population. It is

defined as the number of females per thousand males in the population of a region.

3. The number of people living in one square kilometre is called population density.

4. Water is essential for the survival of plants, animals and human beings. Also, fertile

soils of the valleys support agriculture. Hence, most settlements tend to develop

along sources of water like rivers and lakes. Hence, river valleys are densely

populated.

5. Birth rate is calculated as the number of births per thousand persons in a year

whereas death rate is calculated as the number of deaths per thousand persons in a

year.

F. Answer the following questions in 50-70 words.

1. Human beings are the most important of all resources because they add value to

the natural resources of a nation and convert them to wealth with their knowledge

and skill. All materials available in our natural environment became resources only

when humans put them to use and attached some value to them. Therefore, we can

say that human beings are the most important of all resources.

2. The regions having low population density are:

• Equatorial regions: Thickly forested regions of the Amazon and the Congo

basins

• Polar regions: Ice-capped Antarctica and the Tundra region

• High mountain regions: the Himalayas, Alps, Rockies and Andes

• Desert regions: hot and cold deserts like Sahara, Kalahari and Namib, Gobi,

Takla Makan, Arabian and Thar, Mexican and Colorado, Atacama and Patgonia

and the Great Australian Desert

3. The economic and social factors that influence the distribution of population are

mineral resources, industries, transport facilities, urbanisation and government

policies.

• Mineral resources: The regions rich in mineral resources attract people and thus

have high density of population. Uranium City in northern Canada, Kalgoorlie

and Coolgardie gold mines in Western Australia are examples of population

concentration in otherwise barren areas.

• Industries: Development of industries provides employment opportunities and

hence, attracts people. Therefore, these regions have high population density.

An example is the north-eastern part of the USA.

Answers may vary.

G. Answer the following questions in 80-100 words.

1. The physical factors that influence the distribution of population are:

• Topography: Flat, level lands are suitable for agriculture, industries,

development of roads and railways and construction of buildings. Hence, plains

have maximum concentration of population. On the other hand, plateaus have

comparatively less population because of their rough terrain. The rugged relief

and inaccessibility of the mountains make them sparsely populated.

• Climatic conditions: Moderate climatic conditions are favourable while

extremes of climate are unfavourable for human habitation. This is why the

Polar Regions, which are too cold, and the deserts, which are too hot and dry,

support very little population.

• Natural vegetation: Dense forests are inaccessible and are therefore, largely

uninhabited. For example, the Amazon and Congo basins.

• Soils: Owing to their ability to support agriculture, regions with fertile soils

have dense population. All ancient civilizations had developed along river

valleys. For example, the Indus Valley Civilization along the River Indus and

the Egyptian Civilization along the River Nile.

• Availability of water: Water is essential for the survival of plants, animals and

humans, most settlements tend to develop along the sources of water like rivers

and lakes. For example, the Great Lakes in the USA, river valleys like the Ganga,

the Mekong and the Rhine are densely populated.

2. The following are the factors that bring about a change in population:

• Difference in birth rate and death rate: When the birth rate is more than the

death rate, there is an increase in population. Birth rate is the number of live

births per thousand persons in a year and death rate is the number of deaths

per thousand persons in a year. The difference between the birth rate and death

rate is called the natural growth rate. It indicates whether the population has

increased or decreased. The annual growth rate of population is expressed as

a percentage. For example, the developed nations like the USA, UK, Canada,

Russia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand have low growth rate of population.

This is because they have low birth rate and advanced medical facilities

have kept the death rate low too. On the other hand, the developing and

underdeveloped countries like India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico and

Ethiopia have high growth rate of population as their birth rate is high death

rate is low due to improved medical facilities.

• Migration of people into or out of a country: The size of population is also

affected by migration of people into or out of a country. Emigration is the

movement of people out of a country. It reduces the number of population. On

the other hand, immigration is the movement of people into a country. It results

in an increase in the number of population. Population also increases when

the number of people migrating into a country exceeds the number migrating

out of it. People generally migrate from less developed nations to the more

developed ones in search of better employment opportunities. Within a country

also, large number of people may migrate from rural to urban areas in search of

employment, better healthcare and education facilities.