The World Population Distribution Density and Growth Class 12 Geography Chapter 2 CBSE Notes - 2025-26

The people of a country are its most significant resource, as they utilize other available resources and shape national policies. Learning about population means understanding how many people live in a country, what their gender, age, or literacy levels are, and whether they live in cities or villages. The early 21st century saw the global population climb above 6 billion people, but they are not spread out evenly across the planet.

Patterns of Population Distribution 

World population is distributed unevenly, with almost 90% of people living on just 10% of the land. For instance, Asia contains both sparsely and densely populated zones. Large populations tend to be found in a small number of countries: the ten most populous nations together make up around 60% of the world’s population, of which six are in Asia.

Density of Population 

Population density is a measure of how many people live per square kilometer. This ratio is calculated as total population divided by total area, giving a figure like ‘1,500 people per sq km’. High population density indicates either very large populations in small areas or limited resources being shared by many. For example, river valleys and fertile plains usually have higher densities.

Factors Influencing Population Distribution 

Several factors affect where people live. These can be classified into three main groups: geographical, economic, and social-cultural factors.

• Geographical factors: Easy access to fresh water leads to denser populations, as seen in river valleys. Flat plains and gentle slopes support farming and infrastructure, making them popular for settlement. Harsh climates (extremely hot, cold, or rainy) deter habitation, while fertile soils enable intensive agriculture and thus attract more people.
• Economic factors: Regions rich in minerals can attract industries, which in turn create jobs and draw workers. Urbanization is another major factor—cities offer better employment, education, health, and transport, prompting migration from rural to urban zones. Industrial belts, like the Kobe-Osaka region in Japan, are densely populated due to job opportunities.
• Social and cultural factors: Places with religious or cultural significance may draw larger populations. On the other hand, areas with political unrest or social problems tend to lose people. Sometimes governments try to balance population by encouraging movement to underpopulated regions.

Population Growth: Concepts and Components 

Population growth refers to the change in the number of people living in a specific region over a certain period. This can be positive (an increase) or negative (a decrease), and is shown either as raw numbers or percentages. Growth depends on the natural balance of births and deaths, as well as migration.

• Growth of Population: The numerical increase or decrease between two years. For instance, if India’s population rose from 102.70 crore (2001) to 121.02 crore (2011), the actual growth is 18.15 crore.
• Growth Rate of Population: The percentage increase (or decrease) in population over a given time period.
• Natural Growth: The increase in population due only to births minus deaths (Natural Growth = Births – Deaths).
• Actual Growth: This is the net effect, including migration: (Births – Deaths) + (In-migration – Out-migration).
• Positive Growth: Occurs when births and immigration outnumber deaths and emigration.
• Negative Growth: Happens when deaths are more than births, or when more people leave a region than arrive.

Three main factors affect population change: births, deaths, and migration. The crude birth rate (CBR) is calculated as the number of live births per thousand people per year. 

Similarly, the crude death rate (CDR) is the number of deaths per thousand population. These figures help in understanding whether an area’s population is growing, stable, or declining.

Migration and Its Impact People move from one place to another for various reasons. Migration can be permanent, temporary, or seasonal, and may involve movements within rural areas, from rural to urban, urban to rural, or between urban regions. 

When someone moves into a new location, they are called an immigrant there; when they leave, they are emigrants from their original place.

• Push factors: Conditions that cause people to leave, such as unemployment, poor living standards, political instability, bad climate, natural disasters, epidemics, and economic backwardness.
• Pull factors: Conditions that attract people, like better job prospects, improved living conditions, safer environments, greater security, and pleasant climate.

Migration alters the population in both origin and destination areas. The place of origin sees a decrease, while the destination area records an increase. 

In recent centuries, global population has grown rapidly—rising more than tenfold in the past 500 years, and quadrupling since the 20th century began.

Demographic Transition Theory 

Demographic transition theory explains how population growth evolves as societies develop. The process is divided into three broad stages, reflecting changes in birth and death rates over time as countries move from simple agricultural economies to advanced, industrialized ones.

1. High Fluctuating Stage: Both birth and death rates are high. Life expectancy is low, and population growth is slow. Most of the people work in agriculture, technology is basic, and large families are common.
2. Expanding Stage: Death rate falls rapidly due to better health care, sanitation, and food supplies, but birth rate remains high at first and starts declining later. Rapid population growth occurs as the gap between births and deaths widens.
3. Low Fluctuating Stage: Both birth and death rates are low, population growth slows or stabilizes. The population is generally more urban, literate, and technologically advanced, with family size controlled by choice.

Countries around the world are at different stages of this demographic cycle, depending on their level of socio-economic development.

Population Control and Future Sustainability 

Managing population growth is crucial for sustainability. Family planning allows families to decide the number and spacing of their children. 

Greater access to family planning services, education about contraception, and government incentives or penalties can help control population increases. Thomas Malthus, an early thinker on this subject, argued that unchecked growth could outpace food production, leading to crises such as famine and war.

Preventive measures like awareness, voluntary check, and improvements in living standards are better than physical crises.

Population dynamics greatly affect a region’s economic, social, and environmental well-being. Understanding and managing factors like birth rates, death rates, and migration is important to ensure a balanced and sustainable society.

Class 12 Geography Chapter 2 Notes – The World Population: Distribution, Density and Growth

The latest CBSE Class 12 Geography Chapter 2 Notes comprehensively cover the world population’s distribution, density, and growth. These revision notes help students understand critical concepts such as factors affecting population density, demographic transition, and migration in a clear, concise manner. With well-organized sections and exam-relevant insights, these notes make revising easier ahead of board exams.

By using Class 12 Geography Chapter 2 – The World Population: Distribution, Density and Growth notes, students can quickly grasp essential terms and key distinctions, including positive and negative growth, birth and death rates, and factors influencing migration. These notes serve as a strong foundation for mastering important NCERT topics and scoring well in the exam.