List the factors affecting the distribution of population and explain any one factor in detail.
Answers
Answer:
There are several factors that affect the population distribution in India:
Geographical Factors
Social Factors
Cultural Factors
Economic Factors
Geographical Factors
Topography People prefer living on plains rather than plateaus and mountains since these areas are suitable for agriculture, manufacturing and also service activities. The Ganga Plains are one of the most densely populated areas of the world whereas mountains like the Alps, Andes and the Himalayas are thinly populated.
Climate People generally stay away from extreme climates (very cold or very hot) like the Sahara desert, the Russian Polar regions, Canada and Antarctica.
Soil Fertile soils offer optimal land for farming. Fertile plains like Brahmaputra and Ganga and in India, the Nile in Egypt, Hwang-He and Chang Jiang in China are highly populated.
Water People prefer to live in those places where freshwater is easily available. So, the river valleys are densely populated and the deserts have less population.
Minerals Places with deposits of mineral are naturally more populated. Diamond mines of South Africa and discovery of oil in the Middle East led to people settling down in these areas. In India, the areas of the Chhota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand and nearby areas of Odisha see a high population distribution because of the presence of huge mineral deposits.
The main factors determining population distribution are : climate, landforms, topography, soil, energy and mineral resources, accessibility like distance from sea coast, natural harbours, navigable rivers or canals, cultural factors, political boundaries, controls on migration and trade, government policies.