Chapter 2

Population Dynamics
Class 8 - Veena Bhargava Geography Solutions
Tick the correct option

Question 1

The population within the age group of 15-60 is regarded as:

1. Dependent population
2. Working population ✓
3. Old-age population
4. Rural population

Question 2

People living in towns and cities are termed as:

1. Rural population
2. Urban population ✓
3. Literates
4. Working population

Question 3

The most favourable place for human settlements is:

1. Mountains
2. Mining areas
3. Fertile plains ✓
4. Grasslands

Question 4

Settlement in the Arabian Peninsula has been due to:

1. Water wells
2. Oil wells ✓
3. Fertile soil
4. Political factor
Question 5

The Deccan Plateau of India is:

1. Densely populated
2. Moderately populated ✓
3. Sparsely populated
4. Uninhabited

Question 6

After the Industrial Revolution, population grew rapidly because of:

1. High birth rate ✓

2. High growth rate
3. Low birth rate
4. Low growth rate

Match the following

Question 1

Column A Column B

Densely populated region Japan

Moderately populated region Ladakh

Sparsely populated region Bangladesh

A country with high life expectancy China

A country with a low literacy rate Ukraine

Answer

Column A Column B

Densely populated region China

Moderately populated region Ukraine

 Column A Column B

Sparsely populated region Ladakh

A country with high life expectancy Japan

A country with a low literacy rate Bangladesh

Fill in the blanks

Question 1

Man through his knowledge, intellect and skill transforms natural resources into valuable

resources.

Question 2

Man plays the dual role of both the producer and consumer of resources.

Question 3

Human development in different environmental conditions of the world is a product

of adaptation action.

Question 4

The greater the number of productive population, the higher is the development of the

country.

Question 5

Rural population implies people living in villages.

Define the following

Question 1

Workforce or working population

Answer

The population between the age of 15 to 64 years is the productive section of the population.
It is termed as working population.

Question 2
Literacy rate

Answer

The percentage of population who know how to read and write is known as the literacy rate.

Question 3

Birth rate

Answer

Birth rate refers to the number of live births per 1000 persons in a given geographical area
per year.

Question 4

Infant mortality rate

Answer

It refers to the number of deaths of children below 1 year of age per 1000 persons in a given
geographical area per year.

Question 5

Growth rate of population

Answer

The difference between the birth rate and the death rate of a country is called the natural
growth rate of the population.

Question 6

Population pyramid

Answer

A population pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the distribution of various age
groups and gender in a population.

Distinguish between

Question 1

Birth rate and Death rate

Answer
 Birth rate Death rate

Birth rate refers to the number of live births per 1000 Death rate refers to the number of deaths per 1
persons in a given geographical area per year. people in a given geographical area per year.

Question 2

Immigration and Emigration

Answer

Immigration Emigration

When someone moves to a country from another place, it When someone moves out of a particular pla
is known as Immigration. known as Emigration.

When a person immigrates to a country its population When a person emigrates from a country, its
increases. population shrinks.

Give reasons for the following

Question 1

People are the greatest resource of the world.

Answer

People are the greatest resource of the world because man plays the dual role of both the
producer and consumer of resources.

Question 2

A country which is underpopulated cannot exploit its natural resources to the maximum.

Answer

A country which is underpopulated cannot exploit its natural resources to the maximum
because there is a shortage of skilled labour.

Question 3

The fertility rate in many developed and developing countries has dropped to about two
children per woman.

Answer
The fertility rate in many developed and developing countries has dropped to about two
children per woman due to the factors like literacy, economic development or urbanization
making the idea of having big families impractical.

Question 4

Emigration always has negative effect on the population.

Answer

Emigration always has negative effect on the population because the higher educated people
leave the country and this leads to shortage of skilled and competent people.

Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1

Give the importance of high literacy rate.

Answer

The literacy rate is important because it shows how much of the country is educated. A
country with high literacy rate has educated, trained and skilled population. The high literacy
rate in developed countries like USA, France, Japan etc., have proved how human resource
can develop a country, in spite of lack of natural resources.

Question 2

Name the sparsely populated regions of the world.

Answer

The sparsely populated regions of the world are-

1. The hot deserts like Sahara and Kalahari of Africa, the Arabian desert and Thar desert
of Asia, Atacama and Patagonia desert of South America, Great Australian desert and
Arizona desert of USA and arid areas of Western Mexico.
2. The cold deserts of Central Asia, the Gobi and Takla Makan desert, a portion of
Ladakh in India.
3. Cold polar regions of Arctic in North America, Eurasia and Antarctica
4. The dense Equatorial Rainforests of the Amazon and Zaire basin.

Question 3

What is meant by density of population? How is it measured?

Answer

The total number of people in a country in relation to its land, is known as population density.
It can be measured as follows-

Population density = Total population of a country / Total land area of the country

Question 4

How does migration of people affect the total population of a country?

Answer

People migrate with the intention of settling permanently in the new location, so migration of
people leads to decrease of the population of a country i.e., shortage of skilled and competent
people in a country.

Question 5

Define the following terms:

(a) Infant mortality rate

(b) Life expectancy

Answer

(a) Infant mortality rate — It refers to the number of deaths of children below 1 year of age
per 1000 persons in a given geographical area per year.

(b) Life expectancy — Life expectancy is the average age at which people die in a given
geographical area.

Question 6

What is meant by population change? Explain in brief.

Answer

Population change is the change in the number of people during a specific time. It occurs due
to births, deaths and migration of people.

Question 7

What is meant by population pyramid? Explain with the help of examples.

Answer

A population pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the distribution of various age
groups and gender in a population. Population pyramid for youthful population is shown
below:
For example, Niger's population pyramid has mostly aged 15 and under and the majority of
the population is under 5 years old, which shows how half of the population dies before they
reach 30. But in developed countries like USA, Japan, the decrease in birth rate and death
rate have kept the base and top at medium level and life expectancy is higher.

Question 8

Compare and contrast the impact of overpopulation and underpopulation.

Answer

The following points compare and contrast the impact of overpopulation and underpopulation
of a country-

1. Utilisation of Resources — Overpopulation may increase the pressure on the natural

resources and the food and fresh water supplies would be inadequate or insufficient
which may result in depletion of natural resources while underpopulation may lead to
under utilization of resources due to the shortage of labour and less demand.
2. Impact on Environment — Overpopulation would increase the demand for area and
this would result in deforestation or loss of natural habitat and increase in pollution
levels while underpopulation decreases the pressure on natural resources and the
pollution level would also decrease.
3. Impact on Employment — Overpopulation would result in scarcity of jobs while
underpopulation would create labour shortage which would have both positive and
negative impacts.

In conclusion, both overpopulation and underpopulation are not considered good for the
economy.
Question 9

Give one point of difference in the population pyramid of India and Japan.

Answer

Population pyramid of India — In India, where the death rates are decreasing, the pyramid
is broad at the base in the younger age group, as more infants survive to adulthood.
Population pyramid of India is shown below:

Population pyramid of Japan — In Japan, low birth rates make the pyramid narrow at the
base, decreased death rates allow number of people to reach old age. Population pyramid of
Japan is shown below:
Question 10

What is meant by MEDCs and LEDCs?

Answer

MEDCs stands for More Economically Developed Countries.

LEDCs stands for Less Economically Developed Countries.

Chapter 3

Migration
Class 8 - Veena Bhargava Geography Solutions
Tick the correct option

Question 1

Various types of migration depend on the

1. number of people often involved

2. reason for movement
 3. nature of migration
4. all of the above ✓

Question 2

International movement of people into a destination country of which they are not natives is
called

1. Immigration ✓
2. Emigration
3. Intermigration
4. Forced migration

Question 3

Which of these is not a positive advantage of migration on destination country?

1. skilled labour
2. cultural diversity
3. cheap labour
4. racism ✓

Question 4

Which of the following is an advantage of migration on the home country?

1. remittances
2. better job opportunities
3. knowledge and skill flow
4. all of these ✓

Question 5

Which of the following is considered a pull factor responsible for brain drain?

1. lack of freedom
2. superior economic outlook ✓
3. discriminating culture
4. absence of research facilities

Fill in the blanks

Question 1

Nomadic movement is not migration as it is seasonal.

Question 2

Hong Kong has many more immigrants than emigrants.

Question 3

Migrants generally do many unskilled jobs at low wages.

Question 4

The trend of brain drain is considered a problem.

Question 5

Pull factors are those factors in the destination country that attract the individual to leave
their home.

Answer in one word

Question 1

Ideas, customs and social behaviour of a particular society.

Answer

Culture

Question 2

An amount of money sent as a gift to someone.

Answer

Remittances

Question 3

Movement from one country to another country.

Answer

Immigration

Question 4

The process in which a country loses its most educated and talented workers to other
countries.

Answer
Brain drain

Question 5

Movement of people from one place to another within its borders.

Answer

Inland migration

Answer the questions briefly

Question 1

Give the meaning of migration.

Answer

Movement of people from their home to another city, state or country for a job or shelter is
called migration.

Question 2

Distinguish between immigration and emigration.

Answer

Immigration Emigration

When someone moves to a country from another place, it When someone moves out of a particular pla
is known as Immigration. known as Emigration.

When a person immigrates to a country its population When a person emigrates from a country, its
increases. population shrinks.

Question 3

State the meaning and causes of rural-urban migration.

Answer

Rural-urban migration involves the movement of people from rural areas or countryside to
urban areas of the same country in search of new job opportunities and lifestyles.

The causes of rural-urban migration include marriage, employment, education, lack of

security, etc.
Question 4

State any two advantages of migration to destination country.

Answer

Two advantages of migration to destination country are-

1. Cheap labour is available for different types of services.

2. Skilled labour contribute to the knowledge and production in the interest of the
country.

Question 5

Explain briefly the causes of brain drain in India.

Answer

The causes of brain drain in India are-

1. Absence of research facilities

2. Employment discrimination
3. Economic underdevelopment
4. Lack of freedom
5. Poor working conditions
6. Lack of job opportunities
7. Discriminating cultures
8. Political intolerance

Question 6

State the effects of brain drain in India.

Answer

The effects of brain drain in India are both positive and negative:

Positive effects

1. People get opportunities to learn new skills and expertise. This knowledge they can
utilise to the advantage of the home country once they return.
2. The migrants send money to their relatives living in the home country. This money
can help stimulate the economy of the home country.
3. The money remittances help in reducing the level of poverty in the home country.

Negative effects

1. The investment in higher education is lost as the highly educated people leave India
and they become assets to other countries.
 2. The shortage of skilled labour and competent people in India.
3. Loss of potential future entrepreneurs.
4. Loss of innovative ideas and investment in education.

Question 7

What are the advantages and disadvantages of migration.

Answer

The advantages and disadvantages of migration in destination countries are as follows:

Advantages

1. Cheap labour
2. Skilled labour
3. Cultural diversity

Disadvantages

1. Job loss
2. Discrimination and racism
3. Social pressure
4. Breakdown of culture and tradition
5. Disease

The advantages and disadvantages of migration to the home country are as follows-
Advantages —

1. Remittances
2. Better job opportunities for locals
3. Knowledge and skill flow

Disadvantages —

1. Loss of skilled labour

2. Fall in demand of home goods
3. Social impact

Question 8

What does emigration mean? In what way it affects the country from where the migrants
come?

Answer

It means leaving one's resident country with the intention to settle down elsewhere. It is
especially migration from one's native country.
Emigration has advantages as well as disadvantages:

Advantages

1. Remittances
2. Better job opportunities for locals
3. Knowledge and skill flow

Disadvantages

1. Loss of skilled labour

2. Fall in demand of home goods
3. Social impact

Give reasons for the following

Question 1

The trend of brain drain is considered a problem in the developing countries.

Answer

The trend of brain drain is considered a problem in the developing countries because in this,
the most highly skilled and competent individuals leave the country and these people
contribute their expertise to the economy of other countries.

Question 2

In India, rural to urban and urban to rural migration is important.

Answer

In India, rural to urban and urban to rural migration is important because rural to urban
population provides labour to the industries in the urban areas. This labour sends remittances
to their family in the rural areas and hence help in rural development.

Also, when people move from urban to rural areas, they bring new ideas with them. At times,
the industrialists move to rural areas to set up factories, which provide employment to the
rural people and help in raising their standard of living.

Question 3

Migration has positive impact on the home country.

Answer

Migration has positive impact on the home country because migration brings in foreign
exchange as remittances, better job opportunities for the locals and in case of seasonal
migration, migrants often bring new ideas, skills and knowledge that they have acquired
during travel.

Worksheet

Question 2

Tick the factors which make you leave your home city or country —

1. Poverty
2. Unemployment
3. Climate
4. Geographical location
5. Famine
6. Unsafe social situation
7. Poor housing and services
8. Poor educational standards
9. Racial discrimination
10. No job prospects
11. Any other

Answer

Factors which makes one leave his or her home city or country are ticked below:

1. Poverty ✓
2. Unemployment ✓
3. Climate
4. Geographical location
5. Famine ✓
6. Unsafe social situation ✓
7. Poor housing and services ✓
8. Poor educational standards ✓
9. Racial discrimination ✓
10. No job prospects ✓
11. Any other