NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Geography Chapter 2: The World Population – Distribution, Density and Growth (NCERT 2026–27)

These Class 12 Geography Chapter 2 solutions cover The World Population: Distribution, Density and Growth from Fundamentals of Human Geography, the NCERT textbook for the 2026–27 session. The chapter explains how the world’s population is unevenly spread, how population density is measured, the geographical, economic and socio-cultural factors that decide where people live, the three components of population change (births, deaths and migration), the demographic transition theory, and the measures used to control population growth. Below you get step-by-step answers to every NCERT Exercises question, clear notes on key terms and formulas, extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason and FAQs.

Class: 12 Subject: Geography Book: Fundamentals of Human Geography Chapter: 2 Unit: II – The World Population Session: 2026–27
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Class 12 Geography Chapter 2 – Overview

Chapter 2, The World Population: Distribution, Density and Growth, opens the unit on people by noting that the population of the world is unevenly distributed — about 90 per cent of people live on roughly 10 per cent of the land, and the ten most populous countries hold about 60 per cent of humanity. Population distribution describes how people are spaced over the earth’s surface, while population density is the ratio of people to land area (persons per sq km). The chapter groups the factors that influence distribution and density into geographical (water, landforms, climate, soils), economic (minerals, urbanisation, industrialisation) and social & cultural factors. Population growth is the change in the number of inhabitants over time and may be positive or negative; its three components are births, deaths and migration, measured through the Crude Birth Rate and Crude Death Rate. The demographic transition theory traces a society’s movement through three stages from high birth and death rates to low ones, and the chapter closes with population control measures such as family planning and the warning of Thomas Malthus (1798).

Key Concepts, Terms & Formulas

Population distribution: the way people are spaced over the earth’s surface. Broadly, about 90 per cent of the world’s population lives in about 10 per cent of its land area.

Density of population: the ratio of the number of people to the size of land, usually measured in persons per sq km.

Density of Population = Population ÷ Area

Example from the textbook: if Region X has an area of 100 sq km and a population of 1,50,000, density = 1,50,000 ÷ 100 = 1,500 persons/sq km (a densely populated region).

Crude Birth Rate (CBR): the number of live births in a year per thousand of population.

CBR = (B ÷ P) × 1000   (B = live births during the year; P = estimated mid-year population)

Crude Death Rate (CDR): the number of deaths in a year per thousand of population.

CDR = (D ÷ P) × 1000   (D = number of deaths; P = estimated mid-year population)

Natural growth: Births − Deaths in a region between two points of time. Actual growth: Births − Deaths + In-migration − Out-migration.

Positive vs negative growth: positive growth occurs when the birth rate exceeds the death rate (or people migrate in); negative growth occurs when the death rate exceeds the birth rate (or people migrate out).

Migration terms: the place of origin is the place a migrant moves from and the place of destination is the place moved to. An immigrant moves into a new place; an emigrant moves out. Push factors make the origin unattractive (unemployment, poor living conditions, political turmoil, epidemics); pull factors make the destination attractive (better jobs, peace, security, pleasant climate).

Demographic transition theory: as a society moves from rural-agrarian-illiterate to urban-industrial-literate, its population changes through three stages — high birth and high death rates (Stage I), declining death rate with still-high birth rate causing rapid growth (Stage II), and low birth and low death rates with slow or stable growth (Stage III).

Population control: family planning — the spacing or prevention of births — supported by propaganda, free contraceptives and tax disincentives. Thomas Malthus (1798) argued that population would increase faster than food supply, leading to a crash by famine, disease and war unless preventive checks were applied.

“Exercises” — Full Solutions

All questions below are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT textbook’s end-of-chapter Exercises section. Answers are original, written in exam-ready style.

1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.

(i) Which one of the following continents has the highest growth of population? (a) Africa    (b) South America    (c) Asia    (d) North America

ANSWER (a) Africa. Africa records the highest growth of population because of its persistently high birth rates alongside falling death rates — many of its countries are still in the early phase of demographic transition.

(ii) Which one of the following is not an area of sparse population? (a) The Atacama    (b) South-east Asia    (c) Equatorial region    (d) Polar regions

ANSWER (b) South-east Asia. The Atacama desert, the dense equatorial rainforests and the cold polar regions are all sparsely populated due to harsh conditions, whereas South-east Asia, with its fertile river valleys and pleasant climate, is densely populated.

(iii) Which one of the following is not a push factor? (a) Water shortage    (b) Medical/educational facilities    (c) Unemployment    (d) Epidemics

ANSWER (b) Medical/educational facilities. Water shortage, unemployment and epidemics drive people away from a place (push factors), while good medical and educational facilities attract people to a place and are therefore pull factors.

(iv) Which one of the following is not a fact? (a) Human population increased more than ten times during the past 500 years.    (b) Population growth is high in the first stage of demographic transition.

ANSWER (b) Population growth is high in the first stage of demographic transition. In the first stage both fertility and mortality are high, so population growth is actually slow. Statement (a) is a fact, as human population did increase more than ten times in the past 500 years.

2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.

(i) Name three geographical factors that influence the distribution of population.

ANSWER Three geographical factors are the availability of water, landforms (flat plains attract people, rugged mountains repel them) and climate. Fertile soils are another such factor that supports dense settlement.

(ii) There are a number of areas with high population density in the world. Why does this happen?

ANSWER High densities occur where conditions favour living and livelihood — abundant fresh water, flat fertile plains, a comfortable climate, rich soils, mineral deposits, industries and growing cities, all of which attract and support large numbers of people.

(iii) What are the three components of population change?

ANSWER The three components of population change are births, deaths and migration. Births and deaths cause natural change, while migration (people moving in or out) causes change due to the movement of people.

3. Distinguish between:

(i) Birth rate and death rate.

ANSWER The two are measured per thousand of population per year but mark opposite events:
Birth rate (CBR)Death rate (CDR)
Number of live births in a year per thousand of population.Number of deaths in a year per thousand of population.
Calculated as CBR = (B ÷ P) × 1000.Calculated as CDR = (D ÷ P) × 1000.
A higher birth rate tends to increase population.A higher death rate tends to decrease population.
Influenced by fertility, social customs and family-planning levels.Influenced by health, sanitation, nutrition and the level of economic development.

(ii) Push factors and pull factors of migration.

ANSWER Both sets of factors influence migration but act in opposite directions:
Push factorsPull factors
Make the place of origin seem less attractive.Make the place of destination seem more attractive.
Force people to move out of an area.Draw people into an area.
Examples: unemployment, poor living conditions, political turmoil, unpleasant climate, natural disasters, epidemics and socio-economic backwardness.Examples: better job opportunities and living conditions, peace and stability, security of life and property, and pleasant climate.

4. Answer the following questions in about 150 words.

(i) Discuss the factors influencing the distribution and density of population in the world.

ANSWER The distribution and density of population are shaped by three sets of factors. Geographical factors: the availability of water makes river valleys among the most densely populated areas; flat plains and gentle slopes favour farming, roads and industry, while mountains are thinly peopled; a comfortable climate without harsh seasonal extremes attracts people, whereas hot/cold deserts and very heavy-rainfall belts repel them; and fertile loamy soils that support intensive agriculture draw dense settlement. Economic factors: minerals attract mining and industries (the Katanga–Zambia copper belt); urbanisation draws migrants with jobs, education, medical care and civic amenities; and industrialisation creates employment for factory workers and service providers alike (the Kobe–Osaka region of Japan). Social and cultural factors: places with religious or cultural significance attract people, while social and political unrest drives them away; governments sometimes offer incentives to settle sparsely populated areas. Together these decide where humanity concentrates.

(ii) Discuss the three stages of demographic transition.

ANSWER The demographic transition theory describes how a society’s population changes as it modernises, passing through three stages. First (high-fluctuating) stage: both fertility and mortality are high because people reproduce more to compensate for deaths from epidemics and an uncertain food supply. Population growth is slow, most people are engaged in agriculture, life expectancy and literacy are low and technology is simple. Two hundred years ago all countries were in this stage. Second (expanding) stage: fertility stays high at first but begins to decline, while improvements in sanitation and health bring the mortality rate down sharply. Because of this gap, the net addition to population is high and growth is rapid. Third (low-fluctuating) stage: both fertility and mortality fall considerably, so the population is stable or grows slowly. Society becomes urbanised, literate and technically advanced, and people deliberately control family size, showing how flexibly humans adjust their fertility.

Map Skill

On the outline map of the world, show and name the following. (i) Countries of Europe and Asia with negative growth rate of population.

ANSWER (described in words) This is a map-marking activity. On a blank world map, locate and label countries that record a negative (declining) population growth rate. In Europe: mark and name countries such as Germany, Italy, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Greece — in north-central, eastern and southern Europe. In Asia: mark and name Japan (in East Asia) and Georgia (in the Caucasus), which also show negative growth. Shade these countries in one colour and add a key labelled ‘Negative growth of population’.

Project/Activity

(i) Has someone in your family migrated? Write about her/his place of destination. What made her/him migrate?

ANSWER (sample — write your own) This is a personal activity, so write about a real relative. Model answer: my uncle migrated from our village in Bihar to Pune (Maharashtra), his place of destination. He moved because of pull factors — better job opportunities in an IT company, higher wages and good educational and medical facilities for his children — together with push factors at the origin such as limited employment and low farm incomes. Record the destination, the date of the move and the reasons behind it.

(ii) Write a brief report on the distribution and density of population in your state.

ANSWER (sample — write your own) This is a research activity using your own state’s data (Census of India figures). A model structure: state the state’s total population, area and overall density (persons per sq km), then explain that population is unevenly distributed — densely settled in fertile river plains and around large industrial cities (because of water, fertile soils, jobs and urban amenities) and sparsely settled in hilly, forested, arid or flood-prone districts. Support your report with district-wise density figures and a simple map, and conclude with the geographical and economic reasons for the pattern.

Extra Practice Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. What is meant by density of population, and in what unit is it measured?

ANSWERDensity of population is the ratio of the number of people to the size of the land they live on. It is calculated as Population ÷ Area and is usually measured in persons per square kilometre.

Q2. Differentiate between an immigrant and an emigrant.

ANSWERAn immigrant is a migrant who moves into a new place (the place of destination), while an emigrant is a migrant who moves out of a place (the place of origin). The same person is an emigrant for the place left behind and an immigrant for the place arrived at.

Q3. Why are river valleys among the most densely populated areas of the world?

ANSWERRiver valleys provide the most important resource for life — fresh water for drinking, bathing, cooking, cattle, crops, industries and navigation — along with flat fertile land for farming. Because of these advantages, areas such as the Ganga plains are among the most densely populated regions of the world.

Q4. Define positive and negative growth of population.

ANSWERPositive growth happens when the birth rate is greater than the death rate between two points of time, or when people migrate in permanently. Negative growth happens when the birth rate falls below the death rate, or when people migrate out, so the total population decreases.

Q5. What did Thomas Malthus state in his theory of 1798?

ANSWERThomas Malthus (1798) stated that population would increase faster than the food supply, and that any further increase would cause a population crash through famine, disease and war. He held that preventive checks (such as controlling births) are better than physical checks.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Explain the economic factors that influence the distribution and density of population.

ANSWEREconomic activity strongly shapes where people live, and three economic factors stand out. Minerals: areas with mineral deposits attract industries; mining and manufacturing generate employment, so skilled and semi-skilled workers move in and make such areas densely populated — the Katanga–Zambia copper belt in Africa is a good example. Urbanisation: cities offer better employment, educational and medical facilities, better transport and communication, and good civic amenities; the attractions of city life cause rural-to-urban migration, and mega-cities keep drawing large numbers of migrants every year. Industrialisation: industrial belts create jobs not only for factory workers but also for transport operators, shopkeepers, bank employees, doctors, teachers and other service providers; the Kobe–Osaka region of Japan is thickly populated because of its many industries. Thus minerals, urbanisation and industrialisation together concentrate population in resource-rich and industrial regions.

Q2. Describe the three components of population change and how the crude birth and death rates are calculated.

ANSWERPopulation change — the change in the number of inhabitants of a territory over a period — has three components: births, deaths and migration. Births add to population and deaths reduce it, producing natural growth (Births − Deaths); migration changes population through the movement of people, giving actual growth (Births − Deaths + In-migration − Out-migration). The Crude Birth Rate (CBR) measures fertility as the number of live births in a year per thousand of population: CBR = (B ÷ P) × 1000, where B is live births and P the estimated mid-year population. The Crude Death Rate (CDR) measures mortality as the number of deaths in a year per thousand of population: CDR = (D ÷ P) × 1000, where D is deaths and P the estimated mid-year population. Population can grow not only through more births but also through fewer deaths, because mortality is affected by demographic structure, social advancement and economic development.

Q3. What are migration, its types, and the push and pull factors that cause it?

ANSWERMigration is the movement of people from one place to another; the place left behind is the place of origin (which loses population) and the place arrived at is the place of destination (which gains population). It may be viewed as a spontaneous effort to achieve a better balance between population and resources. Migration may be permanent, temporary or seasonal, and can flow rural-to-rural, rural-to-urban, urban-to-urban or urban-to-rural. People migrate for a better economic and social life, driven by two sets of factors. Push factors make the origin unattractive — unemployment, poor living conditions, political turmoil, unpleasant climate, natural disasters, epidemics and socio-economic backwardness. Pull factors make the destination attractive — better job opportunities and living conditions, peace and stability, security of life and property, and a pleasant climate. The balance of these factors decides who moves and where.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. About what share of the world’s population lives on roughly 10 per cent of its land area?

(a) 50%    (b) 70%    (c) 90%    (d) 100%

2. The ten most populous countries of the world contribute about what percentage of the world’s population?

(a) 40%    (b) 50%    (c) 60%    (d) 75%

3. Density of population is correctly expressed as:

(a) Area ÷ Population    (b) Population ÷ Area    (c) Births − Deaths    (d) Population × Area

4. The Katanga–Zambia copper belt is an example of population concentration due to:

(a) availability of water    (b) minerals    (c) pleasant climate    (d) fertile soils

5. Which of the following is a pull factor of migration?

(a) Unemployment    (b) Epidemics    (c) Better job opportunities    (d) Political turmoil

6. The Crude Birth Rate (CBR) is calculated as:

(a) (B ÷ P) × 1000    (b) (D ÷ P) × 1000    (c) (P ÷ B) × 1000    (d) (B × P) ÷ 1000

7. In which stage of demographic transition are both fertility and mortality high?

(a) First stage    (b) Second stage    (c) Third stage    (d) Fourth stage

8. A migrant who moves out of a place is called a/an:

(a) immigrant    (b) emigrant    (c) refugee    (d) commuter

9. Actual growth of population is given by:

(a) Births − Deaths    (b) Births + Deaths    (c) Births − Deaths + In-migration − Out-migration    (d) Births × Deaths

10. Who stated in 1798 that population would increase faster than the food supply?

(a) George B. Cressey    (b) Ralph Waldo Emerson    (c) Thomas Malthus    (d) Ravenstein

Answer key: 1-(c), 2-(c), 3-(b), 4-(b), 5-(c), 6-(a), 7-(a), 8-(b), 9-(c), 10-(c).

For each Assertion–Reason question, choose: (A) Both true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion; (B) Both true but the Reason is not the correct explanation; (C) Assertion true, Reason false; (D) Assertion false, Reason true.

A-R 1. Assertion: The population of the world is unevenly distributed.

Reason: People prefer to live in regions with favourable geographical, economic and social conditions.

A-R 2. Assertion: River valleys are among the most densely populated areas of the world.

Reason: Water is the most important factor for life and is used for drinking, farming, industries and navigation.

A-R 3. Assertion: Population growth is rapid in the first stage of demographic transition.

Reason: In the first stage both fertility and mortality are high.

A-R 4. Assertion: Improvements in sanitation and health conditions reduce the death rate.

Reason: A falling death rate with a still-high birth rate causes a high net addition to population in the second stage of transition.

A-R 5. Assertion: Family planning helps to control population growth.

Reason: Family planning is the spacing or preventing of the birth of children.

Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(A), 3-(D), 4-(B), 5-(A).

Exam Tips & Common Mistakes

How to score full marks in this chapter

Memorise the two key formulas — Density = Population ÷ Area and CBR/CDR = (B or D ÷ P) × 1000 — and be ready to use them in a numerical. For the 150-word answers, organise factors under clear headings (geographical / economic / social-cultural for distribution; three stages for demographic transition) and quote the textbook’s examples (Ganga plains, Katanga–Zambia copper belt, Kobe–Osaka region). Distinguish carefully between push and pull factors and between immigrant and emigrant. Remember that growth is slow in Stage I, rapid in Stage II and slow/stable in Stage III, and attach Malthus (1798) to population-control answers.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Writing density as Area ÷ Population — it is Population ÷ Area, in persons per sq km.
  • Saying growth is high in the first stage of transition — it is slow there; growth is fastest in the second stage.
  • Swapping push and pull factors — push acts at the origin, pull at the destination.
  • Confusing immigrant (moves in) with emigrant (moves out).
  • Forgetting migration when listing the three components of population change (births, deaths, migration).
  • Mixing up natural growth (Births − Deaths) with actual growth (which also adds in-migration and subtracts out-migration).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chapter 2 of Class 12 Geography (Fundamentals of Human Geography) about?

Chapter 2, The World Population: Distribution, Density and Growth, explains how the world’s population is unevenly distributed, how density is measured, the geographical, economic and social factors behind distribution, the three components of population change (births, deaths, migration), the demographic transition theory and population control measures.

How is population density calculated in this chapter?

Density of population is calculated as Population divided by Area and is usually expressed in persons per square kilometre. For example, a region of 100 sq km with 1,50,000 people has a density of 1,500 persons per sq km.

What is the exercise heading for Chapter 2 of Fundamentals of Human Geography?

The end-of-chapter exercise is headed Exercises and contains MCQs, 30-word questions, ‘distinguish between’ questions and 150-word long answers, plus Map Skill and Project/Activity tasks — all answered on this page.

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