Distribution of Population
The distribution of population is the third important part of the study area of Demography. Under this, it is studied that how is the distribution of population in the world or any part of it? And what is the nature of change in this distribution?
Prof. Donald J. Bogg is of the opinion that the population of a country can be studied in two ways.
1. Aggregative Method: According to this method, considering the country as a composite unit, the size formation and changes of its population are estimated.
2 . Distribution Method: According to this method, the size and formation of population of small parts of any country are studied and then conclusions should be drawn. In fact, both the methods are not antagonistic to each other but complementary.
Population data is collected on two basis
(1) Considering the basis of geographical unit such as continent, desert area, mountain and the whole world and
(2) To study the distribution of the world’s population, Thomptson and Lewis took the basis of administrative units, such as country, district, city, block, municipal corporation, district council, municipality, village and locality, on the basis of urbanization and industrialization. Created three categories
1.Advanced Urban Industrial Region
2 New – urban Industrial Region
3.Situation before urban and industrial development
The distribution of population can be easily studied on the basis of population density. By knowing the density according to different purposes, one can estimate the pressure of population, such as population density, agricultural density, economic density etc. Determinants of mass density can be divided into three parts
(i) Geographical and natural factors- climate, vegetation, landform, mountain, plateau, plain, snow area, forest area, desert area etc. (il) Cultural, social and economic factors industry, trade business, urbanization, employment etc. (iii) Demographic Factors- Birth rate, death rate and migration rate are included under this.
Size of Population
The total population of the human community living in a particular place, at any point of time, is called the size of the population of that particular place. It sounds easy to say but it is not. It comes under a complex process. To know the size of the population, first place, time and person are clearly defined, after that on the basis of registration or sample or census. Size is calculated. In this process, it is not enough to know only the size, but it is also necessary to know the change-growth, decline or stability in the population. With the change, the rate of change and the rate of its increase or decrease in the future are also estimated, apart from this it is necessary to analyze the fact that which factors are important for population change? These factors are mainly Natality. There are mortality and migration which are studied as demographic processes. On the one hand, where the population is affected by biological elements, on the other hand the social, economic and cultural elements of that country also become important. This is the reason why the Demographer has to play the role of Biologist, Sociologist, Economist, Mathematician and Statistician also.
factors affecting population
- age and gender structure
- accommodation and stay
- Fertility and Fertility Rate
- mortality and morbidity
- Marriage & Marital Rate Status
- launch
- population and resources
- Population Size Formation and Distribution
- family welfare planning
- demographic measurement
- demographic atrophy
- Training
- labor supply
- Qualitative pillars of population – education, housing, lifestyle
- Population and Socioeconomic Development
- Population Policy
In the modern world, population policy has become an important part of the study area of demography. Population policy is a document to control the government’s thinking and determination towards demographics. How should the size of the population match the resources of the country, what should be the rate of increase or decrease? Ideas are presented in population policy on how to bring about quantitative or qualitative improvement. Is family welfare or planning implemented effectively? What are the government measures to control, incentives are represented. Or what should be the nature of punishment, etc. In the policy of detailed explanation of planning, the following topics related to population are studied and analyzed in World Population Conferences and Regional Population Study Centers, which can be included under the Scope of Demography, such as
- age and gender structure
- accommodation and stay
- Population Size Formation and Distribution
- family welfare planning
- demographic measurement
-
demographic atrophy
Training - Fertility and Fertility Rate
- mortality and morbidity
- Marriage & Marital Rate Status
- launch
- population and resources
- labor supply
- Qualitative pillars of population – education, housing, lifestyle
- Population and Socioeconomic Development
- Nature of Demography
Demography is the science that studies about human population, because it studies the number and human characteristics of human beings, so it studies the ever-changing trends because of any area like country, state, district, city or village. Population increases by birth and in-migration and decreases with death and out-migration. In this process, the determinants of population, gender, age structure, marital status, educational progress, classification of workers and economic activities also keep on changing. All the information or data related to this is available only when continuously empowered organizations do this work by carefully registering. Demography is a science. Science is its nature, systematic study is science. Science is that systematic form of knowledge which reveals the mutual relationship of causes and consequences of a particular event or fact. It is to be remembered here that science is not the only gathering of facts, but to be a science, collecting facts in an orderly form has to classify and analyze them and as a result some rules and principles have to be propounded. In short, let us know that to be a science, it is necessary to have knowledge of the following things.
- The study of knowledge should be systematic.
- Science should have its own rules and principles.
- These principles should be built on the basis of the relation of cause and effect.
- These rules should be universally true.
Demography is considered a science, in favor of which the following arguments are given.
Universality – The truth of the principles propounded by it is universal.
Test of Truth The truthfulness of demographic theories can be tested.
Forecasting future events can be done through analytical study of forecasting demographics methods.
Application of Scientific Technology Scientific techniques of study are used in Demography. In this, facts are collected through questionnaire and schedule and general principles are presented by analysis of facts.
Factual Study Under Demography, factual study of population is done with the help of census. Objective enumeration of population is done in census.
Cause-result is the analytical study of cause-effect relationships.
Demography is not a static science but a dynamic science. In this, the changes in the population during a period and the changes in the population in the future are estimated. Since it studies time and changes. Hence it is Dynamic Science. Finally, it can be said in this way that Demography is not only a theoretical science but it can also be called as applied science.
Methods of Demographic Analysis
Demography is the study and analysis of the status of the population and the measurement of the changes occurring in it. All the elements of demographics are dynamic and there is a constant change in them, as a result of which continuous data collection, classification, editing, analysis goes on. Generally, the study of demography is done in two main ways-
(1) the specific method (2) the general method.
Micro Demographic Method
Under this method, the study of individual or specific groups, components and problems and events related to them is done. The study of structure is important in this analysis. With the help of micro or micro analysis, it becomes possible to study the demographic characteristics of a limited area in depth. This analysis is very useful from the point of view of research because with the help of this, due information of a small area can be obtained.
Macro Demographic Method
Under the comprehensive or macro analysis demographic method, the demographic events of different communities and regions of a country are studied separately and collectively. This helps in comparative study of the demographic situation of different countries. This is the reason why the United Nations has urged all the countries of the world to relate the census at the same time. In this way, the analysis of population growth rate, birth rate, death rate, marriage rate, life table, population pyramid, national population policy becomes easy. In this way, comparative study at the international level becomes easy. It is necessary to use both the methods for demographic analysis, in fact the above two methods are different but both are not contradictory but complement each other. Not only one method for analysis but both methods would be preferable for demography. From this point of view, if it is said that the combined study of facts from both these points of view gives completeness to the knowledge of the subject, then it will not be wrong. American Demographers Thompson and Lewis have clarified in their book Population Problems that the study of different aspects of population, cause-results- cause-effect relationships under analytical study is done.