This document discusses factors that influence population distribution and density. It identifies physical factors like terrain, climate, soil, water supply and vegetation that impact where people live. Terrain like plains encourage density while mountains restrict it. A moderate climate and fertile soil support more people. Water supply and some vegetation types also influence settlement. Additionally, human factors like industrialization, transportation, urbanization, and policies shape population patterns. Areas with industries, infrastructure, and cities exhibit higher densities. Wars, conflicts and political instability can decrease populations in affected regions.

1. Factors Influencing Spatial
Distribution and Density of Population
Mithun Ray
Department of Geography
Malda College (University of Gour Banga)
E-mail: mithun.ray147@gmail.com

2. Population Distribution
Actual pattern of spacing of units of individuals
or
How the individuals are distributed, or spread throughout their
habitat
Population Density
The average number of individuals per unit of area
or
An expression of the ratio between population and land area

3. Measures of Population Density
Crude Density or Arithmetic Density
The number of people divided by the total area
Physiological Density
The number of people divided by the amount of land under cultivation
Agricultural Density
The number of agricultural population divided by the amount of land under
cultivation
Comparative Density
Total population of a region is related to the aggregate of weighted land-
according to its productivity-under cultivation (Proposed by Vincent, a
French Geographer in 1946; special type of Physiological Density )
Room Density
Average number of persons per room

4. Measures of Distribution
 Mean Centre of Population
 Median Centre of Population
Centre of minimum travel
Modal Centre

5. Population Density by Country 2016
https://www.jkgeography.com/physical-and-human-factors-affecting-global-population-distribution.html

6. https://www.mapsofindia.com/census20
11/population-density.html

7. Physical Factors
Terrain
Terrain of land is a potent factor which influences the concentration and growth of
population. Normally, plain areas encourage higher density of population as compared
to mountain regions. The steep slope in mountain areas restrict the availability of land
for agriculture, development of transport, industries and other economic activities
which may tend to discourage concentration of population and its proper growth.
It is because of these adverse circumstances that the Himalayan region, though
occupies about 13 per cent of India’s land area, supports only 1-2 per cent of the
country’s population. In contrast to this, the Great Plain of North India is a land of
extremely gentle slope and offers great opportunities for the growth of agriculture,
transport and industries.
This results in higher concentration of population. Although the Great Plain of North
India covers less than one fourth of the country’s land area, it is the home to more than
half of India’s population.

8. Climate
Temperature & rainfall play an important role in determining the population of an area.
Climatic extremes discourage the concentration of population. Such climates include
the extremely cold climate like we have in the Himalayas or Extremely dry & hot
climate like we have in the Thar desert. A moderate climate is favourable for
population. The population map of India follows its rainfall map to a large extent.
Rainfall supplies sufficient water for agriculture which is the main occupation of Indian
masses. As we move from the Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta in the east towards the Thar
Desert in the west, the amount of rainfall and consequently the density of population
decrease. However, there are a few exceptions to this general observation.

9. Soil
Soil is an important factor in determining the density of population in an
overwhelmingly agricultural country like India. Fertile soil supports higher
population density while infertile soil leads to low density. In the northern plain of
India, the soil is regularly enriched by annual floods of the great rivers like the
Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra and their tributaries. Therefore, this is an
area of high population density. The coastal plains also have fertile soils and are
areas of high population density. The Black soil of the Deccan Plateau also supports
high population density. On the other hand, desert soils, mountain soils, laterite
soils are infertile soils and are not capable of supporting high population densities.
However, new technology in agricultural field may change the future population
scenario to some extent.

10. Water supply
Water supply is essential for human survival and development and because of this
this areas which have sufficient water (but not too much) tend to have denser
populations than areas which are dry or suffer from regular drought or areas which
which have excessive rainfall or which may be prone to flooding.
Vegetation
Some types of vegetation make the development of settlement more likely, e.g.
grasslands. Areas with particularly dense rainforest, coniferous forests or those with
little vegetation tend to have sparse populations.

11. Availability of Mineral Resources
Minerals act as great source of attraction for people from different areas,
areas, which results in higher density of population. The higher population
population densities in the Chhota Nagpur Plateau of Jharkhand and in the
in the adjoining areas of Orissa are largely due to the availability of
minerals.

12. Human Factors
Industrialisation
Population has a magnetic attraction towards industrial centres & regions as they provide
massive employment opportunities. Thus, such areas have a high density of population.
Industries are capable of supporting more people as compared to agricultural lands
Transport
Growth of population is directly proportional to the development of transport facilities.
The northern plain of India has a dense network of transport routes and is densely
populated region. The peninsular plateau has moderate network of transport route and is
moderately populated area. The Himalayan region badly lacks transport facilities and is
scarcely populated.

13. Urbanization
Urbanization and population concentration go hand-in-hand and are closely related
related to each other. All the urban centres are marked by high density of population.
population. The minimum density, that an area should have to be designated as
urban, is 400 persons per sq km. The highly urbanized districts of Kolkata, Chennai,
Chennai, Greater Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi and Chandigarh have population
densities of over 6,000 persons per sq km.

14. Political factors influencing population distribution
War, political disturbance, conflict, and weak administration negatively affect
population distribution.
War and political conflicts
take a great toll on human lives. Death rates are high, and people are forced to move out
move out in search of safety. Mortality rates peak and the out-migration dominates.
dominates. Safer locations experience a sizeable population growth because of the in-
in-flow of migrants. This is also the situation in regions near the political boundaries of
boundaries of countries that do not have peaceful relations. Even if there is no conflict,
conflict, the fear of one compels people to move, making these areas the least populated
populated ones.

15. Political unrest and discrimination
are detrimental to population growth. Clashes between different political parties or people
people with different religious beliefs have often resulted in a reduction of population in
population in the affected area. Before settling in a new place permanently, migrant
population looks for a place that not only provides economic opportunities but also
provides safe and healthy environment for wholesome living. A politically unstable region
region is unable to provide both these conditions and hence it discourages not only the
the incoming migrant population but also the already residing population which might be
might be forced to leave the region in search of peaceful locations for settlement.
Discrimination faced by migrants because of race, language, food, culture etc., discourages
discourages in-migration. This has reduced the population growth on one hand and newer
newer settlements on the other.

16. Policies
encouraging migration have often led to population growth in the destination region.
region. International labour movements take place where rules governing cross-
border migration are lenient. Migration helps in the redistribution of population.
population. Policies that promote reduction in fertility levels, banning of infanticide,
infanticide, etc. also influence the population growth in a place. For example, China’s
China’s strict enforcement of one-child policy succeeded in curbing fertility levels and
levels and controlling population.

17. Conclusion
Apart from physical factors, numerous social, demographic, economic,
political and historical factors affect population distribution. These
factors operate not in isolation but in combination with each other.
One cannot, therefore, isolate the influence of any one factor on
population distribution. Further, the interplay between these
determinants is generally very complex.

18. This Power Point Presentation (PPT) has been
prepared only to deliver the lecture. The materials
(Maps, Diagrams and Images) used in this
presentation have been collected and compiled
by the presenter from various academic blogs,
research papers, books etc.

19. THANK YOU