Population in South Asia India Population Basics India
Population in South Asia (India)
Population Basics India has more people than in the entire Western Hemisphere!
Population Basics �Population of India: 1, 22, 000 � 2 nd highest in the world
Population Basics �“Hindi Belt” in the north has over 40% of India’s population �High birth and death rates, low literacy, high poverty �Control of growth in this region is key! �Southern states – controlling growth well �High literacy, long life expectancy, low birth rates �History – trade w/ foreigners encouraged literacy, diversity of religion/culture
Factors Leading to Population Growth �Largely rural population… “India lives in its villages” �Lower education, higher IMR and TFR, higher poverty, fewer modern amenities �Lifestyle = agriculture = need for large families �Work to bring home income �Use children for financial security in old age
Factors Leading to Population Growth �Low status of women �Less education, nutrition/medical care �Early marriage �Preference for sons Dowry (women’s family pays husband’s family to be married) 940 w 0 men to 1, 000 men
Factors Leading to Population Growth �Limited Infrastructure/education – difficult to bring services to such a large, rural population
How has India dealt w/ the problem? �No effective policies at first � 1970’s – forced sterilization camps �Some states offer incentives for sterilization ($, goods) �States that don’t control growth do not get extra seats in parliament (India’s Democratic gov. ) �Some success, but must control population growth in the North �Education is essential to end the population explosion, improve the status of women, and end poverty
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