humans resource

Importance of Human Resources

  • Definition of Human Resource
    • People are considered a nation’s greatest resource.
    • Nature's resources only become valuable when utilized by people.
    • Human resources are described as the ultimate resource due to their ability to harness natural resources.
  • Characteristics of Human Resources
    • Human resources are not uniformly distributed globally.
    • Differentiation based on education level, age, and sex.
    • Population characteristics are dynamic and evolve over time.
  • Example: Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PKVY)
    • Launched in 2015 aiming to train 1 crore youth from 2016 to 2020.
    • Objective: Promote employable skills through quality training.

Global Population Overview

  • World Population Estimate: Approximately 6.6 billion people.
  • Population Distribution
    • Pattern of human settlement across the globe.
    • Over 90% of the population resides in 30% of land surface.
    • Uneven population distribution; densely populated regions include:
    • South and Southeast Asia
    • Europe
    • Northeastern North America
    • Low Population Density Areas: High latitudes, tropical deserts, high mountains, equatorial forests.
    • Three-quarters of the population lives in Asia and Africa.
    • 60% of the world's population resides in just 10 countries, each having over 100 million people.

Population Density

  • Definition of Population Density:
    • Number of people living per unit area, typically expressed per square km.
  • Global Average Density: Approximately 51 persons per square km.
  • Notable Regions:
    • Central Asia has the highest population density.
    • India’s average density is 382 persons per square km.

Factors Affecting Population Distribution

  • Geographical Factors
    • Topography:
    • Preference for plains over mountains or plateaus for farming and services.
    • Example: Ganga plains are highly populated; Andes, Alps, Himalayas are sparsely populated.
    • Climate:
    • Areas with extreme climates are avoided (e.g., Sahara desert, polar regions).
    • Soil Fertility:
    • Fertile soils attract higher populations (e.g., Ganga, Huang He, and Nile river valleys).
    • Water Availability: Areas with fresh water sources are more populated; deserts are less populated.
    • Minerals: Areas rich in minerals tend to have denser populations (e.g., diamond mines in South Africa).
  • Social, Cultural, and Economic Factors
    • Social: Better housing, education, and health facilities attract populations (e.g., Pune).
    • Cultural: Religious and culturally significant sites draw people (e.g., Varanasi, Jerusalem).
    • Economic Opportunities: Industrial areas create job opportunities that attract large populations (e.g., Osaka, Mumbai).

Population Change

  • Definition: Changes in the number of people in a specified time frame.

  • Historical Context:

    • Population growth has been unstable historically; up until the 1800s, population growth was slow due to high infant mortality and low food supplies.
    • Population Milestones:
    • 1804: World's population reaches 1 billion.
    • 1959: Increases to 3 billion (termed population explosion).
    • 1999: Doubles to 6 billion due to reduced death rates and maintained birth rates.

  • Natural Growth Rate:

    • Difference between birth rate and death rate of a country.
    • Global population increases mainly due to high natural growth rates.
    • Birth Rate: Number of live births per 1,000 people.
    • Death Rate: Number of deaths per 1,000 people.

  • Migration Factors:

    • Emigrants: Individuals leaving a country.
    • Immigrants: Individuals entering a country.
    • International Trends:
    • Migration generally trends from less to more developed nations.
    • Urban migration for employment and facilities is common within countries.

Population Growth Rates

  • Variation: Growth rates differ globally; not all countries experience the same trends.
    • Patterns of Growth:
    • High rates in countries like Kenya due to high birth rates despite falling death rates.
    • Slowing growth rates in developed nations such as the United Kingdom.
  • Population Change Visuals:
    • Population structure analysis can indicate changes in economic status.

Population Composition

  • Definition: Structure of the population in terms of age, sex, literacy, health, occupation, and income level.
  • Population Pyramid:
    • A diagram representing the population composition.
    • Shows total population across age groups and gender distribution.
  • Understanding Population Pyramids:
    • Shape indicates growth stages:
    • Broad base indicates high birth and mortality rates (e.g., Kenya).
    • Narrow base indicates low birth rates and high life expectancy (e.g., Japan).
    • India: Intermediate stage with many young people indicates a strong labor force.

Implications and Contributions

  • Potential of Human Resources: Each individual has the potential to contribute significantly to society.
  • Understanding demographic characteristics is crucial for resource allocation and planning.

Exercises and Activities

  1. Questions regarding resource characteristics, population change, and pyramids.
  2. Identifying factors of population change through provided options.
  3. Sentence completion with relevant demographic terms.
  4. Characteristics discussion for populations with varying age distributions.

Additional Resources

  • Suggested links for further exploration:
    • www.ndmindia.nic.in
    • www.environmentdefense.org
    • www.worldgame.org/worldmeters
    • www.cseindia.org
    • www.undp.org/popin

Glossary

  • Life Expectancy: The average number of years individuals in a population can expect to live.
  • Immigration: Entry of individuals into a new country.
  • Emigration: Departure of individuals from a country.