Population – Age composition, Sex ratio and Health

Introduction

Fertility, migration, and mortality are the essential features to produce the population’s age, sex, and health structure, influencing the demographic processes. The division of labour in many societies is done by considering age and sex. All the socio-economic and life courses are inter dependable on these unchangeable factors. These are represented on pyramids by analysing the trends on the census and distribution with precise information. These factors are often considered for social provisions and are an essential component of economic policies.

The researchers noted and analysed the socio-economic variations to comprehend the demographic processes—this data assists and acts as an input for the planning of various health and awareness programs. These factors examine the production and consumption patterns. Also, the data is made available in Geography Class 9: Population – Age composition, Sex ratio, and Health to educate students about the current nation of the varying census.

How Is A Population Categorized?

1. Age Composition

The age composition of a population refers to the population’s distribution of individuals by age group. The proportion of the population that is classified as children, working-age, or elderly is a significant driver of the population’s social and economic structure. 

Three broad categories to classify population: 

• Children (under the age of 15): They are economically inactive
• Working age(15-64 years):They are the working age population (15–64 years).This age group is most important for the social economic and political progress of a nation
• Aged (over 64 years): They may work on a voluntary basis but are not accessible for recruiting

Children and the elderly have an effect on the dependence ratio since they are not producers.

The level of youngsters and the matured influence the reliance proportion as some of these groups are not producers.

2. Sex Ratio

The sex proportion is characterised by the ratio of females to males in a population. Sex ratio data is critical in determining the degree to which males and females are equal. Ideally, it should be 1:1. According to the 2011 Census, India has 940 females per 1000 males. 

The sex ratio of the country depends on several factors such as patriarchy in society, birth rate, death rate, migration, and government policies. The sex ratio is the most basic demographic parameter, which shows the social, economic, and political development of a nation.

3. Literacy Rate

Literacy is a critical characteristic of a people. According to the 2011 Census, a person aged 7 years and older who can read and write in any language with comprehension is considered literate. According to the 2011 Census, the country’s literacy rate is 73%, 80.9 per cent for men and 64.6 per cent for females. The statistics along with the pyramid structure are mentioned in the Geography Class 9: Population – Age composition, Sex ratio, and Health to educate students about the trends and importance of the factors.

4. Occupational Structure

Economic activity as a proportion of the population is a critical indicator of the progress of occupational structure. The occupational structure is the distribution of the people by occupation type. Generally, Occupational Structures are generally classed as primary, secondary, and tertiary.

• Primary Activities: It includes agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, fishing and mining, etc
• Secondary Activities: It includes the manufacturing industry
• Tertiary Activities: It includes transport, communication, commerce and administration activities and all other services

Developing nations often employ a more significant share of their workers in primary activities. In India, over 64% of the population is solely engaged in agriculture. The secondary and tertiary industries employ around 13% and 20% of the people, respectively.

5. Health 

A critical component of population composition is health since it affects the development process. Health conditions have improved in India, with death rates falling from 25 per 1000 population in 1951 to 7.2 per 1000 in 2011, and life expectancy at birth increasing from 36.7 years in 1951 to 67.9 years in 2011.

6.Adolescent population

Adolescents are grouped in the age of 10 to 19 years. They constitute one-fifth of the total population of India and are the most important resource for the future. 

Conclusion

The distribution by age, sex, and health is one essential organization to determine demographics. Population sage, sex ratio, and various health factors play an influential role in the development of the economic and cultural life of society. There are numerous planning agencies to analyze the level of development in the economy nationwide, substantiating the fulfilment of plans used for long-term planning. These are considered essential subjects in Geography Class 9: Population – Age composition, Sex ratio, and Health to enlighten students with the contemporary tends used to contemplate the plan for developing the public health network in the future.