People prefer to live in certain …

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION

1. GEOGRAPHICAL FACTORS

• Availability of water- resides in those area where fresh water can be easily available, used for drinking, bathing and cooking, for cattle,crops, industries and navigation. These river valleys are densly populated
• land forms- prefer living on flat plains and gentle slopes. Because areas are favourable for the crops production and to build roads and industries, for example, Ganga plains. Whereas mountainous and hilly regions are less populated due to lack of transport, agricultural and industrial development, for example Himalayan region
• climate- Areas with very heavy rainfall or extreme and harsh climates have low population, for example Mediterranean regions.Areas with a comfortable climate, where there is not
  much seasonal variation attract more people.
• soils- Fertile soils are important for agricultural and allied activities. Therefore,
  areas which have fertile loamy soils have dense population. Eg. Northern plains of India

2. ECONOMIC FACTORS

• Minerals- Areas with mineral deposits attract industries and therefore generate employment. Skilled and semi-skilled workers move to these areas and make them densely populated. Example Katanga Zambia copper belt in Africa
• urbanization- Cities offer better employment opportunities, educational and medical facilities, better means of transport and communication and good civic aminities which attract more population.
• industrialization-Industrial belts provide job opportunities and attract large
  numbers of people. Example The Kobe-Osaka region of Japan

3. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS

• Attract more people due to religious and cultural significance
• People also move away from places due to political and social unrest
• Many a times governments offer incentives to people to live in sparsely
  populated areas or move away from overcrowded places