Population Growth

Correct answer: B. Elderly health and care services

The correct answer is B: elderly health and care services. A low growth rate describes the pace at which the total population is changing, but it does not describe the needs of every age group. If the share of elderly people rises, planning must respond to their health care, regular medical support, accessibility, social security and long-term care needs. Option B is correct because it directly matches the changing age structure. Option A may be useful for children and young people but does not address the main demographic change described. Option C is unrelated to the specific service need. Option D is wrong because stopping the census would remove valuable information rather than solve a planning problem. The key lesson is that planners must consider both population growth and age composition. Memory cue: growth tells how fast the population changes; age structure tells what services people need.

Correct answer: A. Three per thousand

The direct answer is A: three per thousand. Population change has two parts: natural increase and net migration. First calculate natural increase by subtracting the death rate from the birth rate: 16 − 9 = 7 per thousand. Net migration is −4 per thousand, which means there are four more people leaving than entering, so it reduces the increase. Therefore, total growth = natural increase + net migration = 7 + (−4) = 3 per thousand. A is correct because it includes both births and deaths as well as migration. B is wrong because it gives only the natural increase and ignores negative migration. C is wrong because it adds four instead of subtracting it. D is wrong because it does not follow the population-growth formula. Memory cue: natural growth is birth rate minus death rate; total growth also includes net migration.

Correct answer: A. Growth may become rapid

The direct answer is A: growth may become rapid. Population growth is affected by births, deaths and migration. If the birth rate stays high, many children continue to be added to the population. When child mortality falls, a larger share of those children survives, so the loss caused by early deaths becomes smaller. The population can therefore increase more quickly. The word “may” is important because complete growth also depends on other death rates and migration, which are not given. A is correct because it describes the likely demographic direction without claiming certainty. B is wrong because lower child mortality does not force the population to decline. C is wrong because birth and mortality conditions do not automatically stop migration. D is wrong because density means population per unit area and cannot become zero merely because child mortality falls. Memory cue: high births plus fewer deaths usually widens natural increase.

Correct answer: B. Incoming and outgoing movement may be balanced

The direct answer is B: incoming and outgoing movement may be balanced. Gross migration describes the total movement into and out of an area, whereas net migration is the difference between immigration and emigration. If many people enter and many people leave, the two flows can be large but equal or nearly equal. Their net effect may then be zero, allowing total population growth to be zero even though mobility is high. A is wrong because zero net movement does not mean that no one moved. C is wrong because zero total growth does not prove that the birth rate is zero; births may be balanced by deaths and migration. D is wrong because a zero growth rate does not mean that the death rate is unmeasured. Common-confusion warning: zero net change is not the same as zero movement.

Correct answer: B. Immigration or a change in administrative boundaries

The direct answer is B: check immigration or a change in the administrative boundary. Population change is not produced by births alone. If the birth rate has stayed unchanged, a sudden increase may result from people moving into the city. It may also appear when nearby settlements are included because the city boundary has been expanded or redrawn. A is not the best first explanation because rainfall does not directly account for a sudden counted increase in population. C is unrelated to the demographic calculation. D is wrong because the death rate must be measured or estimated, not simply assumed to be zero. A boundary change can alter the recorded population even when the actual number of residents has not suddenly changed. Memory cue: for a sudden increase, check migration and measurement boundaries before assuming a sudden fertility change.

Correct answer: B. Birth rate may gradually fall due to education

The direct answer is B: the birth rate may gradually fall as education increases. Women’s education can influence knowledge, employment opportunities, health awareness, decision-making and the use of family-planning methods. These changes may lead some families to choose fewer children over time. Because social changes usually take time and population momentum may continue, the careful conclusion is “may gradually fall,” not “will immediately fall.” A is wrong because the word “always” ignores possible future social change. C is wrong because education can affect fertility decisions, although its effect is not identical everywhere. D is wrong because even a falling birth rate cannot make the population become zero immediately. The future also depends on death rates, migration and the age structure of the population. Memory cue: education can change fertility behaviour gradually, not magically or instantly.

Correct answer: A. High immigration

The direct answer is A: high immigration. Natural increase is calculated from births minus deaths. If it is negative, deaths exceed births, so the population would decrease without another factor. Total growth also includes net migration. A large inflow of people from other places can offset the natural decrease and make the total population increase. A is correct because immigration adds people to the area. B is wrong because high emigration removes people and would make total growth even lower. C is wrong because it describes continued natural decrease with no compensating movement. D is not sufficient to explain positive total growth; a zero birth rate would not add people, and the result would still depend on deaths and migration. The exact amount of immigration is not given, so “most likely” is appropriate. Memory cue: negative natural increase plus positive total growth points to a positive migration balance.

Correct answer: A. Resource pressure may increase

The direct answer is A: pressure on resources may increase. If the number of people grows rapidly while food, water, housing, employment, energy or other resources grow slowly, demand can rise faster than available supply or productive capacity. This creates a planning challenge and may increase competition for resources. A is correct because it states a reasonable possible consequence without claiming that every resource will be exhausted. B is wrong because resources do not become infinite automatically when population grows. C is wrong because population size and resource demand are connected. D is wrong because a mismatch between population growth and resource growth makes planning more important, not unnecessary. The actual level of pressure depends on technology, distribution, consumption and resource management, but the general planning conclusion remains valid. Memory cue: fast population growth plus slow resource growth means greater pressure and greater need for planning.

Correct answer: A. Death rate may fall and growth may rise

The correct answer is A: the death rate may fall and population growth may rise. Better health, sanitation, medical care, or nutrition can reduce deaths. If family planning has not increased, the birth rate may not fall at the same time. The gap between births and deaths can therefore become larger, producing higher natural increase initially. Option B is wrong because improved health does not stop births. Option C is wrong because fewer deaths, with no stated fall in births, generally supports population increase rather than an unavoidable decline. Option D is unrelated; migration still means movement of people between places. The word initially matters: later, fertility may change, but the immediate effect of falling mortality can be faster growth. Memory cue: falling deaths before falling births can create a temporary growth rise.

Correct answer: B. Thirty percent

The correct answer is B: thirty percent. First find the absolute increase: current population − previous population = 65 lakh − 50 lakh = 15 lakh. Next compare this increase with the previous population, because percentage growth is calculated from the starting value: (15 ÷ 50) × 100 = 0.3 × 100 = 30%. Option B is therefore correct. Option A, 20%, does not result from the required calculation. Option C, 50%, incorrectly treats the increase as equal to the entire base population. Option D, 15%, mistakes the increase of 15 lakh for a percentage. Memory cue: growth percentage = (increase ÷ original population) × 100, not increase divided by the new population.

Correct answer: C. Education services may need expansion after checking age structure

The correct answer is C: education services may need expansion after examining age structure. A total growth rate gives only the overall change in population; it does not show how many children are present. If the school-age group is increasing, more classrooms, teachers, buildings, transport, or learning materials may be required, even when the total population is growing slowly. Option A is wrong because increasing school-age numbers create a planning need. Option B is wrong because reducing schools from the total rate alone ignores age composition. Option D is wrong because population data help planners match services to actual needs. The key lesson is that planning must examine both total population and its composition. Memory cue: a slow total increase can hide a fast increase in one important age group.

Correct answer: A. The share of elderly people may increase

The correct answer is A: the share of elderly people may increase. A lower birth rate means fewer children are added to the population, while increasing life expectancy means people live longer and more survive to older ages. Together, these changes can raise the proportion of elderly people and produce an ageing population structure. This does not necessarily mean that the total population immediately falls; the question asks about structure, or the relative share of age groups. Option B is the opposite of the likely change. Option C is meaningless and not a demographic consequence of longer life expectancy. Option D is not supported because lower births generally reduce the pressure for rapid growth, though other factors can matter. Memory cue: fewer births plus longer lives = a higher elderly share.

Correct answer: B. Minus three per thousand

The direct answer is B: minus three per thousand. Total population growth combines natural increase and net migration. Natural increase is the balance between births and deaths, while net migration is the balance between people entering and leaving. Keep the signs while adding: +5 per thousand + (−8 per thousand) = −3 per thousand. The negative result means that, overall, the population decreases by three persons per thousand during the stated period, assuming both rates use the same base and time period. Option A, +3, loses the negative sign and gives the wrong direction. Option C, +13, adds the numerical magnitudes as if both changes increased population. Option D, zero, incorrectly assumes that the two values cancel completely. Memory cue: always write the plus or minus sign before adding demographic rates.

Correct answer: A. The population base is large and the death rate is low

The direct answer is A: the population base is large and the death rate is low. Fewer children per family usually indicates declining fertility, but the total population can still rise for some time. A large existing population contains many people in or approaching childbearing ages, so even a smaller average family size may produce many births in absolute numbers. If deaths are also fewer because health conditions improve, births can remain greater than deaths. This continuing increase is often called population momentum; migration may also contribute, although it is not needed for the answer. Option B is too absolute and is not required: family size can fall even when the total population rises. Option C is impossible because a population requires surviving people. Option D is irrelevant and falsely says migration cannot occur. Memory cue: family size is a rate or average, while total population is the accumulated number of people.

Correct answer: A. Population decline and reduction of the labour force

The direct answer is A: population decline and reduction of the labour force. Population changes through births, deaths and migration. A very low birth rate adds fewer young people, while high emigration removes residents, often including working-age adults. If these patterns continue and are not offset by immigration or other changes, the total population may shrink. The working population may decline even earlier, reducing the number of people available for jobs and for supporting public services. Option B is the opposite of the likely concern and would require strong population increase. Option C cannot be concluded because the question describes emigration, not immigration. Option D is unrelated and cannot follow from low births or outward migration. Memory cue: low births reduce future entrants; emigration removes current residents.

Correct answer: A. It may be rapid first and slower later

The direct answer is A: growth may be rapid first and slower later. In the first stage, health improvement can reduce deaths while births remain relatively high. Because more people survive, the difference between births and deaths can become large, producing rapid natural increase. Later, education and related social changes may reduce the birth rate. As births move closer to deaths, the rate of natural increase slows; it may eventually become very low or negative, depending on the actual rates and migration. Option B is too absolute because growth is not automatically zero. Option C is also too absolute; the early phase can be positive. Option D is wrong because birth rate remains one of the main components of natural increase. Memory cue: in demographic transition, death rates often fall before birth rates, creating an early growth surge.

Correct answer: A. Is net immigration very high?

The direct answer is A: is net immigration very high? Total population growth has more than one component. Natural increase is the balance between births and deaths, while net migration is the balance between immigration and emigration. If natural increase is low but the total population is increasing rapidly, a large positive net migration is a logical possibility and should be investigated. This does not prove that immigration is high, but it is the relevant demographic question among the choices. Option B concerns climate and does not directly explain the population balance. Option C concerns landform change, not demographic accounting. Option D describes a soil characteristic and is unrelated to the stated population pattern. Memory cue: total growth = natural increase + net migration; if one component is small, check the other.

Correct answer: A. The birth rate is definitely very high

The direct answer is A: we should not conclude that the birth rate is definitely very high. Population growth can result from natural increase, net migration, or both. If immigration is the main stated cause, people entering the area are contributing directly to the increase; this information alone does not tell us whether local births are high, low or moderate. Option B is a reasonable conclusion because the question says the growth rate is high. Option C is supported because immigration is a form of migration contributing to growth. Option D is correct because total growth includes net migration along with natural increase. Option A is therefore the unsafe conclusion. Memory cue: do not confuse the source of population increase with the birth rate of the resident population.

Correct answer: A. Internal movement can increase urban population

The correct answer is A: internal movement can increase the population of towns and cities. Total population growth and the distribution of people are different ideas. Total growth depends on births, deaths, immigration and emigration. Urbanisation describes the increasing share or number of people living in urban places. If people move from villages to cities, the urban population can rise rapidly even when the population of the whole area grows slowly. Option A is correct because rural-to-urban migration changes where people live. Option B is wrong because urbanisation is closely connected with population distribution and migration. Option C is wrong because slow growth does not prove that the total population is declining. Option D is wrong because a low or zero birth rate is not necessary for rapid urbanisation; migration alone may cause it. Memory cue: growth asks “how many people?”, while urbanisation asks “where do they live?”

Correct answer: A. Because percentage growth depends on the base number

Direct answer: A is correct. The base population is the starting population against which a later population is compared. First calculate the change: later population minus base population. Then calculate percentage growth using: (change ÷ base population) × 100. For example, a change of 10 in a base of 100 is 10%, but the same change of 10 in a base of 50 is 20%; this shows why the base matters. B is wrong because a base population is not normally zero, and division by zero cannot give a meaningful percentage. C is wrong because population and area are different quantities; area is used when calculating density. D is wrong because the role of a base population is to provide the denominator for comparison, not to determine whether the birth rate changes. Memory cue: percentage growth is always measured from the starting number.

Correct answer: B. 8 lakh

Direct answer: B, 8 lakh, is correct. Absolute increase means the actual numerical change, not the percentage change. Write the final population and subtract the initial population: 48 lakh − 40 lakh = 8 lakh. The unit remains lakh because both given values use lakh. A is wrong because 4 lakh is half of the actual difference. C is wrong because it adds the two values incorrectly in relation to the question. D is wrong because 88 lakh is the sum of 40 lakh and 48 lakh, not their increase. Do not divide by the base unless the question asks for percentage growth. If percentage were required, the calculation would be (8 ÷ 40) × 100 = 20%, but that is not asked here. Memory cue: absolute increase = final value − initial value.

Correct answer: C. 20 percent

Direct answer: C, 20%, is correct. Step 1: find the absolute increase: 30 lakh − 25 lakh = 5 lakh. Step 2: compare this increase with the base population, which is 25 lakh: 5 ÷ 25 = 0.2. Step 3: multiply by 100, giving 20%. The formula is percentage growth = (increase ÷ base population) × 100. A is wrong because it does not use the correct fraction. B is also below the calculated value. D incorrectly treats the increase as if it were equal to the whole base population fraction of one-fourth. The denominator must be the initial or base population, not the final population. Memory cue: subtract first, divide by the starting population, then multiply by 100.

Correct answer: A. Growth = Births − Deaths + Net Migration

Direct answer: A. Population growth is affected by natural change and migration. Natural increase is calculated as births minus deaths. Net migration is then added because people entering or leaving also change the population: total growth = births − deaths + net migration. If net migration is negative, it reduces the result. Option A is correct because it includes all three relevant components. Option B is wrong because area and density describe spatial conditions, but adding them does not calculate population growth. Option C is wrong because rainfall and temperature are environmental factors, not the population-growth formula. Option D is wrong because rivers and mountains have no arithmetic relationship in this calculation. A useful memory cue is “births add, deaths subtract, migration adjusts.”

Correct answer: A. The death rate is very low and in-migration is high

Direct answer: A. A declining birth rate does not automatically mean that the total population must decline. Total population depends on births, deaths, and migration together. If the death rate is very low, many people remain alive, and if in-migration is high, additional people enter the area. These effects can be large enough for the total population to increase even though the birth rate has fallen. Option A is correct. Option B is wrong because deaths greater than births reduce natural increase, while out-migration removes people. Option C is wrong because everyone leaving would reduce the population. Option D is wrong because zero births and zero in-migration provide no additions; without other information, this does not describe population increase. Memory cue: never judge population from birth rate alone; check deaths and migration too.

Correct answer: A. The growth rate remains positive but becomes lower than before

Direct answer: A. A growth rate measures the speed or percentage of change, while total population is the number of people. A population of 100 growing at 3% becomes 103. If it later grows at only 1%, it becomes about 104.03. Thus, the rate has declined from 3% to 1%, but the population still rises because the rate remains positive. Option A is correct. Option B is wrong because a negative growth rate generally means the total population is decreasing. Option C is wrong because deaths exceeding births create negative natural increase, although migration could alter a particular case; it does not by itself express the required situation. Option D is wrong because everyone leaving would reduce the population. Memory cue: a smaller positive rate still means growth; only zero stops growth and a negative rate reverses it.