Page 32 - ICSE GEOGRAPHY

per cent. Kerala has achieved a literacy rate • Select populations, such as military towns,
of 93.91 per cent while Bihar is still the most may have an imbalance of either of the sexes.
illiterate state of India, with a literacy rate of • Urban areas in developing regions have
63.82 per cent. more males.
India shows an uneven composition of
Sex Composition
population as compared to most of the
Th e sex composition refers to the proportions
developed countries. Th e reasons for such a
of the two sexes in a defi ned population. It is
state to occur are high maternal mortality,
expressed as the number of females per 1,000
female infanticide, sex-selective female
males.
abortions, and neglect of the girl child leading
Globally male births usually exceed female
to a higher mortality among girls at a young
births, but their life expectancy is less than
age. In the 2011 census, the ratio of India was
that of females. So, by the time children are a
940 females per 1,000 males. Th e sex ratio of
year old, there are more females than males.
2011 though, shows an upward trend from
Th e sex composition may be aff ected by the
the census 2001 data. In 2001, there were only
following factors.
933 females to every 1,000 males.
• In places where women are considered
subordinate beings, they suff er a higher Age Composition
mortality rate and a lower life expectancy.
Th e number of people in each age group in a
• Th ere is usually a dominance of males in
country is referred to as its age composition.
immigrant populations.
Since age groups signify the rate at which
• In diff icult and extreme environments, there
resources are used and the capacity to work,
is usually an imbalance in favour of males.
it is an important component of population.

Under 15 years Over 65 years

A graph showing the proportion of selected age groups of world population in 2017, by region

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