Chapter 7: Population and Settlement Geography (Part-3)
Which Indian factor has the greatest influence on the distribution and growth of rural settlements, considering land fertility, water availability, and terrain?
A Physical environment
B Language
C Religion
D Politics
Physical factors like fertile soil, accessible water, and flat terrain determine where villages develop, influencing density, layout, and agricultural productivity.
Which Indian rural settlement pattern develops in valley regions where houses align along rivers or roads to maximize transport and irrigation?
A Linear
B Clustered
C Circular
D Dispersed
Linear settlements follow rivers or roads, optimizing access to water and transportation, and are common in alluvial plains and hilly valleys.
Which type of Indian rural settlement clusters houses together around a central open space to promote community living and security?
A Clustered
B Dispersed
C Linear
D Circular
Clustered villages allow shared resources, social interaction, and defense, often found in fertile plains or regions with communal land ownership.
Which Indian rural settlement type features houses widely scattered over the landscape, often in areas with extensive agricultural land and undulating terrain?
A Dispersed
B Linear
C Clustered
D Circular
Dispersed settlements are common where farms are large or terrain is hilly, ensuring each household has access to its agricultural plot.
Which Indian rural settlement type forms around a water source, such as a pond or well, creating circular patterns for resource optimization?
A Circular
B Linear
C Clustered
D Dispersed
Circular settlements provide equitable water access, central community space, and are common in peninsular regions with communal water management.
Which demographic indicator in India measures the number of females per 1000 males and is crucial for assessing gender equity?
A Sex ratio
B Population density
C Literacy rate
D Fertility rate
Sex ratio reflects societal gender balance, cultural practices, and health outcomes, guiding gender-sensitive policies and social development programs.
Which Indian urban settlement type develops around industrial hubs, attracting labor and promoting secondary settlements for workforce accommodation?
A Industrial towns
B Historic towns
C IT cities
D Capital cities
Industrial towns like Jamshedpur grow around factories, attracting labor, supporting housing, services, and secondary economic activities.
Which Indian urban settlement type emerges organically around trade, cultural, or religious centers, often lacking formal planning?
A Historic towns
B Planned towns
C IT cities
D Industrial towns
Historic towns develop over centuries based on cultural, religious, or trade significance, exhibiting unplanned layouts and narrow streets.
Which Indian urban settlement type is specifically designed for administrative efficiency with planned streets, government offices, and public services?
A Capital cities
B Industrial towns
C Historic towns
D IT cities
Planned capitals like Chandigarh feature organized layouts for administration, civic amenities, and urban planning, supporting governance and population management.
Which factor primarily influences rural settlement distribution in India by affecting land productivity, irrigation, and habitability?
A Agriculture potential
B Climate
C Religion
D Industrialization
Fertile soil and water availability promote settlement in plains, valleys, and river basins, while poor soil or arid regions have sparse settlements.
Which Indian tribal community inhabits central India, practicing settled agriculture and maintaining distinct languages, customs, and forest-based livelihoods?
A Gond
B Bhil
C Santhal
D Naga
Gonds reside in central India’s plateau and forested areas, practicing farming, forest resource use, and preserving cultural and linguistic identity.
Which Indian tribal group in northeastern hills practices jhum cultivation, adapting to hilly terrain and preserving social traditions?
A Naga tribes
B Gond tribes
C Bhil tribes
D Santhal tribes
Naga tribes use slash-and-burn agriculture suitable for hilly slopes, maintaining traditional culture, local governance, and ecological balance.
Which Indian tribal community inhabits arid western regions and survives through nomadic livestock rearing adapted to desert conditions?
A Bhil
B Gond
C Santhal
D Naga
Bhils adapt to desert climates via nomadic pastoralism, moving livestock across arid areas, ensuring sustainable livelihood in harsh conditions.
Which Indian demographic indicator measures total literate population above a certain age and is a key measure of human development?
A Literacy rate
B Population density
C Sex ratio
D Fertility rate
Literacy rate reflects education levels, influencing employment, health awareness, and societal development, critical for planning human resources.
Which Indian urban settlement type has developed around IT and software industries, providing planned infrastructure and housing for skilled workforce?
A IT cities
B Industrial towns
C Historic towns
D Capital cities
IT cities like Bengaluru are designed with technology parks, modern housing, and transport facilities, attracting skilled professionals.
Which Indian urban settlement type grows due to diverse economic, administrative, and cultural functions, leading to metropolitan concentration?
A Metropolitan cities
B Villages
C Hamlets
D Circular settlements
Metros like Mumbai integrate industry, services, administration, and culture, causing population concentration, urban sprawl, and infrastructural challenges.
Which Indian urban settlement develops due to proximity to industrial hubs, attracting workers and supporting secondary settlements?
A Industrial towns
B IT cities
C Capital cities
D Historic towns
Industrial towns are strategically located near resources or transport hubs, fostering labor migration and regional economic growth.
Which Indian tribal community inhabits forested plateau regions, relies on agriculture and forest products, and preserves traditional ecological knowledge?
A Gond
B Bhil
C Santhal
D Naga
Gonds sustain themselves on farming and forest produce, retaining traditional customs, language, and ecological practices in central India.
Which Indian urban settlement type is planned for IT industries, featuring modern infrastructure and high-rise residential and commercial buildings?
A IT cities
B Industrial towns
C Capital cities
D Historic towns
IT cities are designed for technological industries, with organized layouts, transport networks, and housing to attract a skilled workforce.
Which Indian demographic metric indicates gender balance by measuring the number of females per 1000 males?
A Sex ratio
B Literacy rate
C Population density
D Fertility rate
Sex ratio reflects gender balance, societal equity, and informs government policies on health, education, and women’s welfare.
Which factor drives urban settlement growth by providing employment, infrastructure, and economic opportunities in India?
A Economic opportunities
B Climate
C Soil fertility
D Religion
Cities expand where jobs, industry, and transport exist, attracting migrants and shaping urban spatial and demographic patterns.
Which Indian urban settlement arises due to informal construction, overcrowding, and lack of planning, often in peri-urban areas?
A Unplanned settlements
B Planned towns
C Industrial towns
D IT cities
Rapid rural-urban migration creates unplanned settlements with dense population and inadequate infrastructure, posing governance challenges.
Which Indian rural settlement pattern clusters houses together to improve security, community interaction, and land use efficiency?
A Clustered
B Dispersed
C Linear
D Circular
Clustered settlements consolidate households to share communal resources, enhance security, and optimize agricultural land utilization.
Which Indian rural settlement pattern is characterized by scattered houses over large agricultural plots, common in hilly and plateau regions?
A Dispersed
B Linear
C Clustered
D Circular
Dispersed settlements allow individual households access to farmland and are typical in peninsular plateau and hilly terrains.
Which Indian rural settlement type forms circularly around central resources like ponds or wells for efficient water distribution?
A Circular
B Linear
C Clustered
D Dispersed
Circular villages optimize access to central water sources and maintain communal organization, common in southern and peninsular India.
Which Indian demographic indicator reflects literacy levels, impacting employment, health, and social development?
A Literacy rate
B Population density
C Sex ratio
D Fertility rate
Literacy rate is a key measure of human development, influencing employment opportunities, awareness, and quality of life.
Which Indian state exhibits low population growth, high literacy, and balanced sex ratio due to social policies and healthcare?
A Kerala
B Uttar Pradesh
C Bihar
D Rajasthan
Kerala’s social programs in education and health have effectively controlled population growth and improved demographic indicators.
Which Indian urban settlement develops organically around religious or trade centers, often without formal planning?
A Historic towns
B Planned towns
C IT cities
D Industrial towns
Historic towns grow over centuries based on trade, cultural, or religious significance, reflecting unplanned urban morphology.
Which Indian urban settlement type is planned with administrative efficiency, organized streets, and public services?
A Capital cities
B Industrial towns
C Historic towns
D IT cities
Planned capitals like Chandigarh ensure governance, civic amenities, and structured urban development for administrative efficiency.
Which factor largely determines rural settlement distribution by influencing agriculture productivity, land use, and habitability?
A Agriculture potential
B Climate
C Language
D Industrialization
Fertile land, water access, and suitable terrain attract settlements, while arid or infertile areas remain sparsely populated.
Population density is considered an important indicator because it helps geographers understand
A Total population strength of a country
B Relationship between population and available land resources
C Cultural diversity of a region
D Migration trends across continents
Population density explains how many people live per unit area, helping assess pressure on land, availability of resources, settlement patterns, and regional development potential.
Regions having extreme climatic conditions such as very low temperatures or excessive rainfall generally show sparse population because
A Agricultural productivity is high
B Transport facilities are well developed
C Human survival and economic activities become difficult
D Urbanization occurs rapidly
Extreme climates restrict agriculture, infrastructure development, and daily life, discouraging permanent settlements and resulting in low population concentration.
Fertile river valleys have historically supported dense populations mainly due to
A Political importance of rivers
B Religious significance of water bodies
C Availability of fertile soil, water, and transport routes
D High altitude and favorable climate
River valleys offer fertile alluvial soil, continuous water supply, and natural transport routes, supporting agriculture, trade, and dense human settlements over centuries.
Population growth of a region refers to the change in population size over a period due to
A Birth rate only
B Death rate only
C Births, deaths, and migration combined
D Literacy and urbanization
Population growth depends on natural increase (births minus deaths) and net migration, together determining whether population increases or decreases over time.
Which of the following situations best explains a decline in death rate in developing countries
A Decrease in population density
B Expansion of deserts
C Improvement in medical and sanitation facilities
D Increase in rural population
Better healthcare, vaccination, sanitation, and nutrition reduce mortality rates, especially infant mortality, leading to longer life expectancy.
Settlement in geography is best defined as
A A temporary movement of people
B A place where economic activities occur
C A permanent or temporary place where people establish homes
D A region with industrial development
Settlements include villages, towns, and cities where people live, interact socially, and carry out economic and cultural activities.
Compact settlements are more common in fertile plains mainly because
A Land is uneven and scattered
B Security concerns force people together
C Agricultural land is limited and valuable
D Climate is extremely cold
In fertile plains, people live close together to preserve farmland, encourage cooperation, and efficiently use productive land.
Dispersed settlement patterns are typically found in hilly or forested areas because
A Land is uniformly fertile
B Transport facilities are excellent
C Flat land is scarce and houses are built far apart
D Population density is always high
Uneven terrain and limited cultivable land force people to build houses wherever space is available, resulting in scattered settlements.
Rural settlements differ from urban settlements mainly in terms of
A Climate conditions
B Dominant economic activities
C Cultural practices
D Population growth rate
Rural settlements depend mainly on agriculture and allied activities, whereas urban settlements rely on industries, trade, administration, and services.
Migration plays a significant role in changing population distribution because it
A Increases birth rate uniformly
B Reduces death rate in rural areas
C Redistributes population between regions
D Eliminates population growth
Migration causes population increase in destination areas and decrease in source regions, significantly altering spatial population distribution.
Natural disasters such as floods and droughts are classified as push factors of migration because they
A Attract people to new areas
B Improve employment opportunities
C Force people to leave their place of residence
D Encourage urbanization
Push factors create unfavorable living conditions, compelling people to migrate in search of safety, livelihood, and better living standards.
Employment opportunities in cities act as pull factors mainly because they
A Reduce agricultural production
B Offer better income and living standards
C Increase rural population
D Promote temporary settlements
Cities attract migrants due to higher wages, diverse jobs, education, healthcare, and improved infrastructure compared to rural areas.
Asia supports the highest population among continents primarily due to
A High literacy rate
B Extensive desert regions
C Fertile river basins and favorable climatic conditions
D Advanced industrial development
River systems like the Indus, Ganga, Yangtze, and Tigris-Euphrates support agriculture and dense populations across Asia.
A census is conducted periodically by governments mainly to
A Control migration
B Estimate future climate change
C Collect detailed data about population characteristics
D Increase tax revenue
Census provides data on population size, age, sex, literacy, occupation, and distribution, essential for planning and policy-making.
Population explosion refers to a situation where
A Population declines sharply
B Population grows very slowly
C Population increases rapidly over a short period
D Migration becomes negative
High birth rates combined with declining death rates cause rapid population growth, creating pressure on resources and services.
Linear settlements usually develop along rivers, roads, or canals because
A Land is infertile
B Transport and water access are easily available
C Climate is unfavorable
D Security threats exist
Linear settlements grow along communication routes to ensure easy movement, water supply, and connectivity.
River valleys continue to attract dense population even today because they
A Are politically significant
B Have religious importance only
C Provide water, fertile soil, and transport facilities
D Have cold climate
These advantages support agriculture, industries, trade, and urban growth, making river valleys densely populated regions.
Temporary settlements are commonly associated with nomadic communities because
A They practice permanent agriculture
B They depend on industries
C They move in search of food, water, or pasture
D They live in urban areas
Nomads frequently change locations due to grazing needs or seasonal conditions, leading to temporary settlement patterns.
Urban settlements are characterized by
A Dependence on agriculture
B Low population density
C Presence of industries, trade, and services
D Temporary housing structures
Urban areas function as economic hubs with manufacturing, commerce, education, healthcare, and administrative activities.
Literacy influences population growth mainly by
A Increasing birth rate
B Promoting early marriages
C Creating awareness about family planning and health
D Increasing migration
Education improves decision-making regarding family size, healthcare, and women empowerment, leading to controlled population growth.