Economy · X-Factor Notes
World Population & Urbanization revision notes for UPPCS Prelims.
High-Yield Revision| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| World Population (10,000 BC) | Estimates for the population at the time agriculture emerged ranged between 1 million and 10 million. | |
| Malthusian Theory | Argues that population grows in geometrical progression (exponential), while subsistence grows arithmetically. The theory is related to population. | UPPSC Pre-2022 |
| World Population Distribution | About 50% of the world population is concentrated between the latitudes of 20°N and 40°N. | UPPCS (Pre) 1998 |
| India's Share in World Population |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Global Urban Population Percentage | Approximately 57.2 percent of the world's total population was living in urban areas (as per UN-DESA 2025 estimates). | UPPCS(Pre) 2018 |
| World Urban Majority Milestone | For the first time, more than half of the world’s total population became urban in the year 2008. | UPPCS (Mains) 2009 |
| Fastest Urbanization Growth Rate (Region) |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| New Population Bomb | Refers to the rapidly growing urban population in the Third World. | |
| "Megapolis" | The word was first used by Jean Gottmann. | UPPCS RO-ARO 2023 Prelims Re-Exam |
| Urban Heat Islands | Phenomenon characterized by |
| India is home to about 17.5 percent of the World Population (as estimated in 2011). |
| UPPCS(Pre) 2012, UPPCS (Mains) 2010, U.P. R.O./A.R.O. (Pre) 2016, U.P. R.O./A.R.O. (Pre) 2016 |
| World Population Estimate (2050) | Estimated to reach 9.25 billion. | U.P. U.D.A./L.D.A. (Spl.) (Mains) 2010 |
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| Most Populous African Country | Nigeria. | U.P.P.C.S (Mains) 2011 |
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| Highest Population Growth Rate (Continent) | Africa recorded the highest average annual population growth rate (2.51% between 2015-20). | UPPCS (Spl.) (Pre) 2008 |
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| Minimum Population Growth Rate (1990-2000) | The population growth was minimum in Europe during this decade. | U.P. Lower Sub. (Spl.) (Pre) 2002, 2003 |
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| Largest Indian Population Abroad | As of December 2025, the United Arab Emirates has the largest Indian population. UAE > US > Malaysia > Canada |
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| World Population Day | Celebrated on July 11 every year. | UPPCS (Mains) 2015, UPPCS RO-ARO 2023 Prelims Re-Exam |
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| World Population Day Theme (2025) | Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world | UPPCS (Pre) 2017 |
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| Asia has shown the fastest growth rate of urbanization in the last three decades. |
| Most Urbanized Continent (Percentage) | Australia (86.2%). Among East Asia, South Asia, Europe, and Oceania, Europe (74.9%) was identified as the most urbanized region in one instance. | UPPCS (Mains) 2010, UPPCS (Pre) 2003 |
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| Most Urbanized Country | Singapore (100% urbanization level). | U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2002 |
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| Largest Urban Agglomeration (UA) | Tokyo-Yokohama. | UPPCS (Pre) 2003 |
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| Indian Cities in World Top 10 UA List | Greater Mumbai and New Delhi are among the 10 largest cities/UAs of the world in terms of population. |
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| Lowest Population Density (Continent) | Antarctica > South A > North A > Europe > Africa > Asia (156) |
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| Most Densely Populated East Asian Country | South Korea (527.3 persons/sq. km in 2020). | U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2014 |
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| Most Urbanized South American Country | Uruguay (95.5%). | UPPCS (Mains) 2008 |
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| Most Urbanized West Asian Country | Kuwait (100%). | U.P.P.C.S (Pre) 2011 |
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| Most Urbanized South Asian Country | Bhutan (42.3%, as per World Cities Report 2020). | UPPCS (Pre) 2014 |
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| UPPCS RO-ARO 2023 Prelims Re-Exam |
| UN-Habitat Mandate | UN-Habitat (established 1978) is mandated to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities, reduce poverty, and improve the lives of slum-dwellers. |
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| UN-Habitat Criteria for City Prosperity | Productivity, Quality of Life, and Equality are criteria. Optimum population is NOT a criterion. | U.P. R.O./A.R.O. (Mains) 2013 |
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| Descending Order of World Religion Population | Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. | U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2004 |
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| Global Business Cities Index (Top City 2025) | New york London. | UPPSC Pre-2022 |
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| Declining World Sex-Ratio Fear | Primarily attributed to increasing sex determination tests. | UPPCS (Mains) 2004 |
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| Population Density and Carrying Capacity (A/R) | Aareas of low density have low carrying capacity is true. | UPPCS (Mains) 2010 |
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| Demography (Definition) | Deals with the studies in population (size, structure, development, and movement). | U.P. P.C.S. (Pre) 2020 |
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