World Population & Urbanization (Part – II)

Total Questions: 38

21. The number of economically active women (excluding students and those doing domestic duties in their homes) as a percentage of all women of working age (generally those aged 15-64 years) was the highest in 1996 in: [I.A.S. (Pre) 1998]

Correct Answer: (b) China
Solution:As per the question period and also at present, option (b) is the correct answer. According to the World Bank's data, in this context, the present situation of the given countries is as follows:
CountryLabour Force Participation Rate of Women (2023) as a Percentage of Female Population Aged 15 Years and Above
China61%
USA57%
Russia54%
South Korea56%

22. Assertion (A): Two percent of people of the world live outside their country of birth. [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1999]

Reason (R): Oceania has the highest percentage of migrants.

Code:

Correct Answer: (d) A is false, but R is true
Solution:As per World Migration Report 2000, the estimated number of international migrants in the world was 173 million, which was 2.8 percent of the total population of the world. In 2000, the region with the highest proportion of international migrants was Oceania.

As per World Migration Report 2022, the estimated number of international migrants is 281 million, which is 3.6% of the total population of the world. Oceania is still the region with the highest proportion of international migrants. Hence, as per the question period and also at present, option (d) is the correct answer. As per the World Development Report, 2023, the estimated number of international migrants is 184 million, which is 2.3 percent of the total population of the world.

23. At present, the migrant population as a percentage of total population is the highest in: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1999]

Correct Answer: (c) U.A.E.
Solution:As per the question period, option (a) was the correct answer, while at present option (c) is correct. According to the World Development Report, 2023, U.A.E. is on top in terms of immigrants followed by Qatar. As per the World Migration Report 2022, in 2020, U.A.E. had the highest percentage of international migrants (88%) in its total population, while Qatar is in second place, where the percentage of migrants in the total population is 77%.

24. The largest migrant population is found in: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1999]

Correct Answer: (c) Europe
Solution:As per the question period and also at present, option (c) is the correct answer. According to the World Migration Report 2022, the number of migrants (in thousands) in the given regions in 2020 are as follows:
RegionsMigrants (in million)
Oceania9.0
Europe81.7
Africa15.8
Northern America53.3
(incl. USA & Canada)

25. Assertion (A): China's growth of population has dramatically slowed down. [U.P. U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2001]

Reason (R): Its fertility rate has declined due to the one-child per family policy.
Codes:

Correct Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
Solution:It is true that China's growth of population has dramatically slowed down in previous decades. The total fertility rate (TFR) of China dropped from about 5.0 in the 1970s to below Replacement level, in the early 1990s and to 1.22 reported in China's 1990 Census, which was due to the policy of one child per household adopted by China in 1979. As per UNFPA's State of World Population 2024 report, the TFR in China is at 1.2 in 2024.

26. According to the U.N. Population Division, the lowest fertility rate is in: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1998]

Correct Answer: (c) Italy
Solution:As per the question period and also at present, option (c) is the correct answer. According to UNFPA's State of World Population 2024 report, the total fertility rates (TFR) of given countries are as follows:
Sweden1.7
Italy1.3
Australia1.6
France1.8

27. The lowest fertility rate in the world is that of: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2000]

Correct Answer: (a) China
Solution:As per the question period, option (b) was the correct answer while, as per the estimates of 2023, China has the lowest fertility rate among the given countries. As per UNFPA's State of World Population 2024 report, the total fertility rates (TFR) of given countries in 2023 are as follows:
CountryTFR (2023)
China1.2
Italy1.3
Sweden1.7
USA1.7

28. Which one of the following countries has the highest birth rate? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2007]

Correct Answer: (a) Afghanistan
Solution:As per the question period and also at present, Afghanistan has the highest birth rate among the given South Asian countries. As per data of the World Bank, the crude birth rate (per 1000 population) and TFR (births per women) in given countries are as follows:
CountryCrude Birth RateTFR
Afghanistan354.5
Bangladesh171.9
India162.0
Pakistan273.4

29. Life expectancy is highest in the world in: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2003]

Correct Answer: (c) Japan
Solution:As per the question period and also at present, option (c) is the correct answer. According to the Human Development Report 2023/2024, the life expectancies (at birth) of the given countries (in years) in 2022 are as follows:
CountryLife Expectancy (2022)
Japan84.8
Canada82.8
Norway83.4
Germany81.0

30. Which of the following countries has the highest life expectancy (in years) at birth? [U.P.U.D.A/L.D.A. (Pre) 2006]

Correct Answer: (a) Japan
Solution:Among the given countries, Japan has the highest life expectancy at birth during the question period and also at present. As per the Human Development Report 2023/2024, Japan has the highest life expectancy at birth (84.8 years in 2022) among all countries of the world, while Liechtenstein (84.7 years in 2022) is in second place.