Question 1: Today is World Population Day. Which country is the most populous in the world?
- India
- China
- United States
Answer: India
Fact: Of the world’s 8.2 billion people, 1.46 billion reside in India. Urban centers such as Delhi and Bangalore grapple with severe overcrowding, traffic congestion, and housing shortages, while rural regions face challenges stemming from limited resources.
Question 2: What is population density?
- Growth rate over 5 years
- Births per year
- Number of people per square mile
Answer: Number of people per square mile
Fact: Population density refers to the number of people living per square mile of land. The idea gained prominence in the 19th century, influenced by English economist Thomas Malthus, who cautioned that rapid population growth could exceed available resources. Today, it serves as a crucial metric for urban planning in highly populated cities such as Dhaka, Mumbai, and New York.
Question 3: A ‘megacity’ is a city with …
- More than 1 million people
- A population of over 10 million people
- More than 100 skyscrapers
Answer: A population of over 10 million people
Fact: The term megacity was popularized in the 1960s by French geographer Jean Gottmann during his study of the northeastern United States. Today, it describes urban areas with populations exceeding 10 million—such as Tokyo, Chicago, New York City, and Delhi—characterized by rapid growth and dense infrastructure.