Abstract

The term ‘ Population Growth ’ or ‘ Population change ’ is used in its broadest connotation  to cover changes in Population numbers , Inhabitants of a territory during a specific period of time, Irrespective the fact, whether the changes is positive or negative          ( Chandna, 1992, p – 81). Though the growth signifies both an Increase and decrease, therefore, stands for changes of numbers nevertheless the choice of growth over change is mainly due to the fact that very few countries of the world have recorded a decline in their population and that too has been marginal and for short period. On the contrary, in most of the countries populations are growing so rapidly that world population growth has become one of the major problems of the present.

           The most important fact about a population is the continuous process of change of its numbers. This process of change results basically from fertility and mortality behavior of a population in addition to these vital processes, the immigration on the other provides a measure of change, irrespective of its increase of decrease of number is referred to as population growth. Demographic fact about a population is its rate of growth (Boque, 1969, p-37).

           Population growth can be measured both in terms of absolute numbers and percentage. The absolute growth is obtained by subtracting the population of an earlier date from that of latter date, While the percentage change is obtained by dividing the absolute change by the population of the earlier date and multiplying it with 100. Population geographers have often calculated the percent growth of population for a period of ten years. This period normally synchronizes with the inter-censal period, such a growth rate is calculated with the help of actual population count at the earlier census and it’s generally known as actual rate of population growth.

           Apart from the absolute increase and the actual growth rate of population per annum, one of the most common measures is the geometrical annual rate of increase. The rate of geometric growth is one in which the population is supposed to increase or decrease at the same rate over such unit of time, Say each year. The geometric rate of increase is the type of change where the compounding takes place at a certain constant interval say a year. It is a useful rate and may be helpful in assessing the accuracy of vital and migration statistics. Various techniques have been adopted for measuring the annual growth rate of population. The results obtained vary from measure as the variable taken and methods adopted are not always the same in all the cases. However, the method adopted by the U.N. Demographic year Books have been commonly used for computing the annual growth rate of population.