INDIA

PEOPLE AND ECONOMY

TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII

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12099 – INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY ISBN 81-7450-734-5
Textbook for Class XII

First Edition ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

February 2007 Magha 1928 q No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
Reprinted recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
December 2007, January 2009 , q This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade, be lent,
re-sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of without the publisher’s consent, in any
January 2010, November 2010 form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published.
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and should be unacceptable.
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November 2021 OFFICES OF THE PUBLICATION
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Foreword
The National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005, recommends that
children’s life at school must be linked to their life outside the school. This
principle marks a departure from the legacy of bookish learning which
continues to shape our system and causes a gap between the school, home
and community. The syllabi and textbooks developed on the basis of NCF
signify an attempt to implement this basic idea. They also attempt to
discourage rote learning and the maintenance of sharp boundaries between
different subject areas. We hope these measures will take us significantly
further in the direction of a child-centred system of education outlined in
the National Policy on Education (1986).
The success of this effort depends on the steps that school principals
and teachers will take to encourage children to reflect on their own learning
and to pursue imaginative activities and questions. We must recognise
that, given space, time and freedom, children generate new knowledge by
engaging with the information passed on to them by adults. Treating the
prescribed textbook as the sole basis of examination is one of the key
reasons why other resources and sites of learning are ignored. Inculcating
creativity and initiative is possible if we perceive and treat children as
participants in learning, not as receivers of a fixed body of knowledge.
These aims imply considerable change in school routines and mode of
functioning. Flexibility in the daily time-table is as necessary as rigour in
implementing the annual calendar so that the required number of teaching
days are actually devoted to teaching. The methods used for teaching and
evaluation will also determine how effective this textbook proves for making
children’s life at school a happy experience, rather than a source of stress
or boredom. Syllabus designers have tried to address the problem of
curricular burden by restructuring and reorienting knowledge at different
stages with greater consideration for child psychology and the time available
for teaching. The textbook attempts to enhance this endeavour by giving
higher priority and space to opportunities for contemplation and wondering,
discussion in small groups, and activities requiring hands-on experience.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)
appreciates the hard work done by the textbook development committee
responsible for this book. We wish to thank the Chairperson of the advisory
committee for textbooks in Social Sciences, at the higher secondary level,
Professor Hari Vasudevan and the Chief Advisor for this book, Professor
M.H. Qureshi for guiding the work of this committee. Several teachers
contributed to the development of this textbook; we are grateful to their
principals for making this possible. We are indebted to the institutions and
organisations which have generously permitted us to draw upon their
resources, material and personnel. We are especially grateful to the members
of the National Monitoring Committee, appointed by the Department of
Secondary and Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development
under the Chairpersonship of Professor Mrinal Miri and Professor G.P.
Deshpande, for their valuable time and contribution. As an organisation
committed to systemic reform and continuous improvement in the quality of
its products, NCERT welcomes comments and suggestions which will enable
us to undertake further revision and refinement.

Director
New Delhi National Council of Educational
20 November 2006 Research and Training

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Rationalisation of Content in the Textbooks
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to reduce content
load on students. The National Education Policy 2020, also
emphasises reducing the content load and providing opportunities
for experiential learning with creative mindset. In this background,
the NCERT has undertaken the exercise to rationalise the textbooks
across all classes. Learning Outcomes already developed by the
NCERT across classes have been taken into consideration in this
exercise.

Contents of the textbooks have been rationalised in view of the

following:

• Overlapping with similar content included in other subject areas

in the same class
• Similar content included in the lower or higher class in the same
subject
• Difficulty level
• Content, which is easily accessible to students without much
interventions from teachers and can be learned by children
through self-learning or peer-learning
• Content, which is irrelevant in the present context

This present edition, is a reformatted version after carrying out

the changes given above.

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Textbook Development Committee
CHAIRPERSON, ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR TEXTBOOKS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AT
THE HIGHER SECONDARY LEVEL

Hari Vasudevan, Professor, Department of History, University of

Calcutta, Kolkata

CHIEF ADVISOR
M. H. Qureshi, Professor, Centre for the Study of Regional Development,
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

MEMBERS
Abdul Shaban, Assistant Professor, Centre for Development Studies,
Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Deonar, Mumbai
Archana K. Roy, Lecturer, Department of Geography, B.H.U., Varanasi
B. S. Butola, Professor, Centre for the Study of Regional Development,
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Beena Srikumar, PGT, CRPF Public School, Rohini, New Delhi
G. Parimala, Dean, College Development Council, University of Madras,
Chennai
M.S. Jaglan, Reader, Department of Geography, Kurukshetra
University, Kurukshetra
P.K. Malik, Lecturer, Government College, Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar
Sucharita Sen, Associate Professor, Centre for the Study of Regional
Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Sudeshna Bhattacharya, Reader, Department of Geography, Miranda
House, University of Delhi, Delhi
Sutapa Sengupta, Lecturer (Selection Grade), Department of
Geography, St. Mary’s College, Shillong

MEMBER-COORDINATOR
Aparna Pandey, Lecturer, Department of Education in Social Sciences
and Humanities, NCERT, New Delhi

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Acknowledgements
The National Council of Educational Research and Training acknowledges the
contribution of Kalpana Markandeya, Professor, Department of Geography, Osmania
University, Hyderabad, and Pervez Ahmed, Lecturer, P.G. Department of Geography
and Regional Development, University of Kashmir, Kashmir in the development of
this textbook.
Special thanks are due to Savita Sinha, Professor and Head, Department of
Education in Social Sciences and Humanities, for her valuable support at every
stage of preparation of this textbook.
The Council is thankful to the Survey of India for certification of maps given in
the textbook. It also gratefully acknowledges the support of individuals and
organisations as listed below for providing various photographs, illustrations, cartoons
and articles used in this textbook: Zaheen Alam, Lecturer, Dayal Singh College, New
Delhi, for Fig.7.4; Swapnil Sakhare, Mumbai, for Fig. on page 100, 102; Centre for
Dalit and Tribal Studies, TISS, Mumbai, for Fig. on page 102; Janhit Foundation,
Meerut for Case Study on page 99; M.S. Jaglan, Reader, Kurukshetra University, for
Fig. 6.1, 6.4, 6.5; R.K. Laxman (The Times of India) for cartoon on page 99; Shveta
Uppal, NCERT, for Fig. 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.10 and 7.7; Kalyan Banerjee, NCERT, for Figs.
on page 15, 41; Directorate of Extension, Ministry of Agriculture I.A.R.I Campus,
New Pusa, New Delhi, for Fig. 3.7, 3.8; The Times of India, New Delhi, for Fig. 3.2, 7.1
and for news items on page 12, 38, 63, 95, 96, 97, 99; The Hindu for Fig. 9.1 and for
news items on page 63, 101; CCSHAU, Hisar, for Fig. 3.12; The Economic Times,
New Delhi, for news items on page 57, 74, 82; Hindustan, New Delhi, for news items
on page 38, 46, 63, 101; Dainik Jagran, Varanasi, for news item on page 38; Ministry
of Mines, Government of India for Fig. 9.2 and a figure on page 53; Geological Survey
of India for Fig. 5.4; ITDC/Ministry of Tourism, Government of India for Fig. 7.8;
National Disaster Management Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of
India for a figure on page 48; Today for Fig.7.2; Competition Success Review, Year
Book, 2006 for Fig. 7.5 and 7.6; Ministry of Shipping, Government of India for Fig. 8.3
and on page 86; Down to Earth, CSE, New Delhi for a figure on page 97. The Economic
times for news items on page 38 energyworld.com for news item on page 63.
The Council also acknowledges the contributions of Ishwar Singh, DTP Operator;
Ajay Singh, Copy Editor; and Dinesh Kumar, Computer In-charge, who have helped
in giving final shape to this book. The contribution of the Publication Department,
NCERT is also duly acknowledged.

The following are applicable to all the maps of India used in this textbook
1. © Government of India, Copyright 2006
2. The responsibility for the correctness of internal details rests with the publisher.
3. The territorial waters of India extend into the sea to a distance of twelve nautical miles measured from the
appropriate base line.
4. The administrative headquarters of Chandigarh, Haryana and Punjab are at Chandigarh.
5. The interstate boundaries amongst Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya shown on this map are
as interpreted from the “North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act.1971,” but have yet to be verified.
6. The external boundaries and coastlines of India agree with the Record/Master Copy certified by
Survey of India.
7. The state boundaries between Uttaranchal & Uttar Pradesh, Bihar & Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh &
Madhya Pradesh have not been verified by the Governments concerned.
8. The spellings of names in this map, have been taken from various sources.

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Contents

Foreword iii

Rationalisation of Content in the Textbooks v

Unit I
1. Population : Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition 1-14
Unit II
2. Human Settlements 15-20

Unit III
3. Land Resources and Agriculture 21-40
4. Water Resources 41-52
5. Mineral and Energy Resources 53-65
6. Planning and Sustainable Development in Indian Context 66-74

Unit IV
7. Transport and Communication 75-85
8. International Trade 86-94

Unit V
9. Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues and Problems 95-105

Appendices 106-114

Glossary 115

References 116-117

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School Bhuvan–NCERT an Online web portal

Web based online e-learning Geo spatial portal

School Bhuvan–NCERT (URL: http://
bhuvan.nrsc.gov.in/governance/mhrd_ncert/)
has been launched by NCERT and ISRO in
collaboration to enhance geo spatial skills
among students. This online e-learning portal
includes thematic maps given in Geography
textbooks. This portal enables students to use
Geo-spatial technology for better understanding
of concepts in Geography. Online activities
available on the portal as Level 1, Level 2 and
Level 3 encourage learners from Classes VI to
XII to develop neighbourhood maps and their
attributes on satellite imageries available on
School Bhuvan–NCERT.

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