Vedanta Integrated Social Studies 7 Final (2078)

ACTIVITIES

(1) Read the following paragraph and answer the questions below it.

Facts about Mesopotamia

There was a trend of invading and ruling Mesopotamia by the
powerful one. Sargon-I invaded Mesopotamia in about 2500 BC and
unified the small city-states into a strong nation. Hammurabi from
Syria invaded Mesopotamia in about 1760 BC and made Babylonia
his capital. Hittites a mountain tribe conquered Mesopotamia after
the death of Hammurabi. But later the Hittites kingdom collapsed,
and Mesopotamia again divided into small kingdoms in about 1200
BC. One of the small kingdoms of Mesopotamia was ruled by the
Phoenicians, nomads of the desert. Another small state was ruled by
the Hebrews or Jews. They lived in Palestine. Solomon was a great
king of the Hebrews. He brought many changes through development
during his period from 977 BC to 937 BC. But after his death, the
Jews kingdom was divided into two parts viz. Israel and Judah. This
division weakened the Hebrews, and they were overpowered by the
invaders. The Assyrians, one of the invaders, conquered Israel in 722
BC and the Chaldeans conquered Judah in 586 BC.

(a) When did Sargon-I invade Mesopotamia?

(b) Nomads also ruled Mesopotamia. Who were they?

(c) What made the Hebrews weak?

(d) List the invaders of Mesopotamia in the chronological order.

(e) Why was there a trend of invading and ruling in Mesopotamia?
Write your opinion in three points.

(2) Make a list of impacts of Mesopotamian civilisation on the present
society in a chart paper and display it in the class.

EXERCISE

(1) Fill in the blanks with suitable answers.

(a) A famous public building of Mesopotamian civilisation was ............

(b) Emperor ................... of Chaldean dynasty built Hanging garden.

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(c) The 22 consonant symbols were developed by .............................
(d) The Greek introduced ................................. to the 22 consonant

symbols and made the present alphabets.
(e) The science that studies about the sun, the moon and the planets is

..............................

(2) Answer the following questions.
(a) Write the meaning of the Greek word ‘Mesopotamia’.
(b) Where was the Mesopotamian civilisation developed?
(c) What type of building was Ziggurat?
(d) List the four civilisations which developed Mesopotamian civilisation.
(e) What did the Priest king of Sumerian civilisation do?

(3) Write about the political condition of Mesopotamian civilisation in
your own words.

(4) Write a letter to your friend explaining the impact of Mesopotamian
Civilisation on modern society.

(5) Write about Hanging Garden of Babylonia and draw a picture of it
through your imagination based on the explanation.

COMMUNITY WORK

Visit a city located on the bank of any rivers nearby your locality and
ask the people about the advantages and disadvantages of living on
the banks of river. Then, prepare a report by relating their feelings with
the ancient civilisation.

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UNIT OUR ECONOMIC
7 ACTIVITIES

Learning On the completion of this unit, we will be able to:
Outcomes • tell the present status of natural resources and means such as land, water,

forest and minerals in Nepal;
• utilise the available means and resources of Nepal;
• explain the present status of industries in our country;
• describe the importance of industries in Nepal;
• clarify the relationship between agriculture and industries;
• mention the problems seen in the industrial sector with their solution;
• explain the present status of trade in our country;
• explain the importance of trade in Nepal; and
• mention the problems seen in the trade sector with their solution.

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Lesson Natural Means and Resources
in Nepal and their Utilisation
71..11

Many valuable things or materials occur in nature. We can use or exploit
them for economic growth. (Exploit here means to use something well, and
achieve something or gain an advantage from it). Such substances are called
natural resources. They exist naturally in a place and are available freely.
In this sense, they are the gift of nature for human beings. Land, forests,
energy sources, water sources and minerals are the chief natural resources
of Nepal.
Natural resources are the foundation for
the economic progress of a country. They
are a source of wealth. A nation can prosper
if it is able to utilise its natural resources
properly. However, they alone cannot do
anything. They must be utilised or exploited
by skilled human resources using modern
technology. We can classify the countries in
the world as rich or poor in terms of natural
resources based on their availability. In
this regard, Nepal is a rich nation in natural means and resources. There is
diversity in the natural resources found in Nepal. They are described below.

(1) Soil/Land:

Land is one of the important natural means and resources of Nepal,
where the majority of people practise farming as their major occupation.
Nepal is a country of different landforms. According to the difference in
height and landforms, soil also differs from place to place. There is alluvial
soil in the Terai region and basin areas of Nepal. It consists of soil left by
rivers, lakes, floods etc. It is a fertile type of soil and suitable for growing
different types of crops such as paddy, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, etc. There
is sandy boulder soil in the inner Terai and on either side of the Chure
range. Trees grow well in such type of soil. Red and brown soil is available
on the slopes of the Mahabharat range. Fruits, tea, potato, maize, millet etc.
grow well in such type of soil. There is lacustrine soil in the valleys which
is formed by drying of lake water. This type of soil is suitable for growing
paddy, wheat and varieties of vegetables. The soil found in the Himalayan

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region is not fertile. Glacial soil is found in the base of the inner Himalayas
and the main Himalayas. The fertility of such soil is minimum as the climate
is very cold. However, maize, potato, barley etc. grow well in this soil.

(2) Water:

Although Nepal doesn’t have direct access to the sea, it is among the richest
country in terms of the availability of water resources. In fact, it is believed
to be the second richest country in water resources after Brazil. The water
resource is one of the most important natural resources of the country.
There are more than 6000 rivers and rivulets in Nepal. Water resources
are abundant throughout the country in the form of rivers, rivulets, lakes,
glacier, springs and groundwater. People use the water from these sources
for drinking, irrigation, producing hydroelectricity and running water
transport.
There are several perennial rivers in Nepal, such as the Saptakoshi, the
Saptagandaki, the Karnali, etc., which originate from the Himalayas or
melting snow. They have an uninterrupted flow of water throughout the
year. The volume of water of such rivers does not decline even in the winter
season. They have a high prospect of irrigation, water transportation and
hydroelectricity. Some rivers originate from the Mahabharat range. The
volume of water in such rivers is more in the rainy season and less in winter.
Mechi, Kankai, Triyuga, Kamala, Bagmati, Tinau, Rapti, Babai, Mohana,
etc. belong to this category. Some rivers also originate from the Chure
(Siwalik) range. They have more flow of water during the rainy season but
dry or contain a very less amount of water in the winter season. These rivers
can be useful for rain-fed farming and short-term or temporary irrigation.
Besides rivers, there are many lakes in Nepal famous for their natural
beauty. Tilicho Lake in Manang district is a lake that lies at the highest
altitude (4, 919 m) in the world. Phoksundo Lake in Dolpa district is the
deepest lake (about 650 m deep) in Nepal. Rara Lake lies in Mugu district.
It is the largest lake in Nepal. It is 167 m deep, 5.2 km long and 2.4 km wide.
This lake is also known as Mahendra Lake. Besides these lakes, some well-
known lakes of Nepal are Chho Rolpa Lake (Dolakha), Phewa Lake (Kaski),
Ghodaghodi Lake (Kailali), Bulbule Lake (Surkhet), etc.

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Glossary

foundation : something (such as an idea, a principle, or a fact) that
provides support for something
basin
boulder : a depression in the earth’s surface that contains water
abundant : large rock
perennial : plentiful
: lasting throughout the year

ACTIVITY

(1) What are natural resources available in your locality? Discuss among
your friends and make a list.

EXERCISE

(1) Match the following. lacustrine soil
(a) Terai region sandy and rocky soil
(b) Mahabharat range alluvial soil
(c) Inner Terai and Chure range red and brown soil
(d) Valleys less fertile soil
(e) Mountainous region

(2) Write one-word answer to the following questions.

(a) The type of soil found in the base of the inner

Himalayas and the main Himalayas ..............................

(b) The lake that lies at the highest altitude in ..............................
the world

(c) The type of river that originates from the ..............................
Himalayas or melting snow

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(d) The biggest lake in Nepal ..............................
(e) The deepest lake in our country ..............................
(f) The other name of Chure range ..............................

(3) Answer the following questions.
(a) What are the natural resources? Give some examples.
(b) What are the major natural resources of Nepal?
(c) What is the importance of natural resources for a country? Explain.
(d) Describe land/soil and water resource as important natural resources.
(e) Write in brief about the importance of hydroelectricity in Nepal.

COMMUNITY WORK

Although Nepal is rich in water resources, they are not being utilised
properly. How can Nepal utilise its water resources properly and earn
money for national progress? Take help of your seniors and write some
ways to make optimum utilisation of water resources in our country.

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Lesson Natural Means and Resources,
Forest and Minerals
71..21

Forest

A forest is a large area of land covered
by trees and other plants growing close
together. Forest resource is an important
resource in Nepal. In fact, green forests are
the wealth of Nepal (Hariyo Ban Nepalko
Dhan). They have played a significant role
in environmental conservation and balance
of the ecosystem in our country. There is
diversity in the geographical structure of
Nepal. Due to this diversity, there are differences in the forests found in
different parts of the country.
The forests of Nepal can be classified into five major groups.

(a) Subtropical Evergreen Forests:

These forests are found in the southern Terai plains along Churia Hills up
to the height of 1200 m. These forests remain green throughout the year
as they receive adequate rainfall and sunlight throughout the year. Many
valuable trees for commercial and industrial purposes like Sal, Sisoo, Semal,
Khair, Karma and Asna grow in huge amount in these forests. Wild animals
like elephants, tigers, bears, leopards, etc. are found in these forests. The
thick forests of the Terai region, also known as ‘Char Kose Jhadi’, come
under subtropical evergreen forests.

(b) Temperate Deciduous Forests:

These forests are found above 1200 m to 2100 m in the upper side of
Chure Hills below Mahabharat Hills. The trees of these forests lose their
leaves in the autumn every year. So, they are called deciduous forests. Saal,
Sisau, Peepal, Chanp, Simal, Uttis, etc., grow well in such forests. Several
animals such as tigers, leopards, deer, and bears reside in these forests.

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(c) Coniferous Forests:

These forests are found above the Mahabharat ranges and below the
Himalayas at an altitude of 2101 m to 3350 m. The trees in these forests are
coniferous in shape to prevent snowfall. These trees are useful for making
matchsticks, furniture and paper. They have very thin leaves like needles,
which do not normally lose in winter. Chanp, Pine (Salla) and Dhupi are
found in these forests.

(d) Alpine Forests:

Alpine forests are found at an altitude of 3351 m to 5000 m in which we can
find rhododendrons, bushes and some herbal plants.

(e) Tundra Forests:

Tundra vegetation is available above 5000 m altitude. No trees grow in the
tundra region as it is always covered with snow. However, lichens and moss
are found in the region.
Forests are of great economic importance. They are a good source of wood,
grass, fodder, herbs and raw materials for furniture, matches, medicine,
and paper industries. They also cause rainfall and play a significant role
in the environmental conservation. The roots of the trees in the forest hold
and prevent erosion, flood and landslide. Likewise, they provide fresh air for
breathing and keep the environment cool and fresh. They are the habitat
of many wild birds and animals. They increase the greenery of a place and
attract tourists. People can also obtain resin, sandal, lac, fruits and many
things from the forests. Therefore, it is our duty to preserve forests.
In order to conserve forests, people should stop the random destruction of
forests for various purposes. We should conduct a plantation programme
on a periodical basis. We should preserve the forest from fire. Likewise,
overgrazing of animals should be stopped. Awareness programmes should
be launched on a large scale. More number of the national park, conservation
areas and biosphere reserves should be set up. The government should hand
over forests to the community people for their protection.

Minerals

Minerals are those valuable chemical substances formed naturally in the
ground. They can be dug on the ground and used. Coal, salt, stone, tin,

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sulphur, petroleum, water, gold and diamond are minerals. Some minerals
are also found in small quantities in food and drink. Various types of
minerals such as iron, copper, mica, coal, limestone, lead, petroleum, and
natural gas are found in Nepal.
Minerals are necessary for the industrial development of a country. Nepal
doesn’t have a long history of mineral extraction. Minerals available in our
country haven’t been extracted and utilised well due to various reasons
such as lack of skilled human resource, capital, effective plans and policies,
transportation facilities and technical knowledge. Utilisation of available
minerals can provide job opportunities to many people, contribute to
industrial development and help to earn foreign currency by exporting them.
Plenty of natural resources are available in Nepal. However, they have not
been utilised properly. Nepal is the richest country in water resources in
Asia, but many people are deprived of drinking water in our country. There
are hundreds of fast-flowing rivers in our country, but many villages are
still dark due to lack of electricity. We are rich in natural vegetation, but we
lack abundant medicinal industries. We are rich in mineral resources, but
there is an absence of mining industries. The Terai region of our country
contains fertile soil for agriculture, but we have to import foods from India.
Therefore, the government must make effective and visionary plans and
policies of the proper utilisation of natural resources in Nepal. It should
produce skilled, qualified and patriotic human resources for its progress.

Glossary

adequate : enough, sufficient
deciduous : shedding leaves in autumn
lichen : organisms growing on rocks
moss : simple non-flowering plants
fodder : animal food
resin : substance from plants used in paints, inks and medicines
lac : a substance secreted by some insects
biosphere : planet Earth and its life
extraction : taking out of something

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ACTIVITY

(1) Make a list of natural means and resources found in your locality. Take
the help of your seniors, parents or teachers and write some ways to
utilise them.

EXERCISE

(1) Fill in the blanks with a suitable answer.
(a) There is ........................... in the geographical structure of Nepal.
(b) Subtropical forests remain ........................... throughout the year.
(c) The trees in coniferous forests are a cone in shape to
prevent .................................
(d) ........................... can be dug on the ground and used.
(e) Nepal doesn’t have a long history of mineral ...........................

(2) Answer the following questions.
(a) Define forest in your own words.
(b) How can you say that green forests are the wealth of Nepal?
(c) Why are deciduous forests called so?
(d) Why should we conserve forests? Write any four reasons.
(e) How can we preserve forests? Write any five ways.
(f) Make a list of minerals found in Nepal.
(g) What are the reasons why the minerals of Nepal haven’t been
extracted and utilised well?
(h) What should be done for the proper utilisation of natural resources
in Nepal?

COMMUNITY WORK

Find out whether the natural resources available in your community
are utilised well or not. If not, what should be done for their proper
utilisation? Discuss among your friends and write some ways.

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Lesson

71..31 Industrial Activities

The grade seven students of Palung Boarding School were taken an
educational tour to several industries of the country to observe various
industrial activities. Apart from a field visit, they consulted books, newspapers
and the internet to collect more information about those industries. Then
they prepared a report that goes like this.

A Report on Educational Tour

1. The objective of the tour:
To study the industrial activities in various parts of Nepal

2. Number of participants: 30

3. Places visited:
Kathmandu, Pokhara, Hetauda, Birgunj, Biratnagar and Sunsari

4. Observation of the industries situated in the places of visit and details
of observation

SN Place Industries Observed Commodities
Produced

1 Kathmandu carpet factory, brick-tile industry, carpet, tiles,

juice factory, shoes factory and bricks, juice, shoes,

medicine factory medicine

2 Pokhara biscuit, milk, match and cloth biscuit, milk, match,
factories within Pokhara Industrial Dhaka clothes
Estate

3 Hetauda Nepal tobacco company, Hetauda cigarette, cement,
cement factory, Hetauda textile clothes
industry

4 Birgunj Judda match factory, Birgung match, sugar
sugar factory

5 Biratnagar Biratnagar jute mill, Jyoti match jute, match, sugar
factory, Morang sugar mills,
Raghupati jute mill,

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6 Sunsari Sugar factory, soap industry, jute sugar, soap, jute
mill

5. Experience Gained
A. Nepal is an agricultural country based on the traditional system
of farming. There are many agro-based industries in our country.
They depend on agricultural products as raw materials. Some
industries have imported raw materials from abroad. Industries
have provided employment opportunities to many people.
However, we came to know that industries cannot flourish without
modernising agriculture in the context of Nepal.
B. Division of industries in Nepal on the basis of nature of products
and services
a. Production-oriented industries
b. Export-based industries
c. Energy-based industries
d. Mining-based industries
e. Tourism industries
f. Construction industries
g. Service-related industries
h. Information and communication-based industries
i. Agriculture and forest-based industries
C. Classification of industries of Nepal on the basis of investment
and capital
a. Mini industries
b. Traditional and other cottage industries
c. Small scale industries (industries, which have fixed capital
up to Rs 5 crores)
d. Medium-scale industries (industries, which have fixed
capital of Rs 5 crores to 15 crores)
e. Large scale industries (industries, which have fixed capital
of more than 15 crores)

6. Conclusion
Industrial development remains a sustainable and reliable foundation
for economic progress of a nation. Industries not only utilise the available

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means and resources but also provide employment opportunities to a
large number of people. However, the industries of Nepal are facing
several problems at present. They include lack of capital, shortage of
skilled human resource, insufficient transportation facilities, scarcity
of technology, lack of market and lack of peace and security. In order to
solve these problems, investment in the industries should be increased,
the strikes of labourers should be stopped, skilled human resources
should be available as per need, the government should make effective
plans and policies and encourage foreign investment, and more
roads should be constructed to transport raw materials and products
throughout the country.

Glossary

reliable : dependable, able to be trusted
shortage : scarcity, lack of something

ACTIVITY

(1) Based on the above report, answer the following questions.
(a) What was the main objective of the tour?
(b) Which places did they visit during the tour?
(c) What benefits do students get when they visit different industries?

EXERCISE

(1) Answer the following questions.
(a) What do most of the industries in Nepal depend on? Why?
(b) What are the types of industries based on the nature of productions
and services? Name them.
(c) What are the benefits of industrial development in a country?
(d) What problems are the industries of Nepal facing at present?
(e) What should be done to develop industries in our country?

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Lesson Relationship between
Agriculture and Industry
71..41

Hemja, Kaski
3rd July 2021

Dear Kulsang,
Sweet remembrance,
I am fine here. I received your letter and felt very glad to know that you,
along with your family members, are well there. Through your letter, I came
to know that you want my help to write something about the relationship
between agriculture and industry. Since I work as the manager at one of
the large industries in Pokhara; I am going to write about that connection.
I hope this piece of writing will be useful for your course and project work.
Kulsang, you know that Nepal is an agricultural country. More than 65
% of the total population of our country are involved in farming. In fact,
agriculture contributes 32.5 % to the national economy of the country. Most
of the industries in Nepal are agro-based. They depend on agricultural
products as raw materials. In this regard, agriculture and industry are
directly connected to each other.
Various industries need different agricultural raw materials. They are as
follows.

S.N Detail of industries Essential raw materials
1 Sugar factory sugarcane
2 Biscuit and noodles factory flour (wheat or maise)
3 Jute industry jute
4 Juice industry various fruits
5 Cigarette industry tobacco
6 Herbal refine industry different herbs and agricultural products
7 Ghee and oil factory milk of animals and oilseeds
8 Rice and wheat industry various food grains

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9 Leather shoe factory skin of animals
10 Tea factory tea leaves and bud
11 Paper factory bamboo, hay
12 Resin factory fir and pine

Most of the industries depend on agriculture for their raw materials. If the
industries do not get raw materials from farming, they will either shut down
or need to import raw materials from abroad. There is an abundant amount
of raw materials needed for agro-based industries in our country. However,
there are problems with transportation and a lack of skilled workforce to
utilise them. If these problems are solved, Nepal can produce many industrial
products and export them to other countries to earn foreign currency. Some
of the industries of our country like iron, copper, etc. need minerals as raw
materials. They have to import raw materials from foreign countries. Such
products are expensive. In this regard, agro-based industries have more
scope than mineral-based industries in our country.
Agriculture and industry are closely related. The source of raw materials
for industries come from agriculture. Many people get employment
opportunities in industries due to the products produced by farmers on
their farm. Likewise, industries are also needed for the agriculture sector.
Various farming tools such as spade, mattock, thrasher, tractor, etc. required
for farming are produced at industries. They make agricultural work more
efficient and productive. Without industries, many agricultural products go
wasted. Farmers will not find a market for their agricultural products. Other
chemical items such as fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides essential for
farming are produced from industries. Industries also produce generators
needed for irrigation in many parts of our country. In this way, there is a
mutual relationship between agriculture and industry.
It is essential to adopt a modern and commercial agriculture system for the
development of agriculture sector in our country. For this, the government
and concerned authorities should conduct researches and investigations to
find out new possibilities in agriculture. They should discover and explore
innovative agricultural tools and methods. The farmers should cultivate
improved varieties of crops. Enough training and knowledge should
be provided to them about the modern way of farming. There should be
a provision of irrigation facilities to grow cash crops and food crops in a
wide area. The farmers should be trained and encouraged to cultivate
multiple crops at the same time. It helps in more production. Then only, the

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agriculture sector of our country gets improved.
Okay, my dear nephew, it is time to move for my job. If you have more
queries, you can take the help of your parents and teachers. Convey my
regards to all of your family members.

Your uncle,
Phurwa

Glossary

hay : cut and dried grass
mattock : a type of large pick that has one end of its blade-shaped

thrasher used for loosening soil, cutting roots
insecticide : a farm machine for threshing plants
pesticide : a chemical substance for killing insects
innovative : a chemical substance to kill pests, especially insects
convey : new and creative
: communicate something

ACTIVITIES

(1) Name any six things that you use in your daily life. What are they
made up of? Discuss with your friends and write their raw materials.

(2) What should be done to utilise the agricultural products available in
your locality in industries? Take the help of your parents or elders to
prepare a short report on this.

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EXERCISE

(1) Write True for right statements and False for wrong statements.

(a) Most of the people in our country are involved in farming.
...................................

(b) Majority of industries in Nepal depend on agriculture for raw

materials. ...................................

(c) There is enough number of skilled labourers in industries of Nepal.
...................................

(d) Mineral-based industries have more scope than agro-based

industries in our country. ...................................

(e) The farmers should adopt the modern and agricultural system for

their economic progress. ...................................

(2) Answer the following questions.

(a) What will happen if the industries do not get enough raw materials
for production?

(b) Mention the relationship between agriculture and industries in four
points.

(c) What should be done to modernise and commercialise agriculture
sector in Nepal? Write any four ways.

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Lesson Trade

71..51

The activity of buying, selling or exchanging
goods or services between people,
organisations and countries is called trade.
It is a commercial action done for genuine
profit. A country imports the necessary
materials which are not produced there
and exports the surplus products. On the
basis of its area of business, trade can be
classified into two types. They are internal
trade and external trade. Internal trade
takes place within the same country, and
external trade takes place between different countries. External trade is
also called foreign trade. It takes place when good and services produced in
a country are supplied or sold to another country.
Trade plays a significant role in the economic development of a country.
It provides employment opportunities for a large number of people. It also
helps to utilise the available means and resources of the nation. It plays an
important role in the process of industrialisation. The industries require
raw materials for their production, and it is not possible to manage them
without trade. Likewise, the buying and selling of finished goods or services
is also possible only because of trade. The traders pay tax to the government,
which promotes the national economy. Foreign trade helps to earn foreign
currency too.
Several things such as machinery, agricultural tools, chemical fertiliser,
vehicles, petroleum products, raw materials for various industries and other
things, which are not produced in our country, are brought from India or
other foreign nations. Likewise, Nepal exports clothes, cardamom, woollen
carpets, Pashmina, handicrafts, tea, coffee, etc. to various countries of the
world. The goods produced in one place are transported to other places
within our country too. Nepal buys more from other countries than it sells
to other nations. Therefore, there is a trade deficit or loss. A trade deficit
means a situation in which the value of goods a country imports (buys from
other countries) is greater than the value of goods it exports (sells to other
countries).

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Till 2020 BS, Nepal’s foreign trade was limited to India and Tibet of China
only. Nepal started extending foreign trade with other nations after 2020/21
BS. Our country adopted trade diversification policy during the fourth five-
year plan (2027 BS to 2032 BS). Trade diversification means establishing
trade relations with different countries, not only with one country and selling
more varieties of goods. If a country doing business with only one country
begins its trade with other countries, then it is the trade diversification.
It offers chances for our country to import goods from any countries of our
preference and necessity at cheaper prices. It stops the monopoly of a certain
country and provides a wide range of choices.
The industries of Nepal are facing several problems these days. They include
a lack of raw materials, shortage of skilled workers, lack of capital for
investment, lack of suitable market and undue pressure from the workers.
Because of these reasons, several industries are not running smoothly
nowadays. The trade sector is also affected because of such hindrance in
industries. These problems need immediate solutions. In order to solve such
problem, the farmers and other people should be encouraged for producing
raw materials in our own country, training and technical education should
be provided to the labourers, and the government should provide soft loan to
the people for investment. In the same way, the industries should produce
quality goods, the common people should be encouraged to use domestic
products, and the government should make effective plans and policies to
support both labourers and industrialists.
Due to the geographical structure of the Himalayan region, only animal
husbandry, herb cultivation, fruit cultivation and small-scale farming are
possible. Therefore, the people of that region have to transport foods and
other necessary stuff from the Terai and Hilly regions. Essential foods and
clothes are traded to the Hilly region too. Although the Terai region produces
foodstuffs enough for itself, it buys clothes and other items. Even in a small
village or town, people sell surplus amount and buy the necessary amount.
These all are trading activities.

Glossary

surplus : excess amount
deficit
: the amount by which expenditure exceeds income or
monopoly budget

: a situation in which one company controls an industry or
is the only provider of a product or service

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ACTIVITY

(1) What do you mean by trade diversification? What are its advantages?
Discuss with your friends and prepare the answer.

EXERCISE

(1) Fill in the blanks with a suitable answer.
(a) Trade is a commercial action done for genuine ............................. .
(b) External trade is also called ................................ trade.
(c) Trade plays an important role in the process of ............................. in
a country.
(d) Trade diversification helps to purchase preferred and necessary
goods at ................................ prices.
(e) There is trade ........................... in Nepal because it imports more
than export.

(2) Answer the following questions.
(a) What do you mean by trade? What are its types based on its area of
business? Define them.
(b) Why is trade important for the economic development of a country?
(c) Make a list of things that Nepal exports and imports.
(d) What do you mean by trade deficit?
(e) How do you find the situation of the trade sector in Nepal?
(f) What are the problems faced by industries in Nepal at present?
What should be done to solve them?

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UNIT OUR INTERNATIONAL
8 RELATION AND COOPERATION

Learning On the completion of this unit, we will be able to:
Outcomes • state the role of Nepal in the SAARC;
• find the activities of the SAARC;
• give an introduction to landlocked countries;
• tell the problems faced by the landlocked countries;
• mention the measures to minimise the problems of the landlocked countries;

and
• tell the current/contemporary events related to Social Studies.

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Lesson

81..11 SAARC and Its Activities

A Glimpse of SAARC Activities

1. Name: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

a. Establishment: December 8, 1985 AD by the first summit held
at Dhaka in Bangladesh

b. Secretariat: SAARC secretariat is in Kathmandu, Nepal. The
Secretariat of the association was set up in Kathmandu on
January 17, 1987.

c. Member countries: Initially, there were seven members in the
SAARC. They are Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
Maldives and Bhutan. The 13th SAARC summit held in 2005 AD
approved the membership of Afghanistan. At present, there are
eight members of the SAARC.

d. SAARC Charter: SAARC charter is a formal document describing
the rights, aims, or principles of its member countries. There are
10 articles in it.

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2. Organs of the SAARC:
a. Summit/Meeting of the heads of the state/government
b. Council of ministers
c. SAARC secretariat
d. Standing committee of foreign secretaries
e. Technical committee

Principles of SAARC

1. Sovereign equality
2. Territorial integrity
3. National independence
4. Non-use of force
5. Non-interference in the internal affairs of other states
6. Peaceful settlement of all disputes

Objectives of SAARC

1. To promote the welfare of the people of South Asia and to improve their
quality of life;

2. To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development
in the region and to provide all individuals with the opportunity to live
in dignity and to realise their full potentials;

3. To promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries
of South Asia;

4. To contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one
another’s problems;

5. To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic,
social, cultural, technical and scientific fields;

6. To strengthen cooperation with other developing countries;

SAARC Summit

SAARC summits are usually held biennially hosted by a member state in
alphabetical order. So far, there have been 18 Summit meetings of SAARC,
and the last one was held in Kathmandu from 26 to November 27, 2014 AD.
The dates of the Summits of SAARC already held are as follows:

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SN Location Date of summit SN Location Date of summit
1 Dhaka 7-8 December, 1985
2 Bangalore 16-17 November, 1986 10 Colombo 29-31 July, 1998
3 Kathmandu 2-4 November, 1987
4 Islamabad 2-31 December, 1988 11 Kathmandu 4-6 January, 2002
5 Male 21-23 November, 1990
6 Colombo 21 December, 1991 12 Islamabad 2-6 January, 2004
7 Dhaka 10-11 April, 1993
8 New Delhi 2-4 May, 1995 13 Dhaka 12-13 November, 2005
9 Male 12-14 May, 1997
14 New Delhi 3-4 April, 2007

15 Colombo 1-3 August, 2008

16 Thimpu 28-29 April, 2010

17 Addu 10-11 November, 2011

18 Kathmandu 26-27 November 2014

18th SAARC Summit

The 18th summit of SAARC was held in Kathmandu from November 26 to
November 27, 2014 AD. The theme of the summit was ‘Deeper Integration for
Peace and Prosperity’. The summit emphasised on enhancing connectivity
between the member states for easier transit-transport across the region.
Sushil Koirala, the then Prime Minister of Nepal, was the main host of
the event. The summit took place in Rastriya Sabha Griha, Nepal. The
participants of the summit are as follows.

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Abdulla Yameen Abdul President of Maldives
Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay Prime Minister of Bhutan
Mahinda Rajapaksa President of Sri Lanka
Mohammad Ashraf Ghani President of Afghanistan
Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India
Nawaz Sharif Prime Minister of Pakistan
Sheikh Hasina Prime Minister of Bangladesh
Sushil Koirala Prime Minister of Nepal (Host)

Observers:

Australia, China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, Myanmar, United
States of America, European Union (E.U.).

19th Summit

The leaders welcomed the offer of the Government of the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan to host the nineteenth summit of SAARC.

Glossary

summit : top-level diplomatic meeting

sovereign : independent

collaboration : working together

biennially : two-yearly

integration : equal access for all

enhance : improve

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ACTIVITIES

(1) Why was the organisation like SAARC set up? Discuss with your friends
and write the conclusion.

(2) What benefits has Nepal got as a member of the SAARC? Take help
of your guardians, senior members, teachers and friends and present
your conclusion in the classroom.

EXERCISE

(1) Fill in the blanks with a suitable answer.
(a) SAARC was established on ................................ by the first summit
held at Dhaka in Bangladesh.
(b) At present, there are ................................ members in the SAARC.
Afghanistan, being the last one.
(c) The SAARC Secretariat is in ................................, Nepal. It was
established on January 17, 1987 AD
(d) There have been ................................ SAARC summits till now.
(e) The 18th SAARC summit was held in ................................ from
November 26 to November 27, 2014 AD

(2) Answer the following questions.
(a) What is the full form of SAARC?
(b) Name the member countries of the SAARC in alphabetical order.
(c) Name the organs of the SAARC.
(d) Write the principles of the SAARC.
(e) Mention any five objectives of the SAARC.
(f) What was the theme of the 18th SAARC summit? Write.

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Lesson

81..21 Role of Nepal in SAARC

Pramik’s uncle works in the SAARC Secretariat. One day, his uncle visited
his home, and he got a chance to hold a conversation with his uncle. Here is
the conversation that goes between them.

Pramik : Uncle, you work at the office of SAARC Secretariat. We have
Brother : to read about it in our Social Studies book. Can you please
tell me about the role of Nepal in SAARC?
Yes, of course. I think you already know that Nepal is one of
the members of the SAARC. In fact, it is a founder member
too. Nepal had requested for regional cooperation to utilise
its abundant water resources. Late King Birendra gave a call
for close regional cooperation among South Asian countries
at the meeting of the advisory donor committee of the
Colombo plan in 1977 AD. In this context, Ziaur Rahman,
the then president of Bangladesh, made a formal proposal of
SAARC on May 2, 1980 AD. As a result of these proposals,
the SAARC was established. Nepal has been a significant
part of the SAARC since its establishment.

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Pramik : When was the SAARC established then?
Uncle :
The SAARC was established on December 8, 1985 AD. It
Pramik : was established with the signing of the SAARC Charter
Uncle : in Dhaka. Late King Birendra signed it from Nepal. This
organisation was set up to promote economic and cultural
Pramik : ties among its member states for promoting peace in the
Uncle : region.

What roles have been Nepal playing in the SAARC, brother?

As I said, Nepal is a founder member of the SAARC. It has
been playing an important role to promote the SAARC since
its establishment. The vision of Nepal for regional peace,
prosperity and stability is similar to that of the SAARC.
Nepal has been contributing to regional cooperation under
SAARC in line with the goals and objectives of its Charter.

What are the major contributions of Nepal as a member of
the SAARC? Can you please tell them in points?

Okay, let me tell you the major roles of our country in the
SAARC in points.

SAARC Secretariat was established in Kathmandu
on January 16, 1987 AD. It coordinates and monitors
implementation of activities, prepares for and services
meetings, and serves as a channel of communication.
The SAARC Secretariat and Member states observe
December 8 as the SAARC Charter Day.
Nepal hosts SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS
Centre (STAC) in Thimi, Bhaktapur. Established with
the vision of “AIDS-free generation in SAARC region”,
the centre is working for prevention and control of
tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in the SAARC region.
The secretariat of SAARC Information Centre is in
Nepal.
The third (in 1987 AD), eleventh (in 2012 AD) and
eighteenth (in 2014 AD) SAARC summits were held in
Nepal.
The logo of SAARC, designed by a Nepal artist named
Shailendra Maharjan, got approved.

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Pramik : Nepal hosted the first, the eighth and the thirteenth
Uncle : South Asian Games (SAG).
Nepal has been increasing mutual cooperation in
various sectors like agriculture, health, family planning,
transportation, postal services, climate, etc.
Nepal has extended helping hands for women and child
development, checking girl trafficking, supporting
antiterrorism movement, checking drug trafficking and
establishment of SAARC Food Bank.
Nepal has made mutual understanding on poverty
alleviation, crime control and determination of quality.
Nepal has been spending 11.35 % of the total expenditure
of the SAARC.
Nepal has been performing actively in the
implementation of SAARC decisions.

In this way, Nepal has been playing a vital role since its
membership in the SAARC.

Thank you so much for your information. These pieces of
information are useful for my study. I will share them with
my friends, too.

It is my pleasure.

(Then Pramik starts doing his homework and his uncle
begins to talk with Pramik's parents.)

Glossary

donor : somebody who gives something, especially money
proposal : suggested idea or plan
monitor : check something regularly
alleviation : lessen something

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ACTIVITIES

(1) If you are selected as the secretary of SAARC, what work will you do?
Mention in five points.

(2) What help has SAARC done to Nepal? Consult various sources such
as newspapers, magazines and the internet and prepare a report.

EXERCISE

(1) Answer the following questions.
(a) What is the role of Nepal in SAARC?
(b) Who had participated on behalf of Nepal during the establishment
of SAARC?
(c) Why was SAARC established?
(d) What are the major contributions of Nepal as a member of SAARC?
Mention in four points.
(e) What works does SAARC Secretariat do?

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Lesson Landlocked Countries: Their
Problems and Solutions
81..31

Water covers more than, two-third part of the world. Although the volume
of water is more in the world, some parts of the earth are surrounded
almost or entirely by land. A country surrounded by other countries or land
from all sides, and have no direct link with the sea or ocean is called a
landlocked country. Such a country has no coast or its own ports. Nepal is
also surrounded by land on all sides. There is India to the east, west and
south and China to the north. Therefore, Nepal is a landlocked country.
The nearest sea from Nepal is the Bay of Bengal. It lies between India and
Myanmar and south from Bangladesh. It is some 500 km away from Nepal.
Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan are landlocked countries among the SAARC
nations. There are no landlocked countries in North America and Australia.
The list of landlocked countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and South America
are as follows.

SN Continents Number of Names of countries
landlocked
countries

1 Asia 12 Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal,
Tajikistan, Turkmenista, Uzbekistan, Loas
and Mongolia

2 Africa 16 Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Central African Republic, Chad,
Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Niger,
Rwanda, South Sudan, Swaziland,
Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

3 Europe 17 Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belarus,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech
Republic, Hungary, Kazakhstan,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Moldova, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia,
Switzerland and Vatican City.

4 South America 2 Bolivia and Paraguay

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Among these countries, the largest country is Kazakhstan. It is a reublic
in Asia with an area of 2,715,100 sq km. On the other hand, the smallest
landlocked country in the world is Vatican City. It has an area of 0.44 sq km.

Problems of Landlocked Countries

Although Nepal is rich in water resources, it doesn’t have direct access to
seas or oceans. The countries that have their own ports or coasts have a high
possibility of progress because the waterway is one of the cheapest and the
easiest means of transportation. The channels of the waterway are fixed and
readymade. A lot of money should be spent while constructing roadways,
railway tracks and airports. However, water channels need no construction.
Therefore, it is cheaper and easier to transport goods and people water than
other means of transportation. The countries such as the USA, Japan, the
UK, Canada, China, and so on. have progressed much as they have direct
access to seas.

As a landlocked country, Nepal has to face several problems. They are as
follows.
1. It has to depend on neighbouring countries for international trade. For

example, Nepal has to depend on India for maintaining trade relations
with the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, France and
Japan.
2. It has to spend a lot of money and time on border security.
3. It has to spend a lot of money for the construction of roadways, railway
tracks and airports, unlike water channels.
4. It has to be deprived of various sea treasures such as petrol, coal, and
limestone.
5. It has to face difficulty in transporting goods.
6. It has to face economic blockade if there are political conflicts and
misunderstandings with the neighbouring countries.
7. It should always depend on neighbouring countries for trade in large
quantities.
8. It has high chances of smuggling and invasion.

A landlocked country must accept its geographical condition given by nature.
It has no alternate. Therefore, instead of making excuses, our country needs
to make different strategies to deal with the challenges. For that, it has to
apply the given measures.

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1. It should always maintain a friendly and balanced relationship with its
neighbouring countries to export and import the necessary materials
smoothly.

2. The transits between the neighbouring countries should be managed
properly. The transits between Nepal and India are in Birgung,
Nepalgunj, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa, Rajbiraj, Dhangadhi and
Mahendranagar. Likewise, Olangchunggola, Kimathanka, Kodari,
Kerung and Mustang are transits between Nepal and China. These
transits need a tight security system and proper management. Other
transits should be opened as per the necessity.

3. It should develop railways as one of the reliable means of transportation
to promote trade relations with India and China.

4. It has to mobilise its own means and resources like Switzerland and
Luxembourg. It should focus itself on producing capable and skilful
workforce to utilise the water, forest, minerals, etc.

5. It should check the flow of qualified and skilled human resources to
foreign nations. They should be encouraged and supported to work for
their own country.

6. It should check corruption and make effective plans and policies for its
development.

In this way, being landlocked itself is not a curse because some landlocked
countries such as Switzerland, Luxemburg, Austria, Czech Republic
and Hungary have progressed much because of their good relation with
neighbours, dedicated and patriotic citizens, internal peace and political
stability.

Glossary

entirely : in every way
coast : land next to sea
port : a place by the sea
treasure : jewels and precious objects
blockade : prevention of access
invasion : attempt to conquer
strategy : a carefully devised plan
stability : stable quality, the condition of being stable

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ACTIVITIES

(1) There are many landlocked countries like Nepal in the world. Some of
them are prosperous and developed. How did they become so? Why
couldn’t Nepal progress like them? Prepare a list of similar questions
to ask with your teachers.

(2) How is the lifestyle of people living in landlocked countries different
from those countries that have access to the sea? Discuss among your
friends and make a list of at least three differences.

EXERCISE

(1) Write True for right statements and False for wrong statements.

(a) Nepal has direct access to ports and coasts. ..............................

(b) There are no landlocked countries in North America and Australia.
..............................

(c) A lot of money should be spent while constructing water channels.
..............................

(d) Nepal has to depend on neighbouring countries for foreign trade.
..............................

(e) Landlocked countries cannot prosper at all because of their

geographical condition. ..............................

(2) Match the following. a developed landlocked country
(a) Kazakhstan a landlocked country in South America
(b) Vatican City the largest landlocked country
(c) Switzerland a country surrounded by water from all sides
(d) Paraguay the smallest landlocked country
(e) Sri Lanka

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(3) Which of the following countries are landlocked and which are not?
Classify them.

Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Denmark,
Hungary, India, Japan, Laos, Luxemburg, Mongolia, Nepal, Norway,
Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Switzerland

Landlocked countries Non- landlocked countries

(4) Answer the following questions.

(a) What types of countries are landlocked nations? Give some
examples.

(b) How many landlocked countries are there in Asia?

(c) How many landlocked countries are there in Europe, Africa and
South America?

(d) Make a list of any five problems faced by landlocked countries.

(e) ‘One of the reasons why Nepal couldn’t develop is because of its
geographical location.’ Explain this statement.

(f) How can we minimise the problems of being a landlocked country?
Write any five ways.

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Lesson

81..41 Current Affairs of the World

Many events take place every moment in the world. The events that occur
in recent days are called the current affairs. Such recent happenings may
be good or bad. They create various impacts on our daily life as per their
nature. Therefore, we must remain up to date with them. We should also
take necessary action to prove ourselves versatile and responsible citizens.
We have to listen to radios, watch televisions, read newspapers and surf
the internet to know the current affairs of the world. It is necessary to keep
records of some important events that take place in our country as well
as in the world which are related to our course contents. Here are short
descriptions and a list of some important events that took place inside and
outside our country recently. Develop the habit of collecting information
about such events from newspapers and other sources.

Spread of Coronavirus All Over the World

Coronavirus is a type of virus that
causes disease in humans and
animals. It can cause illnesses
such as the common cold, or
serious diseases such as SARS and
COVID-19 (coronavirus disease of
2019). It started in the Chinese
city of Wuhan in December 2019.
It has made lots of people sick in
many parts of the world. Corona
is a Latin for the crown because, under the microscope, these viruses look
like a crown with spikes ending in little blobs. In humans, it usually causes
respiratory infections in the nose, throat, or chest that are not serious,
but that can sometimes cause more serious infections that can kill people.
World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that this is a global health
emergency. It has spread rapidly in India and Nepal.
Preventive measures of coronavirus include physical or social distancing,
quarantining, ventilation of indoor spaces, covering coughs and sneezes,
hand washing, and keeping unwashed hands away from the face. The use of

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face masks or coverings is recommended in public settings to minimise the
risk of transmissions.

New Map of Nepal

Nepal issued its new and updated
political and administrative map after the
national consensus on May 20, 2020 AD
incorporating Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh,
and Kalapani as Nepali territories. The
territories have been shown in Byas
Rural Municipality in Darchula district
of Sudurpaschim Province. The areas including Gunji, Navi and Kuti near
Kalapani, which had been left out in earlier maps, are also included in the
new map. Likewise, the official logo of the Federal Parliament has been
modified in accordance with the updated political and administrate map of
Nepal on May 26, 2020 AD.

EXERCISE

(1) Fill in the gaps with suitable answers.
(a) The ..................... that occur in recent days are called current affairs.
(b) The corona virus spread from the Chinese city of ..................... in
December 2019.
(c) Nepal issued its new ..................... on May 20, 2020 AD.

(2) Answer the following questions.
(a) Prepare a list of any five current affairs by listening radio or watching
television.
(b) Write a paragraph about coronavirus.
(c) What types of effects have you seen in your community by the
effects of COVID-19.
(d) The government has decided to penalise publishers printing books
featuring old political map. What will you do if you see old political
maps of Nepal in your textbook?

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UNIT INTRODUCTION TO
9 POPULATION AND

DEMOGRAPHIC SITUATION

Learning On the completion of this unit, we will be able to:
Outcomes • introduce population education and its importance;
• explain the development stages of population education;
• mention the importance of data collection;
• use the population-related data;
• tell the trend of population growth in Nepal; and
• be familiar with population composition and distribution.

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Lesson Introduction to Population
Education
91..11

Population refers to the number of people living in a particular geographical
place in specific time duration. It is a dynamic process, which changes
from time to time. There are various ways for the counting of population.
Officially, it is counted after the interval of a decade. This population
counting process after the interval of a decade is called population census.
According to the census report of 2011, the population of Nepal was 2 crore
64 lakhs 94 thousand and 504. Population education gives us various ideas
about the composition, size, distribution and its changes. The population
in the world is changing day by day. It is essential for the utilisation of
natural resources and carries out the developmental activities within the
nation. Some places in the world have less population and others have more.
Population education is very important to overcome the problems related to
the population. According to the UNESCO, “Population education is that
educational program to give the clear status of the population of family,
society, nation and the world.”
Population education helps to develop
responsibility among the people. People
will become more aware of the population
condition of the nation. The population is
dynamic by its nature. Its size, composition
and distributions are changing every day.
There are various factors behind it. The
migration trend, fertility and mortality are
the important factors which bring changes
in the size, composition and distribution of
the population. Such changes in population
may bring lots of problems in socio-economic sectors. It may also bring
environmental degradation. Population education gives the knowledge to
overcome the problem. It also makes people aware of the problems created
by population change.
Sometimes, natural disasters and epidemic may create lots of problems
for population management. The population education helps to deals with
these kinds of problems. It helps to create awareness among the people,
family, society and the nation. It also helps society by giving the knowledge

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to overcome problems and develop positive attitudes and behaviours. People
will be more responsible if the population education is provided from the
school level. They will be more responsible for solving problems related to
the population.

Advantages of Population Education

Population education is beneficial to us because of the following reasons:
1. It is helpful to prepare the plan and policy for the development of the

population.
2. It gives the clear picture of birth, death and migration.
3. It exchanges the socio-cultural information of the society.
4. It provides the knowledge of family planning and management.
5. It is helpful for the development of positive attitudes to minimise the

effects of population change.

Importance of Population Education

Population education is very much essential to overcome the problems
created by the population change. It is also useful to carry out the plans
and policies for the nation. It is helpful for planners to make national plans
and policy. It also gives the ideas to keep the demographic data properly.
Registration of birth, death, marriage and migration is very much essential
to get the demographic data. The importance of population education is as
follows:

Political Importance:

Population is very important for the division of local units such as rural
municipalities, municipalities and their wards.Population education is also
essential for the determination of the election constituencies before the
election. Geography and population are considered as the major components
to determine the electoral constituencies. Nepal is divided into 165
constituencies for the federal election. The 77 districts of our country are
divided from 1 to 10 election constituencies with reference to its population
size.

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Socio-economic Importance:

It is easier to provide grants to the local bodies by the federal government
with reference to its population size. Population size is a very important
component to provide grants from the side of the federal and provincial
government. It is also important to provide social security to the people.
Generally, old age allowance, widow allowance and unemployment
allowances come under the social security allowance. It is very easier for
the government to prepare a plan to provide social security allowance.

Statistical Importance:

Population education is important to provide a model for the survey. It is
also important to measure quality of life. The health survey, labour capacity
survey, economic survey and so on shows the importance of the statistical
survey. These statistics are very much important to prepare a plan for
the construction of drinking water project, construction of road, irrigation
project, hospitals and schools for the government.

ACTIVITIES

(1) Conduct a small survey in your class to identify the population of
different age groups with reference to the given chart and find the
percentage of the economically active age group of your classroom.

SN Age Groups Number of your family
1. Below 15 years
2. 15 to 59 years
3. Above 60 years

EXERCISE

(1) Write very short answers to the following questions:

(a) What is the total population of our country according to the census
of 2068 BS?

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(b) Write the meaning of population education in a sentence.
(c) How is population dynamic in its nature?
(d) Write a benefit of population education.
(e) From which grade, did you start getting population education?

(2) Give a short introduction about population education.

(3) Write about the political importance of population education.

(4) Write any five advantages of population education.

(5) “Population education is that educational program to give the clear
status of the population of family, society, nation and the world.”
Explain this definition given by the UNESCO.

COMMUNITY WORK

(1) Conduct a survey of a family in your locality and write about the
following facts of that family.
Number of family members:
Male:
Female:
Literacy/Educational status:
a. No. of illiterate:
b. No. of 10 +2 passed:
c. No. above graduation:
Economically active population:

Below 14 years
15 to 64 years
Above 65 years

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Lesson

91..21 Scope of Population Education

Population education is important for various fields and areas. It has different
dimensions and scope in the various field. Its scope varies from the place to
place and one country to another. Population education develops different
attitudes and perception of the people. It shows the different quantitative
and qualitative changes among the people. It supports to make a happy and
prosperous society. It also supports to develop a high quality of life of people
in our society.
Demography is the study of the population size, distribution and density of
population. It deals with the movement and mobility of the population. They
are the backbone of the population. It is also important for the statistical
study of the population. Population education deals with the composition of
the population. It means the number of people by age, sex, religion, ethnicity
and region-wise distribution. The birth, deaths and migration are the major
factors to bring population change. Population education has the following
scope:

1. Determinants of Population Change

Population change is very much important to bring transformation
in population. Birth, deaths and migration are the major components to
bring change in population. Fertility rate, mortality rate and migration
rates are the other determinant factors to bring population change. Social
norms, cultures, rituals, traditions and religion are the other factors to bring
population change. Various social factors are important elements to bring
population change.

2. Effects of the Population Growth

Population education gives an idea to minimise the effects of the
population growths. It also helps for the population management. It does
not clarify to control the population growth only. There is a limited natural
resource on the earth. Such resources are not enough for the growing
population. There might be a scarcity of food for the people. Therefore, either
population growth should be control or productivity should be increased.
Scarcity of natural resources may bring several problems in society. It leads

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to a low quality of life, unemployment, starvation, family conflicts and
revolution in the society. Such a situation may create conflicts and insecurity
within the society, country and the globe.

3. Influence on the Population Reduction

Population is essential for the development of human civilisation.
If the population is lesser than the requirements, it may bring lots of
problems in society. There might be a scarcity of human power to carry
out the developmental activities. It hampers the development of human
civilisation. At present, many European countries are facing the same
types of problem. That is why they encouraged immigrations and study in
European countries. Some of the Scandinavian countries have carried out
some policies to increase the population. Therefore, population education is
essential to overcome the problems of population decrement.

4. Human Sexuality and Reproduction

Population education teaches us sexual and reproductive health. It
gives the knowledge of the physical growths and its effects on the people. It
is helpful to give knowledge of the psychological and physical effects of the
natural growth of the people. It also teaches the people about safe sexual
behaviours and its effects.

5. Planning for Future

Population education teaches us to do marriage in appropriate age. It
gives us ideas about birth spacing and proper care during pregnancy. It also
gives the ideas to make a proper and healthy family plan for the future. It
is also helpful to change the attitudes of the people regarding family life. It
makes the family life of the people very happy and prosperous.

ACTIVITIES

(1) Find the density of population of the small area of your village/town
and compare with the national data and write a paragraph comparing
with national data. (Think is it high or low in comparison with national
data.)

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Population Education - Book 7

EXERCISE

(1) Rewrite the following statements after appropriate correction.
(a) Population education is not determinant of population change.
(b) Only birth and deaths are the major factors to bring population
change.
(c) Scarcity of natural resources does not bring several problems in
society.
(d) Environment education gives us ideas about birth spacing.
(e) Study of population hampers the development of human civilisation.

(2) Mention various scopes of population education and explain any one
of them.

(3) How is population education helpful for the future plan?

(4) “Population education helps in the proper management of family
life.” Justify the statement.

(5) Write any five effects of the population growth in our society.

COMMUNITY WORK

Write about the importance and needs of the population for the
development of your own society in any six points.

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Lesson Evolution of Population
Education
91..31

Population education has been developed as an important part of the
education system. It deals with the effects of the population change and
suggests the measures to overcome the problem. Professor S.R. Wayland
of Colombo University started to teach about population since 1955 AD.
Population education has been developed as an important subject from
Sweden in 1935 A D, and from USA in 1937 AD. Finally, it is globally
introduced from 1970 AD. A conference of demographers was held at
Bangkok of Thailand in 1970 AD. Many seminars were conducted into
various parts of the world. A seminar was also held at Kuala Lumpur of
Malaysia in 1971 AD, Istanbul of Turkey in 1973 AD and Santiago of Chile
in 1974 AD. Such conferences are able to introduce population education as
an important subject to study. The first international population conference
was held in Bucharest of Romania. Another important conference was held
in 1984 AD in Mexico and again in 1994 AD at Cairo of Egypt.
In the context of our country, the population education was included in the
curriculum from 1938 BS after the establishment of the National Population
Commission. The Ministry of Population and Environment was established
in 2052 BS to deal with the problems related to the population. Population
education was introduced at the university level in 2041 at M.Ed. level and
B.Ed. level in 2046. Population education was introduced as an important
subject of Humanities and Social sciences from 2047 BS at Master’s Degree
level. Later on, it was introduced as a compulsory subject up to grade 6 to 8
as population and environment education. Again, it has been introduced as
a compulsory subject at secondary level. Then the population education was
also introduced as an optional subject for secondary level.
It was recognised as an important branch of geography before. It was taught
in the Department of Geography as Population Geography, Demography,
Human Geography and Human ecology. This subject is very useful for the
National Planning Commission to prepare future plans for the nation. It
is also helpful for the comparative study the population data. It helps to
study the present population in comparison to the past and also supports to
prepare the plan for the future.

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ACTIVITY

(1) Collect some information related to the population data of your
locality and write a paragraph about the population before 40 years,
20 years and at present.

EXERCISE

(1) Write ‘True’ for right statements and ‘False’ for wrong statements.

(a) Professor S R Wayland of Colombo University started to teach about

the population from 1965 AD. ...........................

(b) A seminar was held at Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia in 1971 AD.

...........................

(c) In the context of Nepal, population education was included in the

curriculum from 1938 BS. ...........................

(d) Population education was introduced at M.Ed. level in 2041.

...........................

(e) Population education was introducing in Nepal from 2057 BS at

Master’s Degree level. ...........................

(2) How was the population education introduced in different parts of
the world?

(3) Write about the development of population education in Nepal.

(4) What was the conditions of population education before its
introduction? Write in a paragraph.

COMMUNITY WORK

Collect the data of male, female and children of any five families of
your community and find the percentage of each category.

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Lesson Sources of Population
Statistics
91..41

Population counting of various places of the world was counted from the past
time, but it was not reliable. There were no scientific methods of counting
people in the past. People were counted with reference to the families and
villages in the ancient and medieval societies of Nepal. Nowadays, different
sources are used to collect population data.
Mainly, the population statistics are collected from the census, vital
registration, administrative records and survey. The data collected from the
field by the researchers is the primary source of data collection. Likewise, the
information collected by other person or sources is known as the secondary
sources of statistics.
Population statistics gives us various information about population change.
Various sources of statics are discussed below.

Census

Census is the obligation of collecting data from each family, houses, age,
religion, languages, educational status and so on. It is collected after an
interval of ten years. It was started from the year 1968 BS for the first
time in our country Nepal. The last census was taken in 2068 BS. It was
the 11th census of our country. The census of different geographical and
administrative regions is taken on the basis of the place where people
living permanently. It is collected on the basis of age, sex, castes, language,
religion, occupation and region. The official population of Nepal was just 56
lakhs about hundred years ago. But it is reach 2 crores 64 Lakhs in the last
census.

Population of Nepal (2028 - 2068BS)

Years in BS Male Female Total
2028 5817203 5738780 11555983

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2038 7695336 7327503 15022839
2048 9220974 9270123 18491097
2058 11563921 11587502 23151423
2068 12849041 13645463 26494504

Importance of Census

1. To collect the detail information of the population size, composition,
change and distribution.

2. To provide data to set plans and policies for socio-economic development.
3. To get the detail information of the facilities they have utilised.
4. To provide data for the administrative units of the country.
5. To divide the election constituencies and other administrative units.

Vital Registration

Vital registration is another source to collect population data. It is collected
from the local administrative units of the government. It means it is
collected from the ward office of the municipality or rural municipality. It is
the process of keeping records of birth, marriage, divorce, migration, death
and so on. This record is also known as vital registration. It is personal
or individual records. The ward office of the municipalities and rural
municipalities keep the records of birth registration, marriage registration
and death registration. They also keep the records of immigrants and out-
migrants. The census is not conducted every year, so, vital registration
provides the latest updated data. The vital registration system was started
from 1st Baisakh, 2034 BS in Nepal.

Survey

A survey is another way to collect population data. It aims to collect the
data of the targeted groups, areas and community. It is also useful for the
preparation of plans and policies for the government. It is also useful to set
the vision or goal of any organisation. Many organisations set their goals by
collecting data from the survey.

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