POPULATION
India ranks second in the world in terms of population, second only to China. W 1961 r. used to live here 439 min citizens; w 1971 r. 547 mln; w 1981 r. 687 mln; w 1991 r. 843 mln; and in 1995 r. already around 930 mln. Despite the introduction of a strict birth control program, the population of India continues to increase by approx 2%.
Many large urban centers have been established in the country, however, most people still live in the countryside; the total number of city dwellers is now 280 min. However, the dynamic development of the industry makes, that more and more Indians are leaving the countryside and moving to the cities.
The population of India is not racially homogeneous. For example, Bengalis are distinguished by a shorter height, while the inhabitants of the western and central parts of the country are taller and have a lighter skin tone. Kashmiris are typical Asians, people of Ladakh, Sikkim and the northern part of Himacal Pradesh are descended from the Tibetans, and southern Tamils have a much darker skin than the rest of the Indians. Despite these differences, however, it was possible to create a true Indian ethos and awaken national consciousness in the people of India.
Most of the country's inhabitants are Hindu, but there are other religions as well. Very numerous, because as many as 105 million Muslims do, that India is recognized as the largest concentration of followers of this religion in the world, outnumber any Arab state in the Middle East. Apart from Muslims, he also lives here 22 min Christians, 18 min Sikhs, 6,6 min Buddhists and 4,5 min Jains. About 7% of the population are members of different tribes, living mainly in the north-eastern part of the country, and also Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
In India, the number of illiterate people has decreased significantly; w 1981 r. just 44% Hindus could read and write, and now this number is 53%. Men still remain better educated, who pose 64% stationery, while women only 39%. These numbers vary from state to state: Kerala has the lowest illiteracy rate (91% stationery), and the highest in Bihar, where he can only read and write 38% residents. Among members of castes and tribes, the literacy of men and women is, respectively 28% i 9%.
Birth control
In the early years 70. in India, there have been voices demanding strict birth control. Posters with slogans were put up on the walls, which launched the infamous campaign under the slogan: "Transistor radio in exchange for sterilization." Equally unpopular, and dangerous, Actions carried out by groups of sterilized Indians proved to be, who terrorized passersby in the streets. These actions had the opposite effect to what was expected.
The family planning campaign only intensified again in the middle of the years 80., when Rajiv Gandhi came up with the project, which was to prevent, would be the population of India in a year 2050 did not exceed 1,3 billion.
Although the population growth rate has been slightly decreasing for some time, the strict birth control program continues to face many opponents. Experts believe, that the best solution would be broad women's education, especially in rural areas. Only in this way will they understand, that a smaller family means lower population growth on a national scale. One of the causes, for which Hindus decide to have large families, mortality is high among infants and young children. It will be difficult to convince the local residents of the necessity of family planning, for whom children are the only support in old age, and every male desires as many male descendants as possible –
heirs of his estates and names.
Although so much is said today about the rightness of education, the government continues to place the greatest emphasis on sterilization, mostly women, because men rarely agree to this procedure. There are special services in some regions, dealing with finding "volunteers", who would be sterilized. Employees charge a commission for each person, which they managed to persuade to do so. These Indians also receive little wages, who voluntarily undergo sterilization.
The media plays an important role in the family planning campaign, especially television. It presents the image of a model, 4-Hindu family, also posting ads for contraceptives, mostly condoms.