UPSC Prelims 1997·GS1·geography·human and economic geography

About 50% of the world population is concentrated between the latitudes of

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  1. A5°N and 20°N
  2. B20°N and 40°NCorrect
  3. C40°N and 60°N
  4. D20°S and 40°S

Explanation

The correct answer is B because the belt between 20 degrees North and 40 degrees North contains the largest landmasses and the most favorable climatic conditions for human habitation. This latitudinal zone includes some of the world's most populous countries, such as China, India, the United States, and several nations in North Africa and the Middle East. Specifically, the Northern Hemisphere holds about 90 percent of the global population because it has significantly more land area than the Southern Hemisphere. Within this, the subtropical and warm temperate zones provide fertile river valleys and plains that have historically supported dense agricultural and urban civilizations. In contrast, the equatorial regions are often too humid, and the higher latitudes above 40 degrees North are often too cold for such high concentrations of people.
geography: About 50% of the world population is concentrated between the latitudes of
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