Question

_____ are normally sparsely populated.
A) Thick forests
B) Gangetic plains
C) Low-lying places
D) Cultivable areas

Answer 1

Hint: These naturally occurring regions are referred to as the climax community in a given ecosystem. Any kind of landform (arid or submerged in water), when undergoing the stages of succession, always ends up at this community in the final stage of succession.

Complete answer:
The environmental conditions, the plant varieties, the quality of the soil, the altitude etc. are all factors that determine the density of population in a given area. Let us consider these factors with respect to the options provided.

Let us analyze the given optons:
Option A) Thick forest – Thick forests are areas of land where there is a huge number of trees. These trees leave very less space between them for people to commute or settle. In some places, the forests are so thick that even sunlight does not reach the bottom through the canopy of the tree. Therefore, this is the most sparsely populated region, and hence is the correct option.
Option B) Gangetic plains – These plains have very comfortable scattered trees and plants. There is also sufficient water supply from the Ganga river and the soil here is extremely fertile. This causes more and more people to settle in this region. This area is the most densely populated area in the country. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
Option C) Low-lying areas – Low-lying areas refer to the areas of land that are not elevated and are very close to the sea level. Being close to the sea level also generally means being close to the sea itself. The closeness to the sea gives the nearby areas a very moderate and comfortable temperature and wind conditions for humans. This attracts people to settle or visit these areas, thus making it very populated. This option is also wrong.
Option D) Cultivable areas – These refer to areas that are fertile, have sufficient water supply and other environmental conditions that are favourable for the cultivation of crops. These crop fields are what attracts people to settle in such areas. These areas are also thickly populated like the Gangetic plains. This option is incorrect.

Thus, the correct answer is Option (A) Thick forests are normally sparsely populated.

Note: Though thick forests are sparsely populated they still provide home and shelter to almost three hundred million people around the world. In addition to that 1.6 billion people depend directly on these forests for their livelihood. They provide the oxygen that we live with and the resources that we use every day in our lives.