What is the main reason for high concentration of population in the Kobe-Osaka region of Japan?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Industrialisation
Option (1) Availability of water — Incorrect. Water is a geographical factor; Kobe-Osaka is crowded because of its industries.
Option (2) Landforms — Incorrect. Landforms are a geographical factor too and do not explain this industrial crowding.
Option (3) Industrialisation — Correct. Industrial belts provide job opportunities for factory workers and also for transport operators, shopkeepers, bank staff, doctors and teachers. People come for this work and settle near it, so the more industries a region has, the more people it holds. The Kobe-Osaka region of Japan is thickly populated because of the presence of a number of industries.
Option (4) Social and cultural factors — Incorrect. These draw people to religious or cultural centres; Kobe-Osaka is the example of an industrial region.
Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2025 on 26-05-2025 (Slot 1), and in CUET (UG) 2023 on 06-06-2023 (Slot 3).
NCERT (2025-26): “II. Economic Factors … (iii) Industrialisation: Industrial belts provide job opportunities and attract large numbers of people. These include not just factory workers but also transport operators, shopkeepers, bank employees, doctors, teachers and other service providers. The Kobe-Osaka region of Japan is thickly populated because of the presence of a number of industries.” “III. Social and Cultural Factors … Some places attract more people because they have religious or cultural significance.…” |