In the last Five decades growth of population has had its impact on the occupa­tional patterns. In the developing countries the number of dependents (non-working popula­tion) has increased. The dependents include the children up to 14 years of age, old people, criminals, lunatics convalescing (ill) people and non-working house­wives. This means each working person has to support a large number of dependents. Increasing population has led to growing unemployment which in turn leads to social tensions, violence, the presence of educated unemployed and to economic stagnation, and thus, low standard of living.

In developed countries, as the population is not growing rapidly, unemploy­ment is much less. The numbers of dependent children are less but there are a large number of old people owing to greater longevity. The working population is more than the dependent population, therefore the economy of the country is more dynamic and so is their standard of living.

More people are engaged in primary occupation in the developing countries than in secondary and tertiary occupations. More people are engaged in tertiary and secondary occupations than in primary occupation in developed countries.