The correct answer is Option 2. • The optimum population is a concept where the human population is able to balance maintaining a maximum population size with optimal standards of living for all people. Explanation & Key Takeaways: • The optimum population is an economic concept that denotes a balanced population resource relationship in an area. • It shows the size of the population which yields the highest quality of life. • As per Boulding, “The population at which the standard of living is at maximum is called the optimum population.” • As stated by Dalton, “It is that which gives the maximum income per head.” • In the opinion of Peterson, “It is the number of people that in a given natural, cultural and social environment produces the maximum economic return.” • As per Car Saunders, “It is that population which produces maximum social welfare.” Related Concepts: • As per S. D. Maurya, “It is the population size in relation to given economic, social or military goals, produces the maximum return.” • According to Veyret-Verner“ It is the one that enjoys full employment, a satisfactory level of life, daily per capita intake of over 2500 calories of food, per capita expenditure on food not exceeding 50 % of total income, rational utilization of resources, dependency ratio not overburdening the adults and the division of labour permitting purely intellectual functions.”