Question

Answer the following question in about 150 words.

Discuss the spatial pattern of the density of population in India.

Answer 1

India has a highly uneven spatial pattern of population density, with an average of 382 persons per sq km as per the 2011 Census. This spatial pattern ranges from an exceptionally high density of 1,106 persons per sq km in Bihar and 1,028 persons per sq km in West Bengal, down to a very low density of just 17 persons per sq km in Arunachal Pradesh. The northern plains (like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar) and coastal states (like Kerala) exhibit high density due to flat land, while mountainous states like Jammu & Kashmir, Mizoram, and Uttarakhand have very small density shares due to their rugged terrain. This uneven spatial density suggests a close relationship between population and physical, socio-economic, and historical factors.

Such an uneven spatial distribution of population in India suggests a close relationship between population and physical, socio-economic, and historical factors. As far as the physical factors are concerned, it is clear that climate, along with terrain and availability of water, largely determines the pattern of the population distribution. Consequently, we observe that the North Indian Plains, deltas, and Coastal Plains have a higher population share than the interior districts of southern and central Indian States, the Himalayas, and some of the northeastern and western states. However, the development of irrigation (Rajasthan), the availability of mineral and energy resources (Jharkhand), and the development of the transport network (Peninsular States) have resulted in a moderate-to-high concentration of population in areas that were previously very thinly populated.

Among the socio-economic and historical factors in the distribution of population are the evolution of settled agriculture and agricultural development; the pattern of human settlement; and the development of transport networks, industrialisation, and urbanisation. It is observed that the river plains and coastal areas of India have remained regions of higher population concentration. Even though the use of natural resources such as land and water in these regions has shown signs of degradation, population concentration remains high due to an early history of human settlement and the development of a transport network. On the other hand, the urban regions of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai, and Jaipur have high population concentrations due to industrial development and urbanisation, drawing large numbers of rural-to-urban migrants.