Population Distribution, Density, Growth, and Composition PDF

The people are very important component of a Unit I country. India is the second most populous Chapter 1 country after China in the world with its total population of 1,210 million (201...

The people are very important component of a Unit I country. India is the second most populous Chapter 1 country after China in the world with its total population of 1,210 million (2011). India’s population is larger than the total population of North America, South America and Australia put together. More often, it is argued that such a large population invariably puts pressure on its limited resources and is also responsible for many socio-economic problems in the country. How do you perceive the idea of India? Is POPULATION it simply a territory? Does this signify an amalgam of people? Is it a territory Distribution, Density, Growth inhabited by people living under certain institutions of governance? and Composition In this chapter, we will discuss the patterns of distribution, density, growth and composition of India’s population. Sources of Population Data Population data are collected through Census operation held every 10 years in our country. The first population Census in India was conducted in 1872 but its first complete Census was conducted only in 1881. Distrib Distribution opula Popula ution of P tion opulation Examine Fig. 1.1 and try to describe the patterns of spatial distribution of population shown on it. It is clear that India has a highly uneven pattern of population distribution. The percentage shares of population of the states and Union Territories in the country (Appendix) show that Uttar Pradesh has the highest population followed by Maharashtra, Bihar and West Bengal. Looking at the data in Appendix i, arrange the Indian States and Union Territories according to their sizes and population and find out : 2024-25  Fig. 1.1 : India – Distribution of Population 2 India : People and Economy 2024-25 States/UTs of large size and large population history of human settlement and development of transport network. On the other hand, the States/UTs of large size but small population urban regions of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, States/UTs of smaller size but larger population Bengaluru, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Jaipur have high concentration of population Check from the table (Appendix–iA) that U.P., due to industrial development and Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra urbanisation drawing a large numbers of Pradesh along with Tamil Nadu, Madhya rural-urban migrants. Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Gujarat, together account for about 76 per cent of the Density of P opula tion Popula opulation total population of the country. On the other hand, share of population is very small in the Density of population, is expressed as number states like Jammu & Kashmir (1.04%), of persons per unit area. It helps in getting a Arunachal Pradesh (0.11%) and Uttarakhand better understanding of the spatial distribution (0.84%) inspite of theses states having fairly of population in relation to land. The density of large geographical area. population in India (2011) is 382 persons per Such an uneven spatial distribution of sq km. There has been a steady increase of more population in India suggests a close relationship than 200 persons per sq km over the last 50 between population and physical, socio- years as the density of population increased economic and historical factors. As far as the from 117 persons/ sq km in 1951 to 382 physical factors are concerned, it is clear that persons/sq km in 2011. climate along with terrain and availability of The data shown in Appendix (i) give an water largely determines the pattern of the population distribution. Consequently, we idea of spatial variation of population densities observe that the North Indian Plains, deltas and in the country which ranges from as low as 17 Coastal Plains have higher proportion of persons per sq km in Arunachal Pradesh to population than the interior districts of southern 11,297 persons in the National Capital and central Indian States, Himalayas, some of Territory of Delhi. Among the northern Indian the north eastern and the western states. States, Bihar (1102), West Bengal (1029) and However, development of irrigation (Rajasthan), and Uttar Pradesh (828) have higher densities, availability of mineral and energy resources while Kerala (859) and Tamil Nadu (555) have (Jharkhand) and development of transport higher densities among the peninsular Indian network (Peninsular States) have resulted in states. States like Assam, Gujarat, Andhra moderate to high concentration of population Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Odisha have in areas which were previously very thinly moderate densities. The hill states of the populated. Himalayan region and North eastern states of Among the socio-economic and historical India (excluding Assam) have relatively low factors of distribution of population, important densities while the Union Territories (excluding ones are evolution of settled agriculture and Andaman and Nicobar islands) have very high agricultural development; pattern of human densities of population (Appendix–i). settlement; development of transport network, The density of population, as discussed industrialisation and urbanisation. It is in the earlier paragraph, is a crude measure observed that the regions falling in the river of human and land relationship. To get a plains and coastal areas of India have remained better insight into the human-land ratio in the regions of larger population concentration. terms of pressure of population on total Even though the uses of natural resources like cultivable land, the physiological and the land and water in these regions have shown agricultural densities should be found out the sign of degradation, the concentration of which are significant for a country like India population remains high because of an early having a large agricultural population. Population: Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition 3 2024-25  Fig. 1.2 : India – Density of Population 4 India : People and Economy 2024-25  assessing the crude birth and death rates, the Physiological density = total population / induced components are explained by the net cultivated area volume of inward and outward movement of Agricultural density = total agricultural people in any given area. However, in the population / net cultivable area present chapter, we will only discuss the natural growth of India’s population. Agricultural population includes cultivators The decadal and annual growth rates of and agricultural labourers and their family population in India are both very high and members. steadily increasing over time. The annual growth rate of India’s population is 1.64 per cent (2011). With the help of data given in Appendix (ii), Calculate Population Doubling Time the Physiological and Agricultural densities of Population doubling time is the time taken population of Indian States and Union Territories. by any population to double itself at its Compare them with density of population and see how current annual growth rate. are these different? Gr owth of P Growth opula Popula tion opulation The growth rate of population in India over Growth of population is the change in the the last one century has been caused by annual number of people living in a particular area birth rate and death rate and rate of migration between two points of time. Its rate is expressed and thereby shows different trends. There are in percentage. Population growth has two four distinct phases of growth identified within components namely; natural and induced. this period: While the natural growth is analysed by Table 1.1 : Decadal Growth Rates in India, 1901-2011 Census Total Population Growth Rate* Years Absolute Number % of Growth 1901 238396327 ------------ ------------ 1911 252093390 (+) 13697063 (+) 5.75 1921 251321213 (-) 772117 (-) 0.31 1931 278977238 (+) 27656025 (+) 11.60 1941 318660580 (+) 39683342 (+) 14.22 1951 361088090 (+) 42420485 (+) 13.31 1961 439234771 (+) 77682873 (+) 21.51 1971 548159652 (+) 108924881 (+) 24.80 1981 683329097 (+) 135169445 (+) 24.66 1991 846302688 (+) 162973591 (+) 23.85 2001 1028610328 (+) 182307640 (+) 21.54 2011** 1210193422 (+) 181583094 (+) 17.64 p 2 -p1 * Decadal growth rate: g= ×100 p1 where P1 = population of the base year P2 = population of the present year ** Source : Census of India, 2011(Provisional) Population: Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition 5 2024-25  Fig. 1.3 : India – Growth of Population 6 India : People and Economy 2024-25 Phase I : The period from 1901-1921 is Tibetans, Bangladeshis, Nepalies referred to as a period of stagnant and even people from Pakistan or stationary phase of growth of contributed to the high growth rate. India’s population, since in this Phase IV : In the post 1981 till present, the period growth rate was very low, growth rate of country’s population even recording a negative growth though remained high, has started rate during 1911-1921. Both the slowing down gradually (Table 1.1). birth rate and death rate were high A downward trend of crude birth keeping the rate of increase low rate is held responsible for such a (Appendix–iii). Poor health and population growth. This was, in medical services, illiteracy of people turn, affected by an increase in the at large and inefficient distribution mean age at marriage, improved system of food and other basic quality of life particularly education necessities were largely responsible of females in the country. for a high birth and death rates in The growth rate of population is, however, this period. still high in the country, and it has been Phase II : The decades 1921-1951 are projected by World Development Report that referred to as the period of steady population of India will touch 1,350 million by population growth. An overall 2025. improvement in health and The analysis done so far shows the average sanitation throughout the country growth rate, but the country also has wide brought down the mortality rate. At variation (Appendix–iv) in growth rates from one the same time better transport and area to another which is discussed below. communication system improved R e gional V aria Varia tion in ariation distribution system. The crude P opula tion Gr opulation owth Growth birth rate remained high in this The growth rate of population during 1991- period leading to higher growth rate 2001 in Indian States and Union Territories than the previous phase. This is shows very obvious pattern. impressive at the backdrop of Great The States like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Economic Depression, 1920s and Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry, World War II. and Goa show a low rate of growth not exceeding Phase III : The decades 1951-1981 are 20 per cent over the decade. Kerala registered referred to as the period of the lowest growth rate (9.4) not only in this group population explosion in India, of states but also in the country as a whole. which was caused by a rapid fall A continuous belt of states from west to in the mortality rate but a high east in the north-west, north, and north central fertility rate of population in the parts of the country has relatively high growth country. The average annual rate than the southern states. It is in this belt growth rate was as high as 2.2 per comprising Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, cent. It is in this period, after the Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Independence, that developmental Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, West Bengal, activities were introduced through Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, the growth a centralised planning process and rate on the average remained 20-25 per cent. economy started showing up During 2001-2011, the growth rates of ensuring the improvement of living almost all States and Union Territories have condition of people at large. registered a lower figure compared to the Consequently, there was a high previous decade, namely, 1991-2001. The natural increase and higher growth percentage decadal growth rates of the six most rate. Besides, increased populous States, namely, Uttar Pradesh, international migration bringing in Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Population: Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition 7 2024-25 Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have all fallen one example which has been designed to look during 2001-2011 compared to 1991-2001, into the overall development of our large youth the fall being the lowest for Andhra Pradesh and adolescent population. (3.5% percentage points) and highest for The National Youth Policy (NYP–2014) Maharashtra (6.7 percentage points). Tamil launched in February 2014 proposes a holistic Nadu (3.9 percentage points) and Puducherry ‘vision’ for the youth of India, which is “To (7.1 percentage points) have registered some empower the youth of the country to achieve increase during 2001-2011 over the previous their full potential, and through them enable decade. India to find its rightful place in the community of nations”. The NYP–2014 has defined ‘youth’as persons in the age group of 15–29 years. The Government of India also formulated With the help of data given in Appendix i and iA, compare the National Policy for Skill Development and the growth rate of population of different States/UTs Entrepreneurship in 2015 to provide an between 1991-2001 and 2001-2011. umbrella framework to all skilling activities being carried out within the country, and to Take the population growth data of the districts/selected align these to common standards and link districts of your respective state for total male and female skilling with demand centres. population and represent them with the help of It appears from the above discussion that Composite Bar Graph. the growth rate of population is widely variant over space and time in the country and also An important aspect of population growth highlights various social problems related to the in India is the growth of its adolescents. At growth of population. However, in order to have present the share of adolescents i.e., up to the a better insight into the growth pattern of age group of 10-19 years is about 20.9 per cent population it is also necessary to look into the (2011), among which male adolescents social composition of population. constitute 52.7 per cent and female adolescents Population Composition opulation constitute 47.3 per cent. The adolescent population, though, regarded as the youthful Population composition is a distinct field of population having high potentials, but at the study within population geography with a vast same time they are quite vulnerable if not guided coverage of analysis of age and sex, place of and channelised properly. There are many residence, ethnic characteristics, tribes, challenges for the society as far as these language, religion, marital status, literacy and adolescents are concerned, some of which are education, occupational characteristics, etc. In lower age at marriage, illiteracy – particularly this section, the composition of Indian female illiteracy, school dropouts, low intake of population with respect to their rural-urban nutrients, high rate of maternal mortality of characteristics, language, religion and pattern adolescent mothers, high rate of HIV and AIDS of occupation will be discussed. infections, physical and mental disability or Rural – Urban Composition retardedness, drug abuse and alcoholism, juvenile delinquency and commitence of crimes, etc. Composition of population by their respective In view of these, the Government of India places of residence is an important indicator of has undertaken certain policies to impart social and economic characteristics. This becomes proper education to the adolescent groups so even more significant for a country where about that their talents are better channelised and 68.8 per cent of its total population lives in village properly utilised. The National Youth Policy is (2011). 8 India : People and Economy 2024-25  indicates both development of urban areas in terms of socio-economic conditions and an Compare the data given in Appendix (iv) and iv A increased rate of rural-urban migration. The calculate the percentages of rural population of the rural-urban migration is conspicuous in the case states in India and represent them cartographically on of urban areas along the main road links and a map of India. railroads in the North Indian Plains, the industrial areas around Kolkata, Mumbai, Do you know that India has 640,867 villages Bengaluru – Mysuru, Madurai – Coimbatore, according to the Census 2011 out of which Ahmedabad – Surat, Delhi – Kanpur and 597,608 (93.2 per cent) are inhabited villages? Ludhiana – Jalandhar. In the agriculturally However, the distribution of rural population stagnant parts of the middle and lower Ganga is not uniform throughout the country. You Plains, Telengana, non-irrigated Western might have noted that the states like Himachal Rajasthan, remote hilly, tribal areas of north- Pradesh and Bihar have very high percentage east, along the flood prone areas of Peninsular of rural population. The states of Goa and India and along eastern part of Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram have only little over half of their total the degree of urbanisation has remained low. population residing in villages. The Union Territories, on the other hand, Linguistic Composition have smaller proportion of rural population, India is a land of linguistic diversity. According to except Dadra and Nagar Haveli (53.38 per cent). Grierson (Linguistic Survey of India, 1903 – 1928), The size of villages also varies considerably. It there were 179 languages and as many as 544 is less than 200 persons in the hill states of dialects in the country. In the context of modern north-eastern India, Western Rajasthan and India, there are about 22 scheduled languages Rann of Kuchchh and as high as 17 thousand and a number of non-scheduled languages. persons in the states of Kerala and in parts of Maharashtra. A thorough examination of the pattern of distribution of rural population of India reveals that both at intra-State and inter- See how many languages appear on a Rs 10 note. State levels, the relative degree of urbanisation Among the scheduled languages, the and extent of rural-urban migration regulate speakers of Hindi have the highest percentage. the concentration of rural population. The smallest language groups are Sanskrit, You have noted that contrary to rural Bodo and Manipuri speakers (2011). However, population, the proportion of urban population it is noticed that the linguistic regions in the (31.16 per cent) in India is quite low but it is country do not have a sharp and distinct showing a much faster rate of growth over the boundary, rather they gradually merge and decades. The growth rate of urban population overlap in their respective frontier zones. has accelerated due to enhanced economic development and improvement in health and Linguistic Classification hygienic conditions. The distribution of urban population too, The speakers of major Indian languages as in the case of total population, has a wide belong to four language families, which have variation throughout the country (Appendix–iv). their sub-families and branches or groups. This can be better understood from Table 1.2. Religious Composition Compare the data of Appendix (iv) and iv A and identify the states/UTs with very high and very low proportion of Religion is one of the most dominant forces urban population. affecting the cultural and political life of the majority of Indians. Since religion virtually It is, however, noticed that in almost all the permeates into almost all the aspects of people’s states and Union Territories, there has been a family and community lives, it is important to considerable increase of urban population. This study the religious composition in detail. Population: Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition 9 2024-25  Table 1.2 : Classification of Modern Indian Languages Family Sub-Family Branch/Group Speech Areas Austro-Asiatic Mon-Khmer Meghalaya, Nicobar Islands Austric (Nishada) Munda West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, 1.38% Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra Austro- Nesian Outside India South-Dravidian Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala Dravidian Central Dravidian Andhra Pradesh, M.P., Orissa, (Dravida) Maharashtra 20% North Dravidian Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh Tibeto - Myanmari Tibeto-Himalayan Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim Sino-Tibetan (Kirata) North Assam Arunachal Pradesh 0.85% Siamese-Chinese Assam- Myanmari Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya Indo-Aryan Iranian Outside India Indo - Dardic Jammu & Kashmir European (Aryan) 73% Indo-Aryan Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, U.P., Rajasthan, Haryana, M.P., Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa. Source : Ahmed, A. (1999) : Social Geography, Rawat Publication, New Delhi Table 1.3 : Religious Communities of India, 2011 Look at Table 1.2 and prepare a pie diagram of linguistic Religious Group 2011 composition of India showing the sectoral shares of Population % of each linguistic group. (in million) Total Hindus 966.3 79.8 Or Muslims 172.2 14.2 Christians 27.8 2.3 Prepare a qualitative symbol map of India showing the distribution of different linguistic groups in the country. Sikhs 20.8 1.7 Buddhists 8.4 0.7 The spatial distribution of religious Jains 4.5 0.4 communities in the country (Appendix–v) shows Other Religions and that there are certain states and districts having Persuasions (ORP) 7.9 0.7 large numerical strength of one religion, while Religion Not Stated 2.9 0.2 the same may be very negligibly represented in other states. Source : Census of India, 2011 Hindus are distributed as a major group in Muslims, the largest religious minority, are many states (ranging from 70 - 90 per cent and concentrated in Jammu & Kashmir, certain above) except the districts of states along Indo- districts of West Bengal and Kerala, many Bangladesh border, Indo-Pak border, Jammu & districts of Uttar Pradesh , in and around Delhi Kashmir, Hill States of North-East and in scattered and in Lakshadweep. They form majority in areas of Deccan Plateau and Ganga Plain. Kashmir valley and Lakshadweep. 10 India : People and Economy 2024-25  Standard Census Definition Religion and Landscape Main Worker is a person who works for Formal expression of religions on atleast 183 days ( or six months) in a year. landscape is manifested through sacred structures, use of cemetries and Marginal Worker is a person who works for assemblages of plants and animals, groves less than 183 days ( or six months) in a year. of trees for religious purposes. Sacred structures are widely distributed throughout per cent (2011) leaving a vast majority of about the country. These may range from 60 per cent as non-workers. This indicates an inconspicuous village shrines to large Hindu economic status in which there is a larger temples, monumental masjids or ornately proportion of dependent population, further designed cathedrals in large metropolitan indicating possible existence of large number of cities. These temples, masjids, gurudwaras, unemployed or under employed people. monastries and churches differ in size, form, space – use and density, while What is work participation rate? attributing a special dimension to the total landscape of the area. The proportion of working population, of the states and Union Territories show a The Christian population is distributed variation from about 29.1 per cent in mostly in rural areas of the country. The main Lakshdweep to about 51.9 per cent in Himachal concentration is observed along the Western Pradesh. The states with larger percentages of coast around Goa, Kerala and also in the hill workers are Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, states of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Chotanagpur area and Hills of Manipur. Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Sikhs are mostly concentrated in relatively Meghalaya. Among the Union Territories, Dadra small area of the country, particularly in the and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu have states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. higher participation rate. It is understood that, Jains and Buddhists, the smallest religious in the context of a country like India, the work participation rate tends to be higher in the areas groups in India have their concentration only of lower levels of economic development since in selected areas of the country. Jains have number of manual workers are needed to major concentration in the urban areas of perform the subsistence or near subsistence Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra, while the economic activities. Buddhists are concentrated mostly in The occupational composition (see box) Maharashtra. The other areas of Buddhist of India’s population (which actually means majority are Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, engagement of an individual in farming, Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir, Tripura, and manufacturing, trade, services or any kind of Lahul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. professional activities) show a large proportion The other religions of India include of primary sector workers compared to Zoroastrians, tribal and other indigenous faiths secondary and tertiary sectors. About 54.6 per and beliefs. These groups are concentrated in cent of total working population are cultivators small pockets scattered throughout the country. and agricultural labourers, whereas only 3.8% of workers are engaged in household industries Composition of Working Population and 41.6 % are other workers including non- The population of India according to their household industries, trade, commerce, economic status is divided into three groups, construction and repair and other services. As namely; main workers, marginal workers and far as the occupation of country’s male and non-workers. female population is concerned, male workers It is observed that in India, the proportion out-number female workers in all the three of workers (both main and marginal) is only 39.8 sectors (Fig.1.4 and Table 1.4). Population: Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition 11 2024-25  Fig. 1.4 : India – Occupational Structure, 2011 Promoting Gender Sensitivity through All efforts need to be made to address the ‘Beti Bachao–Beti Padhao’ Social denial of opportunities of education, Campaign employment, political representation, low wages for similar types of work, disregard to The division of the society into male, female their entitlement to live a dignified life, etc. A and transgender is believed to be natural society, which fails to acknowledge and take and biological. But, in reality, there are effective measures to remove such social constructs and roles assigned to discriminations, cannot be treated as a civilised individuals which are reinforced by social one. The Government of India has duly institutions. Consequently, these biological acknowleged the adverse impacts of these differences become the basis of social discriminations and launched a nationwide differentiations, discriminations and campaign called ‘Beti Bachao – Beti Padhao’. exclusions. The exclusion of over half of the population becomes a serious handicap to any developing and civilised Occupational Categories society. It is a global challenge, which has The 2011 Census has divided the working been acknowledged by the UNDP when it population of India into four major categories: mentioned that, “If development is not 1. Cultivators engendered it is endangered” (HDR UNDP 2. Agricultural Labourers 1995). Discrimination, in general, and gender discrimination, in particular, is a 3. Household Industrial Workers crime against humanity. 4. Other Workers. Table 1.4 : Sectoral Composition of workforce in India, 2011 Categories Population Persons % to Male Female total Workers Primary 26,30,22,473 54.6 16,54,47,075 9,75,75,398 Secondary 1,83,36,307 3.8 97,75,635 85,60,672 Tertiary 20,03,84,531 41.6 15,66,43,220 4,37,41,311 12 India : People and Economy 2024-25  increase. This indicates a shift of dependence of workers from farm-based occupations to non-farm based ones, indicating a sectoral shift Prepare composite bar graphs, one for India and the in the economy of the country. other for your respective states showing the proportion The spatial variation of work participation of male and female workers in agriculture, household rate in different sectors in the country industries and other sectors, and compare. (Appendix–v and vA) is very wide. For instance, the states like Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland The number of female workers is relatively have very large shares of cultivators. On the high in primary sector, though in recent years other hand states like Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, there has been some improvement in work Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal participation of women in secondary and and Madhya Pradesh have higher proportion tertiary sectors. of agricultural labourers. The highly urbanised It is important to note that the proportion areas like Delhi, Chandigarh and Puducherry of workers in agricultural sector in India has have a very large proportion of workers being shown a decline over the last few decades engaged in other services. This indicates not (58.2% in 2001 to 54.6% in 2011). only availability of limited farming land, but also Consequently, the participation rate in large scale urbanisation and industrialisation secondary and tertiary sector has registered an requiring more workers in non-farm sectors. EXERCISES 1. Choose the right answers of the followings from the given options. (i) India’s population as per 2011 census is : (a) 1028 million (c) 3287 million (b) 3182 million (d) 1210 million (ii) Which one of the following states has the highest density of population in India? (a) West Bengal (c) Uttar Pradesh (b) Kerala (d) Bihar (iii) Which one of the following states has the highest proportion of urban population in India according to 2011 Census? (a) Tamil Nadu (c) Kerala (b) Maharashtra (d) Goa (iv) Which one of the following is the largest linguistic group of India? (a) Sino – Tibetan (c) Austric (b) Indo – Aryan (d) Dravidian Population: Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition 13 2024-25  2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words. (i) Very hot and dry and very cold and wet regions of India have low density of population. In this light, explain the role of climate on the distribution of population. (ii) Which states have large rural population in India? Give one reason for such large rural population. (iii) Why do some states of India have higher rates of work participation than others? (iv) ‘The agricultural sector has the largest share of Indian workers.’ – Explain. 3. Answer the following questions in about 150 words. (i) Discuss the spatial pattern of density of population in India. (ii) Give an account of the occupational structure of India’s population. 14 India : People and Economy 2024-25