Book: India — People and Economy | Unit-I | Chapter 1
Population
Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition
1. Learning Objectives
After reading these notes, you will be able to:
1
Understand the spatial pattern of distribution and density of India’s population.2
Know the growth trends of population and its four historical phases.3
Understand regional variations in population growth and the adolescent population.4
Know the composition of population — rural-urban, linguistic, religious and occupational.2. Distribution of Population
India is the second most populous country after China, with a total population of 1,210 million (2011) — larger than the combined population of North America, South America and Australia. Population data is collected through the Census, held every 10 years; the first Census was in 1872, but the first complete Census was only in 1881.
1,210 mn
Total Population (2011)
2nd
Rank in World (after China)
📍 Pattern of Distribution
- India has a highly uneven pattern of population distribution. Uttar Pradesh has the highest population, followed by Maharashtra, Bihar and West Bengal.
- U.P., Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Gujarat together account for about 76% of the total population of the country.
- Share of population is very small in Jammu & Kashmir (1.04%), Arunachal Pradesh (0.11%) and Uttarakhand (0.84%) despite their fairly large geographical area.
⚙️ Factors Behind Uneven Distribution
🌦️ Physical Factors
Climate, terrain and availability of water largely determine distribution — North Indian Plains, deltas and Coastal Plains have higher population than interior/southern districts, Himalayas and dry western states.
🏭 Socio-Economic & Historical
Settled agriculture, human settlement patterns, transport, industrialisation and urbanisation. River plains & coastal areas have long history of settlement. Cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Jaipur attract rural-urban migrants.
📌 Do You Know?
Development of irrigation (Rajasthan), availability of mineral/energy resources (Jharkhand), and transport network (Peninsular States) have raised population concentration in areas that were once thinly populated.3. Density of Population
Density of population is the number of persons per unit area. It gives a better understanding of spatial distribution in relation to land. India’s density (2011) is 382 persons/sq km, up steadily from 117 persons/sq km in 1951.
382/km²
India’s Density (2011)
11,297/km²
Highest — NCT Delhi
17/km²
Lowest — Arunachal Pradesh
117 → 382
Density Growth: 1951 → 2011
- Among northern states, Bihar (1102), West Bengal (1029) and Uttar Pradesh (828) have higher densities; among peninsular states, Kerala (859) and Tamil Nadu (555) are higher.
- Assam, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Odisha have moderate densities.
- Himalayan and North-eastern hill states (excluding Assam) have low densities; Union Territories (excluding A&N Islands) have very high densities.
📌 Physiological & Agricultural Density
Density is a crude measure of human-land relationship, so two refined measures are used:Physiological Density = Total Population ÷ Net Cultivated Area
Agricultural Density = Total Agricultural Population ÷ Net Cultivable Area
Agricultural population includes cultivators and agricultural labourers with their families.
4. Growth of Population
Growth of population is the change in the number of people in an area between two points of time, expressed in percentage. It has two components: natural growth (birth rate − death rate) and induced growth (migration). India’s annual growth rate is 1.64% (2011).
📌 Population Doubling Time
The time taken by a population to double itself at its current annual growth rate.📐 Decadal Growth Rate Formula
g = [(p₂ − p₁) ÷ p₁] × 100 where p₁ = base year population, p₂ = present year population
🗓️ Table 1.1 — Decadal Growth Rates in India (1901–2011)
| Census Year | Total Population | % Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 23,83,96,327 | — |
| 1911 | 25,20,93,390 | (+) 5.75 |
| 1921 | 25,13,21,213 | (−) 0.31 |
| 1931 | 27,89,77,238 | (+) 11.60 |
| 1941 | 31,86,60,580 | (+) 14.22 |
| 1951 | 36,10,88,090 | (+) 13.31 |
| 1961 | 43,92,34,771 | (+) 21.51 |
| 1971 | 54,81,59,652 | (+) 24.80 |
| 1981 | 68,33,29,097 | (+) 24.66 |
| 1991 | 84,63,02,688 | (+) 23.85 |
| 2001 | 1,02,86,10,328 | (+) 21.54 |
| 2011 | 1,21,01,93,422 | (+) 17.64 |
🔄 Four Phases of Population Growth
Phase I: 1901–1921
Stagnant/stationary phase — very low, even negative growth (1911-21). High birth & death rates due to poor health services, illiteracy, inefficient food distribution.
Phase II: 1921–1951
Steady growth — improved health/sanitation lowered mortality; better transport improved distribution; birth rate stayed high, against backdrop of Depression & WWII.
Phase III: 1951–1981
Population explosion — rapid fall in mortality, high fertility; avg. growth 2.2% p.a.; post-Independence planning improved living conditions; migration of Tibetans, Bangladeshis, Nepalis added to growth.
Phase IV: 1981–Present
Growth slowing down gradually — falling crude birth rate due to higher age at marriage and improved female education/quality of life.
📌 Do You Know?
World Development Report projects India’s population will touch 1,350 million by 2025.5. Regional Variation & Adolescent Population
🌏 Regional Variation in Growth (1991–2001)
- Low growth (<20%): Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry, Goa. Kerala had the lowest growth rate (9.4%) in the country.
- High growth belt (20-25%): A continuous belt from west to east — Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand.
- 2001–2011: Growth rates fell for almost all States/UTs vs. previous decade. Fall was lowest for Andhra Pradesh (3.5 pts) and highest for Maharashtra (6.7 pts); Tamil Nadu (+3.9 pts) and Puducherry (+7.1 pts) rose instead.
🧑🎓 Adolescent Population (10–19 years)
20.9%
Share of Adolescents (2011)
52.7% : 47.3%
Male : Female Adolescents
📌 Challenges Facing Adolescents
Low age at marriage, female illiteracy, school dropouts, poor nutrition, high maternal mortality among adolescent mothers, HIV/AIDS, disability, drug abuse & alcoholism, juvenile delinquency.- National Youth Policy (NYP–2014): Launched Feb 2014; defines “youth” as persons aged 15–29 years; vision to empower youth to achieve full potential.
- National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (2015): Provides an umbrella framework for skilling activities and links skilling with demand centres.
6. Rural–Urban Composition
Composition by place of residence is a key indicator of social/economic character — significant since about 68.8% of India’s population lives in villages (2011), while 31.16% is urban.
68.8%
Rural Population
31.16%
Urban Population
- India has 6,40,867 villages (Census 2011), of which 5,97,608 (93.2%) are inhabited.
- Himachal Pradesh and Bihar have very high rural population share; Goa and Mizoram have only a little over half their population in villages.
- Village size varies widely — under 200 persons in hill states of NE India, Western Rajasthan, Rann of Kuchchh; up to 17,000 persons in parts of Kerala and Maharashtra.
- Urban population is growing faster than rural due to economic development and improved health/hygiene. Rural-urban migration is strong along North Indian Plains, and industrial belts — Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru-Mysuru, Madurai-Coimbatore, Ahmedabad-Surat, Delhi-Kanpur, Ludhiana-Jalandhar.
- Urbanisation remains low in agriculturally stagnant middle/lower Ganga Plains, Telangana, non-irrigated Western Rajasthan, NE tribal/hilly areas, flood-prone Peninsular India, and eastern Madhya Pradesh.
7. Linguistic & Religious Composition
🔤 Linguistic Composition
India is a land of linguistic diversity. As per Grierson’s Linguistic Survey of India (1903–1928), there were 179 languages and 544 dialects. Modern India recognises about 22 scheduled languages plus many non-scheduled ones. Hindi speakers have the highest share; Sanskrit, Bodo and Manipuri are the smallest groups (2011).
🌳 Four Language Families of India
Indian Languages
Indo-European
(Aryan) — 73%
(Aryan) — 73%
Dravidian
(Dravida) — 20%
(Dravida) — 20%
Austric
(Nishada) — 1.38%
(Nishada) — 1.38%
Sino-Tibetan
(Kirata) — 0.85%
(Kirata) — 0.85%
| Family | Branch/Group | Speech Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Austric | Mon-Khmer, Munda | Meghalaya, Nicobar Islands, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, M.P., Maharashtra |
| Dravidian | South/Central/North Dravidian | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, M.P., Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal |
| Sino-Tibetan | Tibeto-Himalayan, Assam-Myanmari | J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya |
| Indo-European | Iranian, Dardic, Indo-Aryan | J&K, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, U.P., Rajasthan, Haryana, M.P., Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa |
🕌 Religious Composition
Religion is a dominant force in the cultural and political life of most Indians, permeating family and community life.
| Religious Group | Population (million) | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Hindus | 966.3 | 79.8 |
| Muslims | 172.2 | 14.2 |
| Christians | 27.8 | 2.3 |
| Sikhs | 20.8 | 1.7 |
| Buddhists | 8.4 | 0.7 |
| Jains | 4.5 | 0.4 |
| Other Religions (ORP) | 7.9 | 0.7 |
| Religion Not Stated | 2.9 | 0.2 |
- Hindus are the majority (70-90%+) in most states, except border districts of Indo-Bangladesh & Indo-Pak borders, J&K, NE hill states, and parts of the Deccan Plateau/Ganga Plain.
- Muslims, the largest minority, are concentrated in J&K, parts of West Bengal & Kerala, many U.P. districts, Delhi and Lakshadweep — forming a majority in the Kashmir valley and Lakshadweep.
- Christians concentrate along the Western coast (Goa, Kerala) and NE hill states (Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland), Chotanagpur, Manipur hills.
- Sikhs are concentrated in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
- Jains concentrate in urban Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra; Buddhists mainly in Maharashtra, plus Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Tripura, Lahul-Spiti.
📌 Religion & Landscape
Religion is expressed on the landscape through sacred structures — temples, masjids, gurudwaras, monasteries, churches — plus cemeteries and sacred groves, differing in size, form and density across the country.8. Composition of Working Population
India’s population is divided by economic status into Main Workers, Marginal Workers and Non-Workers. Only 39.8% are workers (2011), leaving about 60% as non-workers — indicating a large dependent population.
📌 Standard Census Definitions
Main Worker: works at least 183 days (6 months) a year.Marginal Worker: works for less than 183 days a year.
39.8%
Work Participation Rate (India)
51.9%
Highest — Himachal Pradesh
29.1%
Lowest — Lakshadweep
🌾 Occupational Categories (2011 Census)
- (1) Cultivators (2) Agricultural Labourers (3) Household Industrial Workers (4) Other Workers
| Sector | % to Total Workers | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary (cultivators + agri. labour) | 54.6% | 16,54,47,075 | 9,75,75,398 |
| Secondary (household industries) | 3.8% | 97,75,635 | 85,60,672 |
| Tertiary (other/services) | 41.6% | 15,66,43,220 | 4,37,41,311 |
- Primary sector workers dominate — reflecting India’s agrarian base; male workers outnumber female workers in all three sectors.
- Agricultural sector’s share declined from 58.2% (2001) to 54.6% (2011), showing a shift toward non-farm occupations.
- Himachal Pradesh & Nagaland have large shares of cultivators; Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, M.P. have more agricultural labourers; highly urbanised Delhi, Chandigarh, Puducherry have large shares in other services.
📌 Beti Bachao – Beti Padhao
A nationwide campaign addressing gender discrimination in education, employment, wages and representation — recognising that “if development is not engendered, it is endangered” (UNDP, HDR 1995).Summary — Quick Revision
1
Distribution: Highly uneven — U.P., Maharashtra, Bihar & West Bengal top; J&K, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand lowest share despite large area.
2
Density (2011): 382 persons/sq km — highest in Delhi (11,297), lowest in Arunachal Pradesh (17).
3
Growth: Annual rate 1.64% (2011); four phases — Stagnant (1901-21), Steady (1921-51), Explosion (1951-81), Slowing (1981-present).
4
Regional Variation: Southern states show low growth; NW-N-NC belt shows high growth (20-25%).
5
Adolescents: 20.9% of population (10-19 yrs); NYP-2014 defines youth as 15-29 years.
6
Rural-Urban: 68.8% rural, 31.16% urban (2011); urban growing faster.
7
Linguistic & Religious: 4 language families (Indo-European largest, 73%); Hindus 79.8%, Muslims 14.2% of population.
8
Working Population: WPR 39.8%; Primary sector 54.6% of workers, Secondary 3.8%, Tertiary 41.6%.
Important Terms to Remember
- Density of Population: Number of persons living per unit area.
- Physiological Density: Total population ÷ net cultivated area.
- Agricultural Density: Total agricultural population ÷ net cultivable area.
- Growth of Population: Change in number of people in an area between two points of time, expressed as a percentage.
- Natural Growth: Growth analysed from crude birth and death rates.
- Induced Growth: Growth explained by inward/outward migration.
- Population Doubling Time: Time taken for a population to double at its current annual growth rate.
- Work Participation Rate: Percentage of total population that is economically active (working).
- Main Worker: A person working at least 183 days (6 months) in a year.
- Marginal Worker: A person working less than 183 days (6 months) in a year.
- Linguistic Survey of India: Grierson’s survey (1903-1928) identifying 179 languages and 544 dialects.
- Scheduled Languages: The 22 languages officially recognised in the Indian Constitution.