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Distribution and Density of Population
3.1 Spatial Distribution
India's population distribution is highly uneven, determined primarily by:
- Physiographic accessibility (plains vs mountains)
- Agricultural productivity (fertile alluvial plains vs arid desert)
- Historical settlement patterns (Ganga plains civilisation, coastal trade cities)
- Industrialisation and urban employment
Highly Populated Regions (>400 persons/sq km)
- Indo-Gangetic Plain (UP, Bihar, West Bengal) — fertile, flat, agricultural
- Coastal strips (Kerala, Tamil Nadu coast, Malabar, Coromandel)
- Industrial-urban regions (Mumbai metropolitan, Kolkata metropolitan, Delhi NCR, Chennai-Bangalore corridor)
Moderately Populated (100–400 persons/sq km)
- Most of central and peninsular India (Maharashtra, MP, AP, Karnataka)
- Eastern and northeastern plains (Odisha, Assam valley)
Sparsely Populated (<50 persons/sq km)
- Himalayas (J&K, Himachal, Uttarakhand hill areas): rugged terrain, snow, limited agriculture
- Western Rajasthan (Thar Desert): arid, hostile, limited water
- NE hilly states (Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland): dense forest, hilly terrain, remote
- Andaman & Nicobar and similar island territories
3.2 State-wise Population Data (Census 2011)
Most populous states:
| Rank | State | Population (million) | % of India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 199.8 | 16.5% |
| 2 | Maharashtra | 112.4 | 9.3% |
| 3 | Bihar | 104.1 | 8.6% |
| 4 | West Bengal | 91.3 | 7.5% |
| 5 | Andhra Pradesh (undivided) | 84.7 | 7.0% |
| 28 (last) | Sikkim | 0.61 | 0.05% |
Highest density states (2011):
| Rank | State/UT | Density (persons/sq km) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delhi (UT) | 11,320 |
| 2 | Chandigarh (UT) | 9,258 |
| 3 | Puducherry (UT) | 2,598 |
| 4 | Bihar | 1,106 |
| 5 | West Bengal | 1,028 |
| Lowest | Arunachal Pradesh | 17 |
3.3 Population Density Analysis
India's overall density (2011): 382 persons/sq km
Factors Causing High Density
- Fertile alluvial soil → high agricultural productivity → more people supported per unit area
- Historical urban centres (river confluence settlements — Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna)
- Industrial concentration (Mumbai: textile + petrochemical; West Bengal: jute + coal)
- Delta regions (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri) — double crop rice zones
Factors Causing Low Density
- Harsh terrain (Himalayas: cold, steep, limited arable land)
- Aridity (Thar: <250 mm rain, poor agricultural base)
- Dense forests (NE states: tribal communities, forest cover)
- Tribal isolation and historical poor connectivity