Geography · Ch 9 — Population: Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition
Distribution of Population
Distribution of Population
The distribution of population across India is highly uneven. If you look at a map showing where people live, you will see that some areas are densely crowded while others are nearly empty. This pattern is not random — it is the result of a combination of physical, socio-economic, and historical factors working together.
The Uneven Pattern
The most direct way to see this unevenness is through the population shares of different states. Uttar Pradesh has the highest population in the country, followed by Maharashtra, Bihar, and West Bengal. Together, just ten states — Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Gujarat — account for about 76 per cent of India's total population.
On the other hand, several states with large geographical areas have very small populations. For example:
- Jammu and Kashmir has only 1.04 per cent of the country's population.
- Arunachal Pradesh has just 0.11 per cent.
- Uttarakhand has 0.84 per cent.
This contrast — large area but small population — shows that sheer size does not determine where people live.
Physical Factors
The physical environment plays a major role in shaping population distribution. Three physical factors are especially important: climate, terrain, and the availability of water.
Because of these factors, the highest population concentrations are found in:
- The North Indian Plains
- The river deltas
- The Coastal Plains
In contrast, the interior districts of southern and central Indian states, the Himalayas, and several north-eastern and western states have much lower population densities.
However, human intervention can overcome some physical limitations. For instance:
- The development of irrigation in Rajasthan has allowed moderate to high population concentrations in what was once a thinly populated desert.
- The availability of mineral and energy resources in Jharkhand has attracted people and industry.
- The development of transport networks in the Peninsular states has also encouraged population growth in previously sparse areas.
Socio-Economic and Historical Factors
Beyond physical geography, several human factors have shaped where people live. The most important among them are:
- The evolution of settled agriculture and agricultural development
- The pattern of human settlement
- The development of transport networks
- Industrialisation and urbanisation …
The map is a dot-density map of India titled "INDIA – DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION, 2011". It uses a single symbol — one dot equals 200,000 persons — to show where people live across the country. The map is framed by a latitude-longitude graticule that runs from 68°E to 96°E and 8°N to 36°N, and the Tropic of Cancer is drawn across the middle of the country. A scale bar at the bottom measures 0 to 600 km.
Neighbouring countries are labelled: Afghanistan, Pakistan, China (Tibet), Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. The surrounding water bodies — Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Indian Ocean — are also named. Two insets show Lakshadweep and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, both marked as Indian territory.
The dots are not spread evenly. They cluster heavily in two broad belts: the North Indian (Ganga) plains and the coastal plains along both the eastern and western coasts. These are the regions where the textbook says population is highest — Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and the coastal states. In contrast, dots are very sparse over the Himalayan north, most of the north-eastern states, and the western desert of Rajasthan. This visual pattern directly mirrors the textbook's point that states like Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have large areas but very small populations.
What the map teaches is that India's population distribution is profoundly uneven, and that this unevenness is not random. The dense dot clusters correspond to river plains and coasts — areas with flat terrain, reliable water, and a long history of settled agriculture and transport development. The sparse areas are either too mountainous (Himalayas, north-east), too dry (Rajasthan desert), or historically less accessible. The map also hints at exceptions: the textbook notes that irrigation, mining, and transport have since raised population densities in some previously sparse areas (e.g., parts of Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and peninsular states), though the dot pattern at this scale may not show those finer details. …