Q.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.

Climate directly shapes where people can live comfortably and productively. In very hot and dry regions, such as the Thar Desert, the extreme heat and scarcity of water make agriculture and daily life difficult, leading to sparse settlement. Similarly, very cold and wet regions, like the high-altitude areas of the Himalayas, face harsh winters, limited growing seasons, and challenging terrain, which discourage dense habitation.

In contrast, regions with a moderate climate—neither too hot nor too cold, with reliable rainfall—support agriculture, industry, and infrastructure. The Indo-Gangetic plains, for example, benefit from a favourable monsoon climate that sustains high agricultural output, which in turn supports a dense population. Coastal areas with a temperate climate also attract settlement due to better living conditions and economic opportunities.

Thus, climate acts as a fundamental constraint: extreme climates reduce population density by limiting resource availability and human comfort, while moderate climates encourage concentration of people.

India’s population is not spread evenly across its map. Some regions are thickly settled, others nearly empty. The reason is not just history or economics — it begins with the land itself, and above all, with climate. Climate determines how hard it is to grow food, find water, stay healthy, and build a life. Where climate is harsh, people are few.

Take the very hot and dry regions first. The Thar Desert in Rajasthan is the most obvious example. Here, summer temperatures can soar past 45°C, and rainfall is below 25 cm per year. Farming is nearly impossible without irrigation. Water is scarce, and even drinking water must often be brought from far away. The heat itself is exhausting — it limits how much physical work can be done during the day. Livestock struggle, crops fail, and the land cannot support large villages or towns. That is why western Rajasthan has some of the lowest population densities in India, often below 100 persons per square kilometre, and in many parts far lower.

Now consider the very cold and wet regions. These are the high-altitude areas of the Himalayas — Ladakh, northern Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Uttarakhand and Sikkim. Here, the problem is the opposite: extreme cold. Winters last for months, with temperatures dropping well below freezing. Snow blocks roads and cuts off settlements for half the year. The growing season is very short — sometimes only two or three months. Heavy rainfall or snowfall makes travel dangerous and construction difficult. Agriculture is limited to hardy crops like barley and potatoes, and only in sheltered valleys. The cold also increases the energy needed just to stay warm, which puts pressure on fuel and resources. Unsurprisingly, these regions have population densities as low as 10–20 persons per square kilometre, and in some remote valleys even fewer.

Between these two extremes lies the climate that most Indians experience: the tropical monsoon climate, with moderate temperatures and reliable rainfall. The Indo-Gangetic plain, the coastal strips, and the river deltas receive 100–200 cm of rain annually, with warm but not extreme temperatures. Here, agriculture can support dense populations — over 1,000 persons per square kilometre in parts of the Ganga plain. The climate allows two or even three crops a year. Water is plentiful. Disease is manageable. Transport and trade are possible year-round. This is no coincidence: the most densely populated parts of India are precisely those with the most favourable climates.

So when we ask why very hot and dry and very cold and wet regions have low density, the answer is rooted in the basic human need for a livable environment. Extreme climates make survival harder, agriculture riskier, and daily life more costly in time and energy. People move away from such regions when they can, and those who remain do so in small numbers, adapted to the harshness. Climate, in short, draws the first lines on the map of India’s population.