Rural – Urban Composition

The division of a country’s population into those living in rural areas (villages) and those in urban areas (towns and cities) is one of the most basic ways to understand its social and economic character. For India, this distinction is especially important because, according to the 2011 Census, nearly 68.8 per cent of the total population — more than two out of every three Indians — lives in villages.

India had 640,867 villages as per the 2011 Census. Of these, 597,608 villages — that is, 93.2 per cent — are inhabited. The remaining villages are either deserted or used only seasonally. However, the rural population is not spread evenly across the country. States like Himachal Pradesh and Bihar have a very high percentage of rural population. In contrast, states like Goa and Mizoram have only a little over half of their total population living in villages. Among the Union Territories, the proportion of rural population is generally small, with the notable exception of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, where 53.38 per cent of the population is rural.

The size of villages also varies enormously. In the hill states of north-eastern India, western Rajasthan, and the Rann of Kutchch, many villages have fewer than 200 persons. At the other extreme, in Kerala and parts of Maharashtra, some villages are as large as 17,000 persons. This variation reflects differences in terrain, climate, and historical patterns of settlement.

What explains the pattern of rural population distribution? A careful look shows that two main factors are at work: the relative degree of urbanisation in a region, and the extent of rural-to-urban migration. Where urbanisation is high and many people have moved to cities, the rural population is naturally smaller. Conversely, in regions with little urban development, the rural population remains concentrated.

Turning to the urban side, India’s urban population in 2011 stood at 31.16 per cent — a figure that is low compared to many other countries. But this proportion has been growing much faster than the rural population over the decades. The main reasons for this acceleration are enhanced economic development and improvements in health and hygienic conditions, which have made cities more attractive and viable places to live.

The distribution of urban population, like that of the total population, shows wide variation across states and Union Territories. You can see this clearly in the data provided in Appendix (iii) of the NCERT textbook. Some states and UTs have very high proportions of urban population, while others have very low ones. Nevertheless, almost all states and Union Territories have recorded a considerable increase in urban population over time. This points to two things: the development of urban areas in terms of socio-economic conditions, and an increased rate of rural-urban migration.

Rural-urban migration is especially noticeable in certain corridors and regions. These include:

• Urban areas along the main road links and railroads in the North Indian Plains. …