NET, IAS, State-SET (KSET, WBSET, MPSET, etc.), GATE, CUET, Olympiads etc.: Indian Geography Population

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Population Theories, Population Pyramids & Overpopulation

Population

  • Total population of India (as on March 1st 2001) 1,027 million. Males (531.3 million) , Females (495.7 million)
  • India supports 16.7% of the total world՚s population.
  • India՚s ‘Decadal Growth’ of population (19912001) = 21.34% (Inter census period 1961 - 1971 marked the maximum decadal growth of population at 24.8%) .
  • Statewise lowest decadal growth rate of population is shown by Kerala (9.42%) and highest has been registered that of Nagaland (64.41%) .
  • The percent decadal growth rate has declined during the census decade 19912001 as compared to the previous census decade i.e.. 1981 - 1991.
  • Among the states⟋UT՚s which have not shown any decline in their percentage decadal growth rate during intercensal period of 19912001 as compared to previous census decade are: Harayana, U P Bihar, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur, Gujarat, Daman and Diu, Dadar and Nagar Haweli. -Decadal Growth (1991 2001)
  • Population density in 2001 is 324 persons⟋sq. km.
  • State wise population (North eastern states) Assam Tripura Manipur Meghalaya Nagaland Arunachal Pradesh Mizoram Sikkim
  • Most Populated Districts: Midnapore (West Bengal) 24 Parganas (West Bengal) Mumbai Thane Pune
  • Least populated Districts: Mahe (Pondicherry) Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh) LahulSpiti (HP) Upper Siang (Arunachal Pradesh) Yanam (Pondicherry)
  • Most Densely Populated (in descending order) : West Bengal Bihar Kerala U. P Punjab Tamil Nadu Haryana Goa Assam Jharkhand Maharashtra Tripura Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Gujarat Orissa Madhya Pradesh Rajasthan Chhattisgarh Nagaland Himachal Pradesh Manipur Meghalaya Jammu and Kashmir Sikkim Mizoram Arunachal Pradesh

Density of Population (North Eastern State)

  • Assam
  • Tripura
  • Nagaland
  • Manipur
  • Meghalaya
  • Sikkim
  • Mizoram
  • Arunachal Pradesh

Percentage of State՚s Population to the Total Population of India

  • Uttar Pradesh 16.17
  • Maharashtra 9.42
  • Bihar 8.07
  • West Bengal 7.81,
  • Andhra Pradesh 7.37
  • Tamil Nadu 6.05
  • Madhya Pradesh 5.88
  • Rajasthan 5.20
  • Karnataka 5.14
  • Gujarat 4.93
  • Orissa 3.57
  • Kerala 3.10
  • Jharkhand 2.62
  • Assam 2.59
  • Punjab 2.37
  • Haryana 2.05
  • Chhattisgarh 2.03
  • Delhi 1.34
  • J and K 0.98
  • Uttaranchal 0.83
  • Himachal P. 0.59
  • Tripura 0.31
  • Manipur 0.23
  • Meghalaya 0.22
  • Nagaland 0.19
  • Goa 0.13
  • Arunachal P. 0.11
  • Pondicherry 0.09
  • Chandigarh 0.09
  • Mizoram 0.09
  • Sikkim 0.05
  • Andaman and
  • Nicobar Islands 0.03
  • Dadar and Nagar Haveli 0.02
  • Daman and Diu 0.02
  • Lakshdweep 0.01

Salient Features of Indian Demography

  1. Population too large for area
  2. Overwhelming proportion of rural population
  3. Ethnic diversity
  4. Lopsided age structure

Causes of Rapid Growth of Population

  1. High birth rate and declining death rate
  2. Near universal incidence of marriage
  3. Early marriage of girls
  4. Economic backwardness
  5. Want of male child
  6. Climatic factor (tropical climate leads to early puberty)
  7. Conservative social institutions lead to early marriages of women

Growth Phases

India՚s population growth during the 20th century can be chartered into four distinct phases:

  1. 1901 - 1921: Stagnant Population
  2. 1921 - 1951: Steady Growth
  3. 1951 - 1981: Rapid Growth
  4. 1981 - 2001: High Growth with definite signs of slowing down

Million Plus Cities in India

City Population (in m)

Greater Mumbai . . .16.37

Kolkata . . .13.22

Delhi . . .12.79

Chennai . . . 6.42

Bangalore . . . 5.69

Hyderabad . . .5.53

Ahmadabad . . .4.52