explain the growth of population of north - east region from 1901 to 2001
Answers
Answer:
As per the 2001 Census, the population of India is 1027015247 (1.027 billion). At present India's population is approximately 16 percent of the world's population. It is the second largest populous country in the world. For the purpose of the present study and in terms of growth and size of India's population, it can be categorized under two broad periods, namely (i) Pre-Independence period (1901-1951) and (ii) Post Independence period (1951-2001). 1951 marks the dividing line between the two periods. From 1901 to 1951, India's population rose from 236 million (1901) to 361 million (1951) an increase of 125 million indicating a growth rate of 52.97 percent over a period of 50 years. It is an exponential growth of 0.85 percent per annum. In the Post-Independence period, the population of India increased from 361 million (1951) to 1027 million (2001) indicating an increase of 666 million with a growth rate of 184.48 percent or an exponential growth rate of 3.68 per annum. This shows a phenomenal increase of population in the Post-Independence era. It is interesting to note that during the last 20 years from 1981 to 2001, the population growth rate of India has actually decreased from 24.66 percent (1971-81) to 23.86 percent (1981-91) to the current rate of 21.34 percent (1991-2001). If this trend continues, the population growth rate of India will stabilize by the years 2021 (Census Year). In absolute terms, the population is increasing and is affecting the life in general. Natural resources like forest products, petroleum, food, deterioration of environment, etc will affect the general life of the people in the years to come.
Data and Analysis
The study is based on Census of India (1981, 1991 and 2001). Some of the tables have been computed from the census data. In the present study the author has divided the country's population into five zones similar to the one by Pandey and Goel1. The zones have been classified as follows:
1. North Zone: Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh
2. South Zone: Andhra Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Karnataka, Kerala, Pondichery and Tamil Nadu
3. West Zone: Chhatisgarh, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
4. East Zone: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Sikkim and West Bengal
5. North East Zone: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura
Answer:
Population Trends in North-East India
N.P. Goel
Introduction
The northeast India comprises of seven states with a topographical terrain completely different from the rest of India. It is the largest reservoir of biodiversity not only of India but also of the whole world. With the diverse flora and fauna it is unique in its topography. The majority of the tribals of India inhabit the six northeastern states. Therefore the culture and the tradition of the people are varied in nature. This has a direct implication on the population trend in the northeastern region.
As per the 2001 Census, the population of India is 1027015247 (1.027 billion). At present India's population is approximately 16 percent of the world's population. It is the second largest populous country in the world. For the purpose of the present study and in terms of growth and size of India's population, it can be categorized under two broad periods, namely (i) Pre-Independence period (1901-1951) and (ii) Post Independence period (1951-2001). 1951 marks the dividing line between the two periods. From 1901 to 1951, India's population rose from 236 million (1901) to 361 million (1951) an increase of 125 million indicating a growth rate of 52.97 percent over a period of 50 years. It is an exponential growth of 0.85 percent per annum. In the Post-Independence period, the population of India increased from 361 million (1951) to 1027 million (2001) indicating an increase of 666 million with a growth rate of 184.48 percent or an exponential growth rate of 3.68 per annum. This shows a phenomenal increase of population in the Post-Independence era. It is interesting to note that during the last 20 years from 1981 to 2001, the population growth rate of India has actually decreased from 24.66 percent (1971-81) to 23.86 percent (1981-91) to the current rate of 21.34 percent (1991-2001). If this trend continues, the population growth rate of India will stabilize by the years 2021 (Census Year). In absolute terms, the population is increasing and is affecting the life in general. Natural resources like forest products, petroleum, food, deterioration of environment, etc will affect the general life of the people in the years to come.
Data and Analysis
The study is based on Census of India (1981, 1991 and 2001). Some of the tables have been computed from the census data. In the present study the author has divided the country's population into five zones similar to the one by Pandey and Goel1. The zones have been classified as follows:
1. North Zone: Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh
2. South Zone: Andhra Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Karnataka, Kerala, Pondichery and Tamil Nadu
3. West Zone: Chhatisgarh, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
4. East Zone: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Sikkim and West Bengal
5. North East Zone: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura
Table 1
Zonal Population Indicators
Area Population in million Growth (%) Density Km2
Km2 1991 2001 1991 2001 1991 2001
North 20.33 23.47 24.41 25.77 26.12 438 562
West 39.25 27.39 27.92 25.39 23.67 179 222
South 19.38 23.29 21.76 18.99 13.25 309 351
East 13.29 22.1 22.16 23.2 21.85 430 525
NE 7.75 3.71 3.75 21.87 22.02 123 151
India 100 100 100 23.5 21.34 267 335
The grouping of states into zone is scientific. There is more diversity in the zones than similarity. They differ in size, religion, language, customs and demographic trends. However, the data reveal that the population density has significantly increased in each zone during the last two decades (1981-2001). The population growth rate is declining in the West, East and South zones whereas it has slightly increased in the Northeast zone (+0.04%) and North zone (+0.35%). The population growth has declined in the country as a whole during the 1991-2001. Pandey and Goel2 have shown that literacy rate has increased in all the states in India except Daman & Diu. In all other 16-states/union territories, population growth rate is still high ranging from 25.80 to 64.41 percent. There are only 13 states/union territories in India which have shown annual growth rate below 1.8 percent (Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Himachal Pradeh, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshdweep, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttaranchal and West Bengal).
North-Eastern Region
The population of North Eastern Region is 38.49 million. 69.20 percent of the population live in Assam (2001) while the rest is distributed in the other six states in the region. In all other states, the population share of the states to North East India is below 8.5 percent and ranging from 2.31 percent in Mizoram to 8.29 percent in Tripura. The population of the region constitute only 3.57 percent of the population of India while it covers 7.57 percent of the total territorial area.