Population & Human Settlements – NDA Geography Notes

Introduction

India is the world’s most populous country — having overtaken China in 2023. India’s population was about 1.21 billion in the 2011 Census. Understanding population distribution, density, growth, literacy, sex ratio, and tribal groups is important for NDA.

NDA tests this chapter through census-based facts, state rankings, tribal groups and their locations, hill station identification, and demographic concepts.

Understand the Topic

Population — Key Census 2011 Facts

Total population (2011 Census): About 1.21 billion (121 crore)

Most populous state: Uttar Pradesh [NDA tested via CDS]

Least populous state: Sikkim [NDA tested via CDS]

Highest population density: Bihar [NDA tested via CDS]

Lowest population density: Arunachal Pradesh [NDA tested via CDS]

Assam has the highest population density among northeastern states (among Arunachal, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland) — TRUE. [NDA tested via CDS]

Decadal growth rate of population was highest in India in 1971 (1961–1971 decade). [NDA tested via CDS]

Period of steady population growth = 1951–1981. [NDA tested via CDS]

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Literacy

Definition of literacy (Census 2011):

• A person aged 7 years and above who can both read and write with understanding in any language is literate.
• A person who can only read but cannot write is NOT literate. [NDA tested via CDS]

Highest literacy state: Kerala [NDA tested via CDS]

Among NDA 2008-I options (Mizoram, West Bengal, Gujarat, Punjab) — Mizoram has the highest literacy rate. [NDA 2008-I]

Kerala has highest sex ratio (females per 1000 males) in India. [NDA tested via CDS]

Descending order of sex ratio among northeastern states [NDA 2018-II]:
Meghalaya → Manipur → Tripura → Mizoram. [NDA 2018-II]

Population Density

India has wide variation in population density. Agricultural productivity and history of settlements have greatly influenced population density — both statements correct, and II explains I. [NDA 2016-I]

Decreasing order of population of southern states (Census 2001) [NDA 2006-I]:
Andhra Pradesh → Tamil Nadu → Karnataka. [NDA 2006-I]

Among Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan: Rajasthan has more population than the other three. [NDA 2007-I]

Union Territory with least population = Lakshadweep. [NDA tested via CDS]

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Population Growth

State with negative population growth (Census 2011) = Nagaland. [NDA 2018-II]

Highest population growth rate (1991–2001) = Nagaland. [NDA 2007-II]

Among northeastern states, Nagaland recorded negative growth in the 2011 Census — because population figures corrected significant earlier inflation of numbers.

Adolescent population (10–19 years):

• Does NOT comprise half the population
• IS regarded as youthful population with high potential
• Has greater number of MALES than females (NOT females more than males)
• Only statement 2 is correct. [NDA tested via CDS]

Ageing index increased from 11% (1951) to 21% (2001):

• Decline in proportion of child population — TRUE
• Increase in proportion of old population — TRUE
  Both effects are correct. [NDA tested via CDS]

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Largest Linguistic Group

Largest linguistic group in India = Indo-Aryan (includes Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi etc.) — spoken by about 75% of Indians. [NDA tested via CDS]

Tribal Groups of India

India has the world’s largest tribal population. Key tribal groups:

Matrilineal societies:
Khasi and Jaintia tribes of Meghalaya follow matrilineal descent — property passes from mother to daughter, newly married couple lives with wife’s parents, women play dominant role. [NDA tested via CDS]

Tribal Group — State Matching:

Tribe	State	Key Fact
Tharu	UP/Uttarakhand	NOT Madhya Pradesh [NDA 2017-I]
Adi	Arunachal Pradesh	[NDA 2017-I]
Irula	Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris)	[NDA 2017-I]
Shaharia	Rajasthan	[NDA 2017-I]
Todas	Nilgiri Hills (TN)	“Blue Mountains” = Nilgiris [NDA 2017-II]
Shompens	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Vulnerable tribal group [NDA 2019-I]
Gaddis	Himachal Pradesh	Shepherds [NDA tested via CDS]
Apatani	Arunachal Pradesh	[NDA tested via CDS]
Bhutia	Sikkim	[NDA tested via CDS]
Gond	Madhya Pradesh/Chhattisgarh	Largest tribal group in central India [NDA tested via CDS]
Meiti (Meitei)	Manipur	[NDA tested via CDS]
Reang	Tripura	[NDA tested via CDS]
Dimasa	Assam	[NDA tested via CDS]
Konyak	Nagaland	[NDA tested via CDS]
Mishmi	Arunachal Pradesh	[NDA tested via CDS]
Onge	Little Andaman	Negrito tribe [NDA tested via CDS]
Jarawa	Andaman Islands	[NDA tested via CDS]
Lambada	Telangana/AP	[NDA tested via CDS]
Ahom	Assam	Ethnic community of Assam [NDA tested via CDS]
Nyishi	Arunachal Pradesh	[NDA tested via CDS]

Tharu tribe is found in UP/Uttarakhand — NOT Madhya Pradesh. Statement “Tharu: Madhya Pradesh” is WRONG. [NDA 2017-I]

Todas live in the Blue Mountains = Nilgiri Hills (Tamil Nadu). [NDA 2017-II]

Shompens are in Andaman and Nicobar Islands — a particularly vulnerable tribal group. [NDA 2019-I]

Largest tribal population by state = Madhya Pradesh. BUT — Mizoram has the highest percentage of tribal population. [NDA tested via CDS]

Second largest tribal population = Chhattisgarh. [NDA tested via CDS]

Second highest percentage of tribal population = Arunachal Pradesh. [NDA tested via CDS]

National Tribal Research Institute = New Delhi. [NDA tested via CDS]

Tribal Group-State Matching [NDA tested via CDS]:

• Reang = Tripura; Dimasa = Assam; Konyak = Nagaland; Mishmi = Arunachal Pradesh

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Classification of Towns

Towns are classified by their dominant function:

Town Type	Example
Industrial Town	Bhilai
Transport Town	Vishakhapatnam
Mining Town	Singrauli
Cantonment Town	Ambala

Town classification matching [NDA tested via CDS]:
Industrial = Bhilai (3); Transport = Vishakhapatnam (1); Mining = Singrauli (2) — Wait PYQ gives: Industrial Town=Bhilai, Transport Town=Vishakhapatnam, Mining Town=Singrauli, Cantonment=Ambala. PYQ answer = (c) 3-1-2-4 meaning Industrial(A)=3=Singrauli? Let me follow PYQ strictly. The PYQ answer (c) 3-1-2-4 maps A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4 where A=Industrial Town=Singrauli(3)? This seems unusual. Follow the standard answer: Bhilai=Industrial, Visakhapatnam=Transport, Singrauli=Mining, Ambala=Cantonment.

Hill Stations

Hill Station	State
Coonoor	Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris) [NDA tested via CDS]
Dharamsala	Himachal Pradesh
Almora	Uttarakhand
Nainital	Uttarakhand
Darjeeling	West Bengal
Mussoorie	Uttarakhand
Shimla	Himachal Pradesh
Ooty (Udhagamandalam)	Tamil Nadu

Hill stations from highest to lowest altitude:
Ooty (3) → Shimla (2) → Darjeeling (4) → Mussoorie (1). [NDA tested via CDS]

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Smart Cities

Smart Cities Mission is an urban development programme to make cities liveable and sustainable.

Jorhat is NOT included in smart cities list. [NDA tested via CDS]

Arikamedu is a site giving information about India’s maritime links on the Coromandel coast. [NDA tested via CDS]

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City Location Sequences

West to East (CDS 2008-II):
Alwar → Gorakhpur → Ranchi → Bhagalpur [NDA tested via CDS]

East to West:
Murshidabad → Bhopal → Bhavnagar → Gorakhpur — Wait. PYQ answer for East to West = Murshidabad(1), Gorakhpur(2), Bhopal(3), Bhavnagar(4). Actually: east to west = Murshidabad(WB, easternmost) → Gorakhpur(UP) → Bhopal(MP) → Bhavnagar(Gujarat, westernmost). So East to West: Murshidabad → Gorakhpur → Bhopal → Bhavnagar. PYQ answer = (b) 1, 3, 4, 2 means position 1 is easternmost. [NDA tested via CDS]