DENSITY OF POPULATION

Transcription

1 DENSITY OF POPULATION Chapter 4 The concept of population density is a simple concept of relating population size to the land area with a view to assessing crudely the pressure of population upon the resources of the area. Thus, it is a measure of the incidence of population concentration and is generally expressed in terms of persons/ km2 or per square mile of land area rather than of gross area (land and water). The numerator in this calculation is population, and denominator is area (Chandana, 1986, p.25). The concept of population density, first used in 1837 by "Henry Drury Harness" in a series of maps for the commission considering the railways of Ireland, It has since developed as a means partly of assessing overpopulation and under population by comparing existing and potential densities but mainly of obtaining an index for purposes of areal comparison (Clarke, 1972, p. 28). The difficulties in the use of density indices (Clarke, 1972, p ) are- (I) That population data are available for administrative of census area rather than per area of homogeneous economy of population distribution. (II) That such homogeneity is in any case rare. (III) That densities are merely averages, with all the limitations that this term implies. (IV) That construction of density maps is dependent upon the criteria used in the selection of class interval. (V) That interpretation of such maps depends upon the shading method and shading range. (VI) That population numbers can be related to many different measures of space. The ratio between people and land, which constitutes the two vital elements of region is actually a fundamental point to consideration in all population study (Demco,Rose & Schenll, 1970, p. 64). Thus, it is a method to examine the distribution of population and to assess the over, under and optimum population of a region by comparing population density through statistical methods. The geographer, by way of manipulating the numerator or denominator has devised various types of densities having a varying degree of utility in different situations. These ratios have been called as Arithmetic, Physiological, Agricultural, Economic, Rural and Urban density etc Patterns of distribution and density represents only a starting point in the study of geography of population (Knowles & Wareing, 1994, p. 64).

2 Density of Population Arithmetic Density The simple ratio between total population and the total (land) area and expressed in terms of persons per unit of area is designed as arithmetic or general density. Arithmetic density = Total population Total area Population density is of almost important for the analysis of the diversity of human distribution in space. As per census 1991, the average population density of the Bahraich district is higher (402 persons / km2) than that of India (274) and lower than Uttar pradesh (473). Thus, the district supports 128 persons /Km2 more than national but 71 persons /Km2 less than the state's average. In 2001,the population density again increased to 415 persons /km2. Table 4.1 Variations in Population Density of Bahraich District, U. P. and India ( ) Census Area in km2 District population %of District District U.P. India year Population in state Density Density Density , ,49, , ,45, , ,63, , ,34, , ,38, , ,43, , ,99, , ,26, , ,16, , ,63, Source: (area) Census oflndia 1961, D.C.H. U.P., 40 Bahraich District pp.122. D.C.H & 1981, District Primary Census Abstract Spatial Pattern of Arithmetic Density In the year 1901, the arithmetic density of the Bahraich district was 153

3 Density of Population S3 persons/km2, which got reduced to 152 persons /km2 in 1911 due to spread of epidemic and cholera. The population is growing rapidly but the land area has remained almost stable. Therefore the density is increasing. The arithmetic density was 155 in 1921, 165 in 1931, 218 in 1961, 251 in 1971, 322 person/km2 in According to 1991 census the average arithmetic density of population in Bahraich was 402 person/1 on2. Thus, in the last 90 years the arithmetic density has increased more than two folds. The largest increase occurred during and (table 4.2). Table 4.2 Variation in Population Density in Bahraich District ( ) Census Population Density Year Arithmetic Agricultural Physiological Rural Urban , , ' , , , , , , , ,699 Source: D.Q.H. 1961,1971 & Unpublished District Primary Census Abstract However, the arithmetic density of population is uneven in different blocks of the study area. In 1971 the highest density was recorded in Hariharpur rani block (343 persons/km2) According to the 1981 and 1991 census Hazoorpur block was on the top in the density. The density of these blocks were 393 and 490 persons/km2 respectively in the said years. In 1971,1981,1991 Sirsiya block had maintained lowest position in density (205,255 and 302 persons/km2). On the basis of absolute figure of density we can classify the density into five groups. The density under 300 persons/km2 is called very low density. In 1971 twelve block and in 1981 three blocks were in this category. In the 1991 there was no block having density below 300 persons /km2. The low density group engulfs 300 to 350 persons /km2. There were seven blocks in 1971 and five blocks in 1981 under this

4 BAHRAICH DISTRICT ARITHMETIC DENSITY A. TEMPORAL TREND OF DENSITY tail CENSUS YEARS B. CONCENTRATION OF POPULATION 1991 ACCUMULATED AREA/. g 8 p e r s o n s / km ^ to ' u i o 0 o o O o 9 9 Km- -i i i i i i i i r ACCUMULATED POPULATION X FIG- 4-1

5 Density of Population 54 category. In 1991 Sirsiya (302) persons /km2 block alone forms this category. The moderate density group ranged between 350 to 400 person/km2. In 1981, nine blocks were under this group. In 1991 five blocks came under this group. These were Jamunha (391),Shivpur (389), Gilaula (385),Mahasi (373) and Mihinpurwa (361) persons /km2 (Appendix 4.1). In the year 1971 no block was found under high density group between 400 to 450 Persons/km2. Risia (412) and Visheswarganj (401) blocks came under this group inl981.inl991 only one Chitaura block was found under high density group. The density above 450 persons/km2 is termed very high density group, hi the 1971 and 1981 none was under this group, but in 1991, twelve blocks-visheshwarganj (503), Risia (501), Hazoorpur (490), Kaisarganj (479), Jarwal (476), Tajwapur (466 persons), BaHia (463 persons), Nawabganj (462 persons), Hariharpur Rani (462), Prayagpur (458),Ekona (452) and Phakharpur (451), came under this category. The reasons behind high and very high density of some blocks are: fertile soil, easy access and location of few industrial/urban centers (Fig. 4.1) 4.2 Agricultural Density Agricultural density is the ratio between only the agricultural population and the total cultivated area. Therefore, the agricultural density is expressed in terms of agricultural population per unit of cultivated area. It has proved to be a useful index of man- land relationship in primarily an agrarian context... Agricultural population Agricultural Density = ^ Total cultivated area Spatial Pattern of Agricultural Density The agricultural density of Bahraich district ( 176 persons /km2 of net cultivated land in 1991) is about two and half times more than that of the National average. The agricultural density represents the number of people engaged in agriculture per unit of cultivated land at a definite time. Wherever the number of people engaged in agriculture are more, The agricultural density is found high and vice-versa. The highest agricultural density (165 persons/km2) was recorded in Jarwal

6 Density of Population 55 blockin 1981, while lowest was found in Sirsiya(117) block. In 1991 Jarwal is again on the top with density of 198 persons and Sirsiyablock marked lowest position(144). The agricultural density in 1981 was lower than that of 1991 in all blocks. There were three blocks with agricultural density below 130 persons /km2 ini981, whereas no block was found in this category in 1991 because of less increase in cultivated land than in population. Low density group of 130 to 150 persons / km2 comprises eleven blocks in 1981.while alone block Sirsiya (144) fell in this group in Medium density ranges between 150 to 170 persons/km2. Five blocks formed moderate group in In the year 1991 also five blocks namely, Shivpur (166), Mahasi (164), Mihinpura (161), Gilaula (159) and Jamunha (157) included in moderate density growp(fig.4,2 A&B). High density group comprises the agricultural density of 170 to 190 persons/ km2. In 1981 there was no block under this group, while in 1991 twelve blocks came under high density group. These blocks were Tajwapur (189), Phakharpur(188), Kaisarganj (187), Hazoorpur and Visheshwarganj (186), Prayagpur(183), Balha and Ekona(178), Risia(176), HariharpurRani (175) andnawabganj & Chitaura (171). In very high density group density is found above 190 persons/km2. Jarwal (198) block alone fell in this group in 1991, while 1981 none was found under this category (Appendix 4.1). 4.3 Physiological Density Physiological density is a ratio between total population and total cultivable land. It is expressed in terms of persons/km2 of cultivable land. The correct picture of the human pressure on land is derived by physiological density. Thus, when compared with arithmetic density, physiological density is defined a method of calculating man-land ratio:.... _ Total population Physiological Density = Total cultivable land Spatial Pattern of Physiological Density The average physiological density of the Bahraich district is 499 persons / km2 of cultivable land, which is more than the National physiological density in The district has been divided into five physiological density categories.

7 BAHRAICH DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL DENSITY PHYSIOLOGICAL DENSITY 1991 PERSONS/KM ABOVE J BELOW 350 FIG- 4-2

8 Density of Population 56 The average physiological density of Bahraich district was 241 persons/ km2 in 1901, which increased to 243 in After 1921 it always maintained increasing trend due to rapid growth in population and stagnation in arable land. This density approximately doubled in In 1981 there were fifteen blocks which had density more than the district average while twelve blocks recorded higher density in The highest density was recorded by Hariharpur Rani block (465) in 1981 and Jarwal block (559) in The lowest density was found in Sirsiya block in both the years. A considerable number of blocks were fallen in low and moderate physiological density category in 1981 and While only three blocks were found in very low density category below 350 persons/km2 in 1981.One block Sirsiya (342) was found in this category in Low density category between 350 to 400 persons/km2 included four blocks in These blocks were Mahasi (400),Jamunha (376), Shivpur (366) and Gilaula(358). No Block was found in this category in The density between 400 to 450 persons/km2 is called as moderate density category, which comprised ten blocks in The number of blocks falling in moderate category decreased to four in These blocks were Shivpur (443), Gilaula (440), Mahasi (431) and Mihinpurwa (407). Jarwal (454) and Hariharpur Rani (465) blocks form high density category of 450 to 500 persons/km2 inl981. Chitaura(496) and Jamunha (469) blocks falling in high density Category in Very high density category above 500 persons/km2 included twelve blocks in None was under this category in The blocks having very high density were Jarwal (559), Prayagpur (547), Visheshwarganj (544), Risia (537), Kaisarganj (536), Hazoorpur (528), Balha (522), Tajwapur (518), Ekona (516), Hariharpur Rani (511), Phakharpur (503) and Nawabganj (502) (Fig. 4.2.C&D and Appendix 4.1). 4.4 Rural Density Rural density is a ratio between rural population and rural area. It is expressed in terms of rural persons / km2 of rural area: Rural Density = Total Rural Population Total Rural Area

9 Density of Population 57 The average rural density of Bahraich district was 147 persons/km2 in 1901, which after 1911, always maintained increasing trend due to rapid growth in population and decrease in rural area. The rural density was 301 persons / km2 in 1981 and 372 persons / km2 in 1991 (TMe 4.2). 4.5 Urban Density The number of urban persons /km2 of urban area is known as urban density. The average urban density of the district is 6,699 persons/km2 in 1991 (Table 4.2). The spatial pattern of urban density has been summarised into three categories. The highest urban density (over 10,000 persons) is recorded in Ekona T.A. (13,908) and Bahraich M.B. (10,180). BhingaN.A. (9,665) andnanparam.b. (8,135) have the density deviation from 7,500 to 10,000 persons / km2, it is called moderate density. Two urban centers showing lower density in comparison to the mean,are Jarwal T.A.(2,411) and Raisal Bazar T.A. (1,167). Most remarkable fact of this study is that urban centers dominated by Muslims are more density populated due to high growth rate therein and their considerable engagement in tertiary activity and house-hold industry. 4.6 Temporal Pattern of Density The arithmetic density of population in Bahraich district has been always higher than that of India due to general growth of population in temporal perspective Table 4.3 Temporal Pattern ( ) of Density of Population in India,Uttar Pradesh and Bahraich District. Census DENSITY Year Arithmetic Physiological Agricultural India U.P. Bahraich Bahraich Bahraich Source; Census of India 1991,Series-1 andd.c.h. ofbahraich 1951,1961,1971 & 1981.

10 Density of Population 58 (Fig 4.1 A). Physiological and agricultural densities also follow the general trend of arithmetic density, which is obvious from the table 4.3. The arithmetic density of population in Bahraich district declined from 153 persons in 1901 to 152 persons/km2 in 1911 due to unusual heavy mortality in 1905,1909 & Afterwards, it followed the upward trend from 1911 to 1991 due to natural increase in population. 4.7 Concentration of Population About 7.84% (2,16,906 persons) of total population concentrates in urban areas incorporating 0.47% (32.38 km2)ofthe total area of the district. In the urban centers too, there are inequalities in population agglomerations. More than % of Urban population, containing density over 10,000 persons/km2, live in two Urban centers namely, Bahraich M.B. &Ekona T.A., covering 43.92% of total Urban area whereas more than 56.08% of total urban area also comprising more than 32.96% of Urban population has engulfed by four towns namely, Bhinga N. A., Nanpara M.B., Jarwal T. A. and Raisal Bazar T.A. About % (25,46,844 persons) of total population concentrates in rural areas incorporating 99.53% (6, km2) of the total area of the district. In the rural areas too, there are inequalities in population agglomeration. The highest concentration of population is in Mihirpurwa block (7.55%) and lowest concentration of population in Nawabganj block (4.05%). Mihinpurwa block (3.53%) has lowest concentration of area (Fig. 4.1 B and Appendix 4.2). Cumulative graph shows that there is more clustering in urban population than that of total population in the district (Col & King, 1968, p ). REFERENCES Chandana,R.C.(1986), A Geography Of Population (Concept, Determinants and Patterns), Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi- Ludhiyana. ClarkeJ.I.(1972), Population Geography (Ilnd edition), Pergamon Press, Oxford, New York.

11 Density of Population 59 Col,J.P. and King,C.A.M.(1968), Quantitative Geography: Techniques and Theories in Geography, John Willey and sons ltd. London. Demco,G.T., Rose,H.M. & Schne I1,G.A.(1970), Population Geography: A Reader, McGrew Hill book Co., New York, Paper IV. Knowles,R. & Wareing,J.(1994), Economic and Social Geography.