POPU LATTON. India is one of the most. densely populated countries, cont;tining between one-fifth and one-sixth of the estimated population of the world. In 1901 the number of inhabitants per square mile was 188, as against 283 (estimated) for China. and 25.6 (1900) for the United States. The population is most unevenly distributed. nearly two-fifths hieing found in the valley of the Ganges. As shown in the table, the density is greatest in the Province of Bengal. In the Patna division of Bengal, an area of 23,636 square miles, the density is 653 per square mile. The density of the population corresponds in a general way to the capacity of the different regions to support life, yet there are noteworthy exceptions. as in Assam and Lower Burma, each of which could easily support a much more numerous popula tion than it now does. In most districts the population presses closely upon the limits of the means of subsistence, and cannot increase greatly so long as agriculture continues to be almost the sole dependence. There has been generally an increase and in many places a very marked increase of population since the British took possession. Prior to that time numerous wars, together with famine, plague, and pestilence, tended to cheek augmentation. The instability of the Government discouraged industrial enter prise, and much land possible to cultivate was left waste. British protection such land has been largely reclaimed, and the productive capacity of the country greatly increased. So long as an area of cultivation was being extended the local population augmented. When the limits of culture were reached the population became overcrowded and finally reached a sta tionary point. In most instances the growth of the population depends almost wholly upon the natural increase in the district, immigration from remote localities playing a very minor part. The people dislike to leave their native locality, and particularly dislike to embark upon sea voyages. The most considerable movement has been that from Bengal into Assam. Another movement of some importance has been from Madras into Burma and Ceylon.
The first attempt of the British to secure a complete census was made in 1372. when the total population was estimated to be 240,931.000. The returns for certain regions were only esti mated, and were generally rendered uncertain through the lack of confidence on the part of the natives in the purpose of the Government. In subsequent enumerations there have been greater confidence on the part of the people and a corresponding increase in the accuracy of the returns. The total population for 1391 was 237,314,671, and for 1901, 294.360,356. It should be remembered that certain additions of territory have augmented slightly this increase. The gain
during the decade 1331-91 was 10.96 per cent. as against an increase of 1.49 per cent. for the same area in the following decade, or an increase for the latter decade of 2.4 per cent., including the population of the new territory added. In the former decade 94.6 per cent. of the population showed an increase, whereas in the latter period only 63.3 per cent. showed an increase. The gain in the provinces of the last decade was 3.37 per cent.; the population of the native States de creased 6.30 per cent. The contrast shown above between one period and the other. and between one region and another, is largely attributable to the variable agricultural conditions. The ear lier period suffered little from famines, the lat ter excessively. The decrease was greatest in Central and Western India, where the famine was most severe.
The following is a table of the area and popu lation of India and its dependencies: To this should be added some territories in India not included in the census, with an area of about 73,000 square miles and a population esti mated at about 700,000. Aden, on the Arabian coast, with an Arabian protectorate embracing 15.500 square miles. and Socotra. a dependency of Aden, are officially included within the Empire of India. With these additions the total area of India and its dependencies is about 1,360,000 square miles.
A striking characteristic of the population is that it is so largely rural. Estimates show that about nine-tenths of the total belong to this class. This is true of even the most densely populated regions. The largest city in the dense ly populated division above referred to (Patna) has but 135,000 inhabitants. It must he under stood, however, that the rural population is everywhere gathered together in villages which may contain only a few families or may number thousands. The country had not many large cities until the period of commercial develop ment brought about by the British. Commerce has occasioned an immense growth in Calcutta and Bombay, but except these cities Madras alone exceeds half a million. (See table below.) Another peculiarity is the large proportion of males compared with European countries. The great privacy to which the females are sub jected, particularly among the Mohammedans, and the aversion to intrusion on their domestic privacy. may serve partly to account for this discrepancy. Statistics for famine districts show that in these regions there is a greater decrease in the male population than the female. It is generally accepted that women wit listami the tkprivations of the famine more successfully than men.