Land and The People

FAUNAL RESOURCES OF INDIA

• According to world bio-geographic classification, India represents two of the major realms (the Palearctic and Indo-Malayan) and three biomes (Tropical Humid Forests, Tropical Dry/ Deciduous Forests and Warm Deserts/Semi- Deserts).
• Wildlife Institute of India has proposed a modified classification-which divides the country into 10 biogeographic regions: Trans-Himalayan, Himalayan, Indian Desert, Semi-Arid, Western Ghats, Deccan Peninsula, Cangetic Plain, North East India Islands and Coasts.
• In the light of Biodiversity Convention, India holds a unique position with the priority of conservation of natural resources and sustainable development.
• lnfact, within only about 2% of world’s total land surface, India is known to have over 50% of the species of animals that the world holds and this %age accounts nearly for 92,037 species so far known, of which insects alone include 61,375 species.
• It is estimated that about two times that number of species still remains to be discovered in India alone.

CENSUS OF INDIA

• India accounts for a meagre 2.4% of the world surface area of 135.79 million sq.km.
• The population of India as recorded at each decennial census from 1901 has grown steadily except for a decrease during 1911—21.
• The Census of India 2001, was historic and epoch making, being the first census of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium.
• Census 2011 was the 15th Census of India since 1872. It was held in two phases:

1. House listing and Housing Census (April to Sept. 2010)
2. Population Enumeration (9 to 28 February 2011 with Revisional round during 1st to 5th March, 2011).

• Reference Date was 0.00 hour of 1st March 2011. In snow bound areas, the Population Enumeration was conducted from 11th to 30th September 2010.
• The Final Population data was released on 04.13. The general trends of census 2011 are being mentioned as under:
• Population: Persons-1210.7 million; Males 623.2 million; and Females 587.5 million.
• Density of Population: Density in 2001 was 325 and density in 2011 is 382, difference being 17.5% (density is defined as the number of persons /sq km.) Among major states, Bihar is the most thickly populated state with (a population density of) 1,106 persons per sq.km followed by West Bengal 1,028 and Kerala
• Gender composition of Population 2011: Overall sex ratio at the National level has increased by 7 points since census 2001 to reach 943 at census 2011. This is the highest sex ratio recorded since census 1991. Sex ratio, defined as the number of females per thousand males is an important social indicator to measure the extent of prevailing equality between males and females in a society at a given point of time. The sex ratio from 1901-2011 has registered a 10 point increase at census 2011 over 2001; however, child sex ratio has declined to 919 per thousand male.
• As per the census 2011, literates constituted 0% of the total population aged seven and above and illiterates formed 27.0%. Literacy rate has gone up from 64.8% in 2001 to 73.0% showing an increase of 8.2 %age points. It is encouraging to note that out of total of 202,810,720 literates added during the decade, female 104,660,657 outnumber male 98,150,063. For the purpose of census 2011, a person aged seven and above, who can both read and write with understanding in any language, is treated as literate. A person, who can only read but cannot write, is not literate.
• Kerala retained its position by being on top with a 94% literacy rate, closely followed by Lakshadweep (86.66%).
• Bihar with a literacy rate of 61.8% ranks last in the country.
• Kerala also occupies the top spot in the country both in male literacy with 96.1% and female literacy with 92.1%.
• On the contrary, Bihar has recorded die lowest literacy rates both in case of males (71.2%) and females (51.5%).

EFFECTIVE LITERACY RATES STATES / UTs BY GENDER

• Kerala ranks first in the country with a literacy rate of 93.91%, closely followed by Lakshadweep (92.28%) and Mizoram (91.58%).
• Bihar with a literacy rate of 63.82% ranks in the country preceded by Arunachal Pradesh (66.95%) and Rajasthan (67.06%).
• Among the major States, Maharashtra (82.91%) comes after Kerala, followed by Tamil Nadu. (80.33%).
• The States and Union Territories with literacy rates below the National average (7704%) are Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.