According to the 2011 Census, which State had the lowest density of population in the country?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — C, Arunachal Pradesh, with just 17 persons per square kilometre in Census 2011 — the lowest of any State or Union Territory in India. It is the largest State of the north-east by area (about 83,743 sq km) but had a population of only about 13.8 lakh, and most of its territory is steep, forested eastern-Himalayan terrain that supports very sparse settlement.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Meghalaya's density in 2011 was about 132 persons per sq km — the highest of the four options, roughly eight times Arunachal Pradesh's.  (b) Mizoram was the second-lowest State at about 52 persons per sq km — sparse, but still three times Arunachal Pradesh's figure.  (d) Manipur recorded roughly 122 persons per sq km in 2011 — its populated Imphal valley pushes the State average far above Arunachal Pradesh's.

Concept: Population density is simply population divided by land area (persons per square kilometre). India's density in Census 2011 was 382 persons per sq km, up from 325 in 2001. The extremes are set by terrain and history: fertile, well-watered plains carry the densest populations, while mountains, forests, deserts and cold deserts carry the thinnest. Among States, Bihar was densest at 1,106 persons per sq km and Arunachal Pradesh sparsest at 17; among Union Territories, the NCT of Delhi topped the list at about 11,320.

State PCS 2026 Q9 — Geography PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2026 Q9 — Geography PYQ with Answer