Read the Passage and answer the following five Questions.
There is an uneven spatial distribution of population in India which suggests a close relationship between population and physical, socio-economic and historical factors. As far as the physical factors are concerned, it is clear that climate along with terrain and availability of water largely determines the pattern of the population distribution.

Assertion: The regions falling in the river plains and coastal areas of India have remained the regions of larger population concentration despite the fact that natural resources like land and water in these regions have shown the sign of degradation.

Reasoning: The concentration of population remains high in these areas because of an early history of human settlement and development of transport network.

Both Assertion (A) and reasoning (R) are correct and R is the correct explanation of A.

The correct answer is Option 1:

Assertion: The regions falling in the river plains and coastal areas of India have remained the regions of larger population concentration despite the fact that natural resources like land and water in these regions have shown the sign of degradation. This is correct. River plains (like the Indo-Gangetic plain) and coastal areas have high population densities due to fertile soil, access to water, and trade opportunities. Despite environmental degradation, these areas still attract large populations.

Reasoning: The concentration of population remains high in these areas because of an early history of human settlement and development of transport network. This is also correct. These areas were among the first to be settled due to their natural advantages, and over time, strong transport networks (roads, railways, ports) developed, supporting sustained population growth.

Does R explain A?Yes. The historical settlement and well-developed transport systems explain why these regions remain densely populated even when natural resources are under stress.

"It is observed that the regions falling in the river plains and coastal areas of India have remained the regions of larger population concentration. Even though the uses of natural resources like land and water in these regions have shown the sign of degradation, the concentration of population remains high because of an early history of human settlement and development of transport network. "