Ganga plains are among the most densely populated areas of the world mainly due to:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Relief
Option (1) Industries — Incorrect. Industrial areas do attract people, as in the Kobe-Osaka region of Japan, but this is an economic factor; the Ganga plains are crowded because of their land.
Option (2) Relief — Correct. Relief means the shape of the land, which the chapter calls landforms. People prefer to live on flat plains and gentle slopes, good for crops, roads and industries, so the Ganga plains are among the most densely populated areas of the world while the Himalayas have few people.
Option (3) Population policy — Incorrect. A population policy tries to control the growth of population; it does not explain why people crowd into one region.
Option (4) Presence of minerals — Incorrect. Mineral areas attract mining and industries, as the Katanga-Zambia copper belt does in Africa. The Ganga plains are not a mineral region.
NCERT (2025-26): “Geographical Factors Landforms: People prefer living on flat plains and gentle slopes. This is because such areas are favourable for the production of crops and to build roads and industries. The mountainous and hilly areas hinder the development of transport network and hence initially do not favour agricultural and industrial development. So, these areas tend to be less populated. The Ganga plains are among the most densely populated areas of the world while the mountains zones in the Himalayas are scarcely populated.” |