SSC
Among India's neighbouring countries, which has the highest population density?
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Answer: Option C — Bangladesh
Detailed Solution
Bangladesh has the highest population density among India's neighbouring countries, and one of the highest in the world.
About Bangladesh's population density:
- It has about 1,100 to 1,300 people per square kilometre, which makes it the most densely populated large country in the world (excluding small city-states and island nations such as Monaco, Singapore and Bahrain).
- Its population is about 17 crore (170 million), living in an area of only about 1,48,000 square kilometres, slightly smaller than the state of Odisha.
- Its capital, Dhaka, is one of the most crowded cities in the world.
Reasons for the high density:
- It lies in the fertile Ganga-Brahmaputra (Padma-Jamuna) delta, the largest delta in the world, with rich alluvial soil that supports intensive farming, especially rice.
- It has plenty of water from rivers and heavy monsoon rainfall.
Population densities of India's neighbours (approximate, people per sq km):
- Bangladesh: about 1,150 or more.
- India: about 470-490 (Census 2011: 382).
- Sri Lanka: about 350.
- Pakistan: about 300.
- Nepal: about 200.
- China: about 150.
- Myanmar: about 80.
- Afghanistan: about 60.
- Bhutan: about 20 (one of the lowest in Asia).
Population density in India (Census 2011):
- Bihar has the highest density among states (1,106 per sq km).
- Delhi has the highest among union territories (11,320 per sq km).
- Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest among states (17 per sq km).
- India's overall density was 382 in 2011, up from 325 in 2001.
- India became the world's most populous country in 2023, overtaking China.
About Bangladesh:
Its population growth has slowed down a lot because of successful family planning programmes. Its fertility rate fell from about 6 children per woman in the 1970s to about 2 now.
It is a leading exporter of ready-made garments.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Nepal has a much lower density because much of its land is mountainous.
- ✗Sri Lanka has a moderate density.
- ✗Pakistan has a lower density because large parts are deserts and mountains.
Quick tip
Remember: highest population density among India's neighbours = Bangladesh (about 1,150+ per sq km; Ganga-Brahmaputra delta); India (2011) = 382; Bihar = highest state (1,106); Arunachal = lowest (17); Bhutan = very low.
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Population & Census — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Population & Census, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's population and the Census: population size and growth, density, sex ratio, literacy rate, urbanisation, and the most and least populous states, based on the Census of 2011, along with the basics of world population. Questions usually ask which state has the highest or lowest population, density, sex ratio or literacy, based on Census 2011. For example, Kerala had the highest literacy rate and sex ratio, and Bihar had the highest population density. The Census is conducted every ten years, so check whether newer data has been released before your exam. Practise the population and census questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.