The Vertical Geography of Settlement: Population Concentration Across India’s Elevational Gradient
Keywords:
Elevation gradient, Population concentration, Settlement geography, India, Spatial distributionAbstract
This study examines the vertical geography of settlement in India by analysing how population concentration varies across elevational gradients. A cross-sectional geospatial dataset of 3,507 settlements with valid elevation information was analysed using population, latitude, longitude, and digital elevation values. Elevation was classified into eight bands ranging from below 100 m to 3,000 m and above. Descriptive statistics, settlement and population shares, Spearman’s rank correlation, the Kruskal–Wallis test, and ordinary least-squares regression with log-transformed population were applied. The results reveal a strong concentration of settlements and population at lower elevations. Approximately 70.85% of the represented population occurred below 300 m, while 98.61% was located below 1,000 m. Settlement frequency also declined sharply at higher elevations. Elevation was significantly and negatively associated with population size, although the relationship was weak (ρ = −0.068, p < .001) and the regression explained only 2.15% of population variation. These findings indicate that elevation is an important spatial dimension of Indian settlement geography but does not independently determine settlement size. The pattern reflects the combined influence of physical terrain, accessibility, infrastructure, historical development, and economic opportunity. The study highlights the value of elevational analysis for interpreting spatial inequalities in population concentration across India.
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