Spatio –Temporal Analysis of Changing Tribal Population Density, Concentration and Sex Composition in Jhargram District, West Bengal

Abstract

Demographical study helps us to know the changing pattern of population in any region over time and space. To understand changing pattern of population we must consider social, cultural and economic environment of any region. It is also closely related with population density, concentration and sex composition. . In India approximately 698 schedule tribes consists of 8.6% or 104 million of the total population (Ministry of Tribal Affairs, 2013). Newly form Jhargram district is one of the largest tribal concentrated district of West Bengal (April 4, 2017). According to 2011 census report 333848 tribal people was lived in Jha gram district out of total population 1135748. Six major tribal groups construct 29.37% tribal people of Jhargram district which was highest percentage of tribal people of in West Bengal (Census of India,2011). Jhargram is drought prone district and environmentally fragile also. It has two state boundary, on the East Singbhum district of Jharkhand state and on the south west by Orisha state. In this backdrop the study tries to focus on spatio-temporal change of tribal population density, tribal population concentration and tribal sex composition in the different blocks of Jhargram district. We are considering both dimension spatial and temporal change of tribal population in the different blocks of Jhargram district explicitly and implicitly. Population density is the concentration of people within a particular time and space. It is one of the finest tool with which all other demographic attributes are directly or indirectly associated. Population growth determines density distribution pattern and composition of population (Ghosh, 1985). It is one of the simplest methods to establish relationship between population and natural resources. K. Sita (1986) uses this tool to discuss about pattern of schedule tribe in Maharashtra in relation to population growth and distribution. We can use population data to quantify demographic information, evaluate relationship with ecosystem, human health, livability and infrastructure. Account of tribal population density may useful for understanding spatial aspects of demographic pattern as well as overall development of the tribal people. An attempt has been made to study of the spato-temporal pattern of tribal population density and sex composition in Jhargram district, to throw light on the decadal...