Geography Unit 2, Unequal Spaces Case Study 1 - Spatial inequality and development in India

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India is the world's largest democracy, with over 1 billion people, 17% of the world's population. The Indian government has halved the percentage of the population living in poverty in the last 30 years. It was down to 29% in 2000. However, 52% of people live on under $2 a day and 35% live on under $1 a day. The richest 20% of the population have 43% of the national income.

These figures mask significant inequalities within the country. Kerala state, for example, is often held up as an example of commitment to development policies focused on equity and poverty reduction. As a result, people in Kerala enjoy levels of development higher even than those in wealthy states such as Haryana. In contrast, Bihar has much lower levels of life expectancy and adult literacy.

Kerala state

~Life expectancy - 73 years

~Infant mortality - 16 per 1 000

~Human development index (HDI) - 0.638

~Adult literacy - 91%

~Fertility - 1.8 per woman

~GDP per capita - $24 053

Haryana state

~Life expectancy - 65 years

~Infant mortality - 70 per 1 000

~HDI - 0.509

~Adult literacy - 69%

~Fertility - 3.4 per woman

~GDP per capita - $29 963

Bihar state

~Life expectancy - 59 years

~Infant mortality - 67 per 1 000

~HDI - 0.367

~Adult literacy - 48%

~Fertility - 4.4 per woman

~GDP per capita - $6 213

India (average)

~Life expectancy - 63 years

~Infant mortality - 93 per 1 000

~HDI - 0.472

~Adult literacy - 65%

~Fertility - 2.9 per woman

~GDP per capita - $20 989

Spatial inequality and development in India