India's GDP and population, state by state

INDIA is a massive and diverse place. Split the country by state (and union territories) and you get a clear idea of how wide are the internal differences, how immense is the population, and how unequal the spread of wealth and increase in income. Most crudely, the north-eastern states, plus the big rural states of the north, such as Uttar Pradesh, are the least appealing places to live. The south is generally richer, and the states along India's west coast are wealthier too.



As always there are demands from some in India to split even further, into smaller states. Perhaps Andhra Pradesh will lose a big southern chunk to a new state to be called Telangana. Uttar Pradesh might make more sense refashioned into three smaller states instead. Usually this happens to suit local politics: a particular group that wants the benefits of forming a state government. But there is also some logic to the argument that smaller states can prosper more easily than big ones. Uttaranchal, Himanchal Pradesh, Haryana and Kerala are all smallish states that seem to be doing well. Bigger ones, like Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, are struggling. Yet the argument only goes so far. Jharkhand, a state roughly a decade old, and the small corners like Mizoram, are hardly poster children for any "small is beautiful" contest.

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