ABSTRACT
India is gradually becoming more urbanized, both because of the natural reproduction of city dwellers and as a result of migration from the rural areas. Between the 2001 census and that of 2011, the percentage of people living in urban areas increased from 29 to 38 percent. The urban-rural distinction is important for a variety of reasons that will become more apparent: income-earning opportunities, literacy rates, health care, and political behavior are all areas where this demographic divide matters. For example, differences among the populations of literates and illiterates are significant for politics in both the short and long run. The most important are related to gender and to geographic regions. Caste is intrinsic to Hinduism, the principal religion in India. Even communities originating from a different worldview, such as Christian communities, are marked by caste divisions. Almost every major religion in world has its adherents in India, and religion is central to many of India's most enduring political conflicts.
