ABSTRACT
The Middle Ganges Valley, one of the early centres of dense population in India, constitutes a region of moderate rainfall, an ‘intermediate zone’, which, according to Brunhes, favours a high density of population. Numerous rivers and their tributaries flowing from Nepal carry large quantities of soluble substances and alluvium, and serve as sources of irrigation. But the activity of the rivers in relation to agricultural economy is far less important in the Middle Ganges Valley thanin the Delta region. In South Bihar region the natural conditions governing agriculture are unfavourable and the efforts of man to control his environment by developing more reliable sources of artificial irrigation have not been successful. The result has been that low agricultural productivity and agricultural insecurity have combined to check an increase in the density of population.
