URBANISATION IN ANDHRA PRADESH: A SPATIO-TEMPORAL ANALYSIS

Urbanisation is increasing proportion of urban population to total population over a period of time. Spatio-Temporal analysis of urban population reveals the pattern of urban population inhabitation over a period. The present study examines the trends and pattern of urban population concentration in size class of cities/towns as well as percentage of urbanisation in 23 districts based on census data during eleven decades. The trend of urbanisation was low during 1901-51 and thereafter increased rapidly. The share of urban population in class-I had increased rapidly in recent decades. Out of 23 districts, only four districts viz ; Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Krishna and Guntur had recorded higher proportion of urban population than state average in recent census of 2011.The findings reveals that trend, pattern of urbanisation had been significantly vary among class size of urban areas and districts. Therefore, policies are needed for balancing the level of urbanisation.