The trend and pattern of urbanization in Karnataka from 1991 to 2011 reveal significant regional imbalances and a high degree of urban primacy, particularly dominated by Bangalore.

1. Overall Trend

• Increasing Urbanization: Karnataka has consistently shown higher levels of urbanization compared to the national average. The urban population in Karnataka increased from 30.92% in 1991 to 38.67% in 2011.
• Urban-Rural Growth Differential (URGD): The URGD indicates that urban areas in Karnataka grew faster than rural areas. The URGD for Karnataka was 1.40% during 1991-2001 and increased to 2.03% during 2001-2011, reflecting a faster pace of urbanization in the latter decade.

2. Regional and Divisional Patterns

• Regional Disparities:
  • South Karnataka: This region, particularly the Bangalore division, is the most urbanized, with urbanization levels increasing from 42.40% in 1991 to 54.29% in 2011. Bangalore's dominance is stark, with the city alone having an urbanization rate of 90.94% in 2011.
  • Coastal Karnataka: This region also experienced significant urbanization, with levels rising from 27.00% in 1991 to 37.18% in 2011. Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts showed rapid urban growth.
  • North Karnataka: This region lagged behind, with an urbanization level of 29.39% in 2011. Divisions such as Gulbarga and Belgaum had slower growth rates compared to other regions.

3. District-Level Variations

• Highly Urbanized Districts: Bangalore and Dharwad consistently showed high levels of urbanization. For instance, Bangalore's urban population was 90.94% in 2011.
• Slow Growth Districts: Districts like Raichur, Koppal, and Gadag exhibited very slow growth rates during the studied period.

4. Urban Size Class Distribution

• Concentration in Large Cities: A significant proportion of Karnataka's urban population resides in larger cities. About 70% of the urban population lived in Class I towns (population over 100,000) by 2011.
• Decline in Small Towns: Smaller towns (Class IV and VI) saw a decline in their share of the urban population, highlighting a trend towards urban agglomeration in larger cities.

5. Urban Primacy

• Bangalore’s Dominance: Bangalore emerged as the primate city with a primacy index of 3.09 by 2011. This means the population of Bangalore was more than three times that of the combined population of the next three largest cities.
• Four-City and Eleven-City Primacy Index: The four-city primacy index increased from 2.39 in 1991 to 3.33 in 2011, indicating increasing polarization of population growth towards Bangalore.

6. Urban Growth Rates

• Differential Growth Rates: Between 1991-2001 and 2001-2011, some districts experienced faster urban growth rates. For example, Udupi had a high URGD of 5.53 during 2001-2011.
• Top Urban Agglomerations: Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad, and Mangalore were among the top urban agglomerations. Bangalore, in particular, had an exponential growth rate of 4.02% during 2001-2011.

7. Gini Coefficient and Lorenz Curve

• Increasing Concentration: The Gini coefficient, which measures inequality in population distribution across urban centers, increased from 0.66 in 2001 to 0.72 in 2011. This indicates a growing concentration of the urban population in fewer, larger cities.

Conclusion

Urbanization in Karnataka between 1991 and 2011 was marked by significant regional disparities, with South Karnataka, particularly Bangalore, leading the way. The state experienced a trend of increasing urban concentration in larger cities, leaving smaller towns behind. This lopsided urban development underscores the need for balanced regional development policies to address the growing urban-rural divide and ensure equitable growth across the state.