Geography Ch16 – Races & Tribes

🧬 Classification of Races — Indian Subcontinent

Main Race	Sub-types	Note
Negrito	—	Oldest racial group in India
Proto-Australoid	—	Related to Australian Aboriginals
Broad-Headed Alpine	Alpanide, Dinaric, Armenoid	—
Nordic	—	—
Mediterranean	Paleo Mediterranean, Oriental Mediterranean	—
Mongoloid	Ancient Mongoloid, Tibetan Mongoloid	—

🧬 Races — Memory Summary

Negrito (Oldest)

Proto-Australoid

Alpine (3 sub-types)

Nordic

Mediterranean (2 sub-types)

Mongoloid (2 sub-types)

⚡ MEMORY TRICK — 6 Races

N P A N M M → Negrito, Proto-Australoid, Alpine, Nordic, Mediterranean, Mongoloid

🚨 EXAM TRAP

Oldest race in India = Negrito (NOT Proto-Australoid)
Proto-Australoid = related to Australian Aboriginals
Mediterranean has 2 sub-types: Paleo + Oriental
Mongoloid has 2 sub-types: Ancient + Tibetan
Alpine has 3 sub-types: Alpanide, Dinaric, Armenoid

📊 Tribal Population — Key Facts

8.6%

ST % of India's population

~550

Types of tribes in India

Mizoram

Highest ST% State (94.4%)

Lakshadweep

Highest ST% UT (94.8%)

Bhil

Highest tribal population tribe

Gond

2nd highest tribal population

🏆 Top States — ST Population (by Number)

1. Madhya Pradesh

2. Maharashtra

3. Odisha

4. Rajasthan

⚡ QUICK RECALL

MP > MH > Odisha > RJ — by number of tribal population

📊 Top States — Highest ST % of State Population

Rank	State	ST %
1st	Mizoram	94.44%
2nd	Nagaland	86.46%
3rd	Meghalaya	86.15%
4th	Arunachal Pradesh	68.99%
5th	Manipur	35.14%

🚨 EXAM TRAP

ST % highest = Mizoram (94.4%) | ST number highest = Madhya Pradesh — alag!
Bhil = largest tribe by population | Gond = 2nd
UT highest ST% = Lakshadweep (94.8%)
Total tribes = ~550 types

🏔️ North & North-East Tribes

State	Major Tribes
Arunachal Pradesh	Apatani, Mishmi, Daffla, Miri, Aka, Singpho, Khamti
Assam	Chamka, Miri, Kachari, Bodo
Meghalaya	Garo, Khasi, Jaintia, Hamar
Manipur	Kuki, Mugh
Mizoram	Mizo, Lakher, Paui, Lushei
Nagaland	Angami Naga, Sema Naga, Konyak Naga, Loya Naga
Tripura	Chakma, Garo, Kuki
Himachal Pradesh	Gaddi, Gujjar, Kinnar
Jammu & Kashmir	Gaddi, Bakarwal
Uttarakhand	Tharu, Bhotia, Jaunsari, Buksa, Raji, Khasa, Bhotiya, Kol

⚡ QUICK RECALL — NE Tribes

Meghalaya = Garo, Khasi, Jaintia (Hills bhi inhi ke naam pe hain!)
Nagaland = Naga tribes (Angami, Sema, Konyak, Loya)
Mizoram = Mizo, Lushei | HP = Gaddi, Gujjar

🚨 EXAM TRAP

Garo + Khasi + Jaintia = Meghalaya (Hills bhi inhi ke naam pe hain)
Bodo = Assam (NOT Nagaland)
Chakma = Tripura (also found in Bangladesh)
Tharu = Uttarakhand (Tarai area tribes)
Bakarwal = J&K (nomadic pastoral tribe)

🌿 Central India Tribes

State	Major Tribes
Madhya Pradesh	Bhil★, Lambadi, Banjara, Gond★, Muria, Abuhmaria
Chhattisgarh	Baiga, Binjwar, Kawan, Khond, Nagasia
Rajasthan	Bhil★, Meena, Kathodia, Garasia
Odisha	Juang, Saora, Kharia, Kondha, Madia
West Bengal	Asur, Bhumij, Birhor, Lodha, Lepcha, Mahali, Malpahariya

🏹 Bhil — Largest Tribe of India

Bhil = largest tribe by population in India
Found mainly in: MP, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra
Gond = 2nd largest tribe
Gond mainly in: MP, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra

🌿 Andhra Pradesh Tribes

Chenchu

Yanadi

Kurumba

Khond

Bagata

Koya

Bhaghata

🚨 EXAM TRAP

Bhil = largest tribe (India) | found in MP + Rajasthan both
Gond = 2nd largest | MP mein sabse zyada
Baiga = Chhattisgarh (NOT MP — though both have similar cultures)
MP = highest ST population by number = because Bhil + Gond dono yahaan

🌴 South India & Islands Tribes

State / UT	Major Tribes
Kerala	Irular, Kurumba, Kadar, Puliyan
Tamil Nadu	Toda, Kota, Kurumba, Paniyan
Andaman & Nicobar	Great Andamanese, Nicobarese, Onge, Jarwa (Jarawa), Shompen, Sentinelese

🏝️ Andaman — Primitive Tribes

Sentinelese — most isolated tribe in world (North Sentinel Island)
Jarawa (Jarwa) — contact-avoiding tribe
Onge — Little Andaman island
Great Andamanese — nearly extinct
Shompen — Great Nicobar
Nicobarese — main Nicobar group

🎺 Toda Tribe — Tamil Nadu

Toda = famous tribe of Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu
Known for buffalo pastoralism
Distinctive curved barrel-shaped houses
Kota = craftsmen tribe of Nilgiri

🚨 EXAM TRAP

Sentinelese = most isolated tribe in world — North Sentinel Island, A&N
Toda = Tamil Nadu (Nilgiri Hills) — buffalo pastoralists
Kurumba = found in both Kerala AND Tamil Nadu
Jarawa (Jarwa) = also A&N — different from Sentinelese (both avoid contact)

📍 Jharkhand Tribes — Most Important for BPSC

🏹 Jharkhand — Major Tribes

Santhal ★

Munda ★

Ho ★

Oraon ★

Birhor

Kharia

Pahariya

Tamariya

🏹 Santhal

Largest tribe of Jharkhand
Found in: Santhal Pargana, Jharkhand + WB + Odisha
Santhal Rebellion (1855-56) — against British
Leaders: Sidhu and Kanhu

🏹 Munda

Ancient tribe of Chotanagpur Plateau
Birsa Munda — legendary tribal leader (Ulgulan)
Munda Rebellion = Ulgulan (Great Tumult)
Found in: Ranchi, Khunti (Jharkhand)

🏹 Oraon (Kurukh)

Also called: Kurukh
Found in: Ranchi, Lohardaga, Gumla (Jharkhand)
Also in Bihar + WB + Odisha
Language: Kurukh (Dravidian origin)

🏹 Ho Tribe

Found in: Singhbhum district (Jharkhand)
Related to Munda group
Language: Ho (Austroasiatic)

⚔️ Major Tribal Rebellions — Jharkhand Region

Rebellion	Tribe	Leader	Year
Santhal Rebellion (Hul)	Santhal	Sidhu & Kanhu	1855–56
Ulgulan (Great Tumult)	Munda	Birsa Munda	1899–1900

📍 Bihar — Tribal Context

Bihar's ST% = relatively low (most tribes in Jharkhand — carved out 2000)
Before 2000: Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Ho = all in "Bihar"
Present Bihar = some tribal communities in border areas
WB border = Santhal presence in Bihar's eastern areas
Tharu tribe = found in Bihar's Champaran (Terai area)

⚡ BPSC MASTER RECALL — Tribes

Jharkhand major tribes: Santhal, Munda, Ho, Oraon, Birhor, Kharia
Santhal = largest in JH | Santhal Rebellion = 1855 (Sidhu-Kanhu)
Birsa Munda = Ulgulan (1899-1900) | Found in Ranchi-Khunti area
Bhil = India's largest tribe | Gond = 2nd largest
Mizoram = highest ST% state (94.4%) | MP = highest ST number
Tharu = Bihar's Champaran (Terai) + Uttarakhand

🚨 BPSC EXAM TRAP

Santhal Rebellion = 1855 (Hul) | Leaders = Sidhu and Kanhu (NOT Birsa)
Birsa Munda = Munda tribe leader | Rebellion = Ulgulan (1899-1900)
Oraon = also called Kurukh — language is Dravidian despite being in NE India
Birhor = one of India's most primitive tribes (Jharkhand)
Tharu = Bihar (Champaran Terai) — ye Bihar ka apna tribe hai!

🏹 Indian Geography — Chapter 16