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Why do most people in Bihar live in rural villages?

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The Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India, features a tall, intricately carved central spire surrounded by smaller shrines, trees, and gardens. — Bihar Mahabodhi Buddhist temple, built in the 2nd century ce, Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India.

The vast majority of the population in Bihar resides in rural villages primarily because the state’s economy is overwhelmingly centered on agriculture. Nearly three-fourths of the population is engaged in agricultural activities, which are concentrated in the fertile, cultivated plains of the Ganges River basin.123

These rural settlements are typically organized into compact or clustered villages that have developed to support farming operations, aided by extensive irrigation systems. While the state has seen some growth in mining and manufacturing, industrial development has been relatively slow, with many workers still employed in traditional household or cottage industries rather than large-scale urban manufacturing centers. Consequently, the population remains largely tied to the land, maintaining a settlement pattern that reflects the state's agrarian foundation.234