Why does Arunachal Pradesh have such a low population density?

Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest population density of any state in India primarily due to its challenging physical geography. The state is situated in a mountainous region of the Himalayas, characterized by rugged terrain that makes transportation and communication extremely difficult.1234

Because of this topography, the population is not evenly distributed. Most residents are concentrated in low-lying valleys, while the hill peoples live in scattered, isolated upland communities. The landscape features dispersed villages and isolated farmsteads, reflecting a rural lifestyle where many inhabitants are subsistence farmers. Furthermore, the lack of large urban centers—with no cities and fewer than two dozen towns—contributes to the low overall density. While infrastructure development, such as the expansion of roads and telecommunications, has progressed, the state's difficult terrain remains a significant factor in limiting dense settlement patterns.135