Geographical spread

India has the largest concentration of tribal people anywhere in the world except perhaps in Africa. The lifestyle of tribal is conditioned by the Eco-system. India, with a variety of Eco-system, presents a varied tribal population throughout its length and breadth.  The different tribal communities are found in most of the states of India covering nearly 8 per cent of India’s total population. However, exact ethnographic data on a number of tribal communities are lacking. Some of the large tribal communities are distributed in a wide region and often profess varied occupations. Again, a few tribal groups are divided into a number of sub-groups which are practically distinct tribal groups. In many cases, some distinct tribal groups have identical names. Besides these, the scheduling of tribes has also created a problem as in many cases, a tribe many be scheduled in one state and not so in another state. For all these reasons, any classification needs careful endeavour. Still it can be said that the tribal communities belong to different racial stocks, speak languages of different families and show considerable variation in their basic economy.

Though the tribal communities are distributed in most of the states on India, there are a few concentration points of regional distribution. Vidyarthi (1977) has suggested a five-fold classification on the basis of regional distribution of the tribal population. Dube (1960) and Atal (1965) have suggested a four-fold classification while Chaudhuri (1982) has suggested a six-fold classification.

Broadly, the tribals are concentrated in the following regions of India :

• a)               North - Eastern region : In the mountain valleys and other areas of north-eastern India covering Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura live tribes like the Abor, Garo, Khasi, Kuki, Mismi, Naga, etc. who mostly belong to Mongolian racial stock.
• b)               Himalayan region : In the hilly areas and sub-Himalayan areas covering parts of North Bengal, Sikkim, U.P., Himachal Pradesh, etc. live a number of tribal groups like the Lepcha, Bhotia, Rabha, etc. belonging to Mongolian racial stock.
• c)               Central India : In the older hills and Chotanagpur Plateau, along the dividing lines between peninsular India and the Indo-Gangetic basin, live many tribal communities like the Bhumij, Gond., Ho. Oraon, Munda, Santal, etc. covering the states of Bihar, Orisa, M.P. and West Bengal and mostly belong to Proto-Australoid racial stock.
• d)               Western region : Covering the states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli live a number of tribal communities the most important of them being the Bhil racially belonging to the Proto-Australoid group.
• e)               Southern region : Covering the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, in the Nilgiri Hills and covering lines of the Ghats live the Chenchu, Irula, Kadar, Kota, Kurumba, Toda, etc. having Negrito, Caucasoid, Proto-Australoid or mixed physical features.
• f)               Island region : Covering Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands live a number of small tribes like the Andamanese, Onge, Sentinilese, etc.

Administrative view

The areas inhabited by the tribals constitute a significant part of the under developed areas of the country. The tribals live mostly in isolated villages or hamlets. A significant portion of their population has now settled in permanent villages as well as in towns and cities. On the whole, as per rough estimates, the prominent tribal areas constitute about 15 percent of the total geographical area of the country.

There are 533 tribes (with many overlapping types in more than one State) as per notified Schedule under Article 342 of the Constitution of India in different States and Union Territories of the country with the largest number of 62 being in the State of Orissa.

Among the notified tribes, a group is still at most primitive stage. They continue to live in isolated areas and practice either primitive agriculture or no agricultural practice and most of them are still in food gathering stage with almost stagnating population. Such groups (75 Nos.) are named as Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs). They are spread over 15 States/UTs.