Understanding Million Cities and Population Ranking

This question asks us to arrange several Indian cities, known as 'Million Cities' (cities with a population of 1 million or more), according to their population size, from the smallest to the largest.

The cities given are:

• (A) Greater Mumbai
• (B) Surat
• (C) Agra
• (D) Chennai

To solve this, we need to know the approximate populations of these cities. Population figures can vary slightly depending on whether they refer to the city proper or the urban agglomeration, and the census year. We will use recent estimates or census data for comparison.

Population Comparison of Indian Cities

Let's look at the approximate populations of these cities based on available data (e.g., from the 2011 Census or recent estimates for Urban Agglomerations, which is standard for ranking large cities):

Arranging Cities by Population Size

Now, let's arrange these cities from the smallest population to the largest population based on the table above:

1. Agra (C): ~1.8 million (Smallest)
2. Surat (B): ~5.9 million
3. Chennai (D): ~8.6 million
4. Greater Mumbai (A): ~18.4 million (Largest)

So, the correct order from smallest to largest population size is Agra, Surat, Chennai, and Greater Mumbai. Using their corresponding letters, this order is (C), (B), (D), (A).

Matching the Arrangement with Options

Let's compare the determined order (C), (B), (D), (A) with the given options:

• Option 1: (D), (C), (B) - Incorrect
• Option 2: (C), (B), (D), (A) - Matches our determined order
• Option 3: (B), (A), (D) - Incorrect
• Option 4: (B), (C), (D), (A) - Incorrect

The order (C), (B), (D), (A) correctly arranges the cities from smallest population (Agra) to largest population (Greater Mumbai).

Revision Table: Million Cities Population Order

Additional Information on Indian Cities and Population Data

Understanding the population of major cities is important for urban planning, resource allocation, and studying demographics. Here are some related points:

• Million Cities: These are urban areas with a population of one million or more. Their number has increased significantly over the decades in India, reflecting urbanization trends.
• Urban Agglomeration (UA): A continuous urban spread constituting a town and its adjoining outgrowths, or two or more physically contiguous towns together with contiguous outgrowths, or a city and one or more adjoining towns with their outgrowths all constituting a continuous spread. Using UA population provides a more complete picture of the functional urban area compared to just the municipal limits (city proper).
• Population Census: The primary source of demographic data in India is the decadal Census, conducted every 10 years by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. The last Census was in 2011. The next Census was planned for 2021 but was delayed.
• Megacities: While 'Million Cities' is a broad category, 'Megacities' typically refer to cities or urban agglomerations with a population exceeding 10 million. Greater Mumbai is one of India's prominent megacities.

Knowing the relative sizes of India's major cities is helpful for geography and general knowledge questions related to population distribution and urbanization.