This is part 2 of the Analyzing Bangalore - Population series. You might find Part 1 and Part 3 interesting as well.

This is a simple smoothed line chart of population growth rate over time, and yet it is very revealing.

library(ggplot2)
blr_growth_rate <- read.csv("BangaloreGrowthRate.csv")

ggplot(blr_growth_rate,aes(x = Time,y = GrowthRate )) +
  geom_point(aes(colour = GrowthRate)) +
  scale_colour_gradient2(low = "blue", mid = "green" , high = "red", midpoint = 3.5) + 
  geom_smooth(colour = "blue",size = 0.9) +
  scale_y_continuous(limits = c(1,7), breaks = seq(1,7,1)) +
  scale_x_continuous(limits = c(1955,2030), breaks = seq(1960,2030,10)) +
  ggtitle ("Average Annual Rate of Change of Population in Bangalore") +
  xlab("Year") +  ylab ("Average Growth Rate %")

## `geom_smooth()` using method = 'loess'

Key takeaways

• Population growth peaked in the late 1970s, reaching its zenith around 1980
• After which there was a downward trend for the next 20 years, before another spike, a smaller one this time
• This second spike in population growth was between the years 2000 and 2010 peaking around 2009
• The downward trend which started around 2010 is expected to continue till 2030 and beyond until an event that comes along to change the geo-socio-economic dynamic of the city

Let’s examine the two periods of rapid growth in population which Bangalore has experienced in the last 70 years.

• Population growth rate grew continuously post-independence, peaking between 1975 and 1980, with immigrants flocking to the city from other parts of Karnataka and outside the state.
• Manufacturing plants setup around the city also attracted a large floating population to the city during this period
• The second period of growth appears to be strongly correlated to the IT boom, as software companies mushroomed a whole eco system developed with construction, retail, small businesses, restaurants and almost all sections of the society experiencing an influx in people from all over India.

Data sources

United Nations Top 30 Urban Agglomerations - Population and Growth Rate

Suggestions and corrections are always welcome, please use the comments section.

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