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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 18, p. 309.

POP (71A TIO N' 309 During the last decade the population has been almost stationary. The number of deaths exceeded that of births in the years 1894 to 1897 inclusive, and also in igoo. There was a considerable loss of popula- tion in the wheat-growing tracts of Nagpur and Umrer, while the towns and the cotton lands of Katol showed an increase. There are twelve towns-NAOPUR CITY, the District head-quarters, KAMPTEE, UMBER, RAMTEK, NARKHER, KHAPA, KATOL, SAONER, KALMRSHWAR, MOHPA, KELOD, and MOWAR--and 1,681 inhabited villages. The urban popu- lation amounts to 32 per cent. of the total, which is the highest proportion in the Province. Some of the towns are almost solely agricultural, and these as a rule are now declining in importance. But others which are favourably situated for trade, or for the establishment of cotton factories, are growing rapidly. The following table, gives the principal statistics of population in xgoi :--- •n W.o,C gP !. RamtUmreKatol N About 88 per cent. of the population are Hindus, nearly 6 per cent. Muhammadans, and 5 per cent. Animists. There are 2,675 Jains and 481 Parsis. Three-fourths of the Muhammadans live in towns. Many of them come from Hyderabad and the Deccan, and they are the most turbulent class of the population. About 77 per cent. of the population speak Marathi, 9 per cent. Hindi, 52 per cent. Gondi, 5 per cent. Urdu, and 1 per cent. Telugu. It is noteworthy that nearly all the Gonds were returned at the Census as retaining their own vernacular. The principal landholding castes are Brahmans (23,ooo), Kunbis (152,ooo), and Marathas (rr,ooo). The Maratha Brahmans naturally form the large majority of this caste, and, besides being the most ex- tensive proprietors, are engaged in money-lending, trade, and the legal profession, and almost monopolize the better class of appointments in Government service. The Kunbis are the great cultivating class. They are plodding and patient, with a strong affection for their land, but wanting in energy as. compared with the castes of the northern Districts. The majority of the villages owned by Marathas are included in the estates of the Bhonsla family and their relatives. A considerable pro- portion of the Government political pensioners are Marathas. Many of them also hold villages or plots ; but as a rule they are extravagant • 871 4 417 296 117 340 + o-6 24,855 ek , 1,129 2 451 x56,663 x39 - g,8.20 0•3 r • • x,040 1 457 136,476 131 - 8•6 3,6x0 . 800 5 356 x62,588 200 + 3-5 4 718 District total 3,840 12 x,681 75x,844 93 - 0•8 37,003