Urbanization in Mizoram: Characteristics and Correlates

Mizoram is one of the most urbanized states with more than half of the population living in urban areas yet it presents a contrasting picture of urbanization. A large number of urban centres do not fulfill the census criteria, there is only one town with municipal authority, all the urban centres are identified as notified town and the authority to declare any settlement as urban lies with the Village Council. Physiography has distinctly affected the spatial pattern of urbanization and politico-administrative process has been instrumental in shaping the process of urbanization. Within this background the paper intends to examine the definitional issues and its applicability in Mizoram in space-time context (1961–2011).