The Hindi Heartland is a common reference to the region in North and Central India where Hindi languages are spoken natively or as a primary language. The Hindi belt is often considered as covering the following states[1] of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Rajasthan and Haryana are also included sometimes, although they are usually considered of separate geo-cultural entities. The heartland supports about a third of India's population and occupies about a quarter of its geographical area. The population is concentrated along the fertile Ganges plain in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Although the vast majority of the population is rural, significant urban cities include Indore, Bhopal, Lucknow, Patna and Ranchi. The region hosts a diverse population, with various dialects of Hindi being spoken along with other Indian languages, and multi-religious population including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs along with people from various castes and a significant tribal population. The geography is also varied, with the flat, alluvial Gangetic plain occupying the northern portion, the Vindhyas in Madhya Pradesh demarcating the southern boundary and the hills and dense forests of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh separate the region from West Bengal and Orissa.
The region faces significant political and economic challenges, due to the general lawlessness, corruption and lack of economic and human development. It is the region with the lowest literacy rates and life expectancy in India.
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The heartland is located in North and Central India. The highly fertile, flat, alluvial Gangetic plain occupies the northern portion, the Vindhyas in Madhya Pradesh demarcate the southern boundary and the hills and dense forests of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh lie in the east.
The region has a predominantly sub-tropical climate, with cool winters, hot summers and moderate monsoons. The climate does vary with latitude somewhat, with winters getting cooler and rainfall decreasing. It can vary significantly with altitude, especially in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
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