Description

GEO_IA1992_2015 indicates the region of India where the respondent was interviewed. The variable is integrated to yield units with consistent boundaries across samples.

Labels identify the modern geographic units (states) contained in each integrated region. Each sample also has its own non-integrated geography variable. The 2015 sample has greater geographic detail available in GEOALT_IA2015.

An integrated GIS map (in shapefile format) for India can be downloaded here.

Comparability

Boundary changes:

• Chattisgarh created from Madyha Pradesh in 2000
• Jharkhand created from Bihar in 2000
• Uttaranchal created from Uttar Pradesh in 2000
• Telangana split from Andhra Pradesh in 2014

Other boundary issues:
There are several union territories (coterminous to states in India) that were merged with the adjoining state in the earlier surveys but were surveyed separately in the 2015 survey. These union territories have been merged in GEO_IA1992_2015 for spatial consistency

• Chandigarh union territory was included within the state of Punjab in the earlier surveys
• Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli were included within the state of Gujarat in the earlier surveys
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands was included within the state of Andhra Pradesh in the earlier surveys
• Lakshadweep was included within the state of Kerala in the earlier surveys
• Note that the union territory of Pondicherry (coterminous to states in India) consists of four disjointed districts - Yanam (enclosed by the state of Andhra Pradesh), Mahe (enclosed by the state of Kerala), Pondicherry, and Karaikal (both within the state of Tamil Nadu). Pondicherry has not been merged with other adjoining states.

Sikkim and the Kashmir region of Jammu and Kashmir were excluded from the 1992 India sample.

Universe