Census - Population, Literacy, Sex Ratio

Census - Population, Literacy, Sex Ratio

• Census 2011 was the 15th census of its kind since 1872. It was held in two phases: House listing and Housing Census (April to September, 2010) and Population Enumeration (February 9 to 28, 2011 with Revisional round during 1st to 5th March, 2011). Reference Date was 0.00 hour of March 1, 2011. In Snow bound areas, the Population Enumeration was conducted from September 11 to 30, 2010. The Final Population data was released on April 30, 2013.

Population

• The population of India as on March 1, 2011 stood at, 210.9 million (623.2 million males and 587.6 million females). India accounts for a meagre 2.4% of the world surface area of 135.79 million sq. km.
• The population, which at the turn of the twentieth century was around 238.4 million, increased to reach1, 210.9 million by 2011. As recorded at each decennial census from 1901 the population has grown steadily except for a decrease during 1911-21.

Population Density

• It is defined as the number of persons per sq. km. The population density of India in 2011 was 382 per sq. km-decadal growth 17.72%.
• Among major states, Bihar is the most thickly populated state with a population density of 1,106 persons per sq. km followed by West Bengal 1,028 and Kerala 860.​​​​​​​

Population of India, States and UTs (Census 2011)

Note: After Telangana's birth as the 29^th state of India

Population of Andhra Pradesh - 4, 96, 65,533

Population of Telangana - 3, 52, 86,757

Top 10 Most Populous Countries

(As on July 1, 2022)

Sex Ratio

• Sex ratio, defined as the number of females per thousand males is an important social indicator to measure the extent of prevailing equality between males and females in a society at a given point of time. The sex ratio in the country has always remained unfavorable to females. It was 972 at the beginning of the twentieth century and there after showed continuous decline until 1941. The sex ratio from 1901-2011 has registered a 10 point increase at census 2011 over 2001; however, child sex ratio has declined to 919 per thousand male.

Literacy

• For the purpose of census 2011, a person aged seven and above, who can both read and write with understanding in any language, is treated as literate. A person, who can only read but cannot write, is not literate. In the censuses prior to 1991, children below five years of age were necessarily treated as illiterates.
• The results of 2011 census reveal that there has been an increase in literacy in the country. The literacy rate in the country is 73.0%, 80.9% for males and 64.6 for females.
• Kerala retained its position by being on top with a 94% literacy rate, closely followed by Lakshadweep (91.9%). Bihar with a literacy rate of 61.8% ranks last in the country. Kerala also occupies the top spot in the country both in male literacy with 96.1% and female literacy with 92.1%. On the contrary, Bihar has recorded the lowest literacy rates both in case of males (71.2%) and females (51.5%).

Union Territories: Facts and Figures (Census 2011)

National Capital Territory / Region (Census 2011)