70 per cent of the country's population lives in rural areas where, for the first time since independence, the overall growth rate of population has sharply declined, according to the latest Census.Of the 121 crore Indians, 83.3 crore live in rural areas while 37.7 crore stay in urban areas, said the Census of India's 2011 Provisional Population Totals of Rural-Urban Distribution in the country, released by Union Home Secretary RK Singh.
"For the first time since independence, the absolute increase in population is more in urban areas than in rural areas. The rural-urban distribution is 68.84 per cent and 31.16 per cent respectively," Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner C Chandramouli said.
The level of urbanization increased from 27.81 per cent in the 2001 Census to 31.16 per cent in the 2011 Census, while the proportion of rural population declined from 72.19 per cent to 68.84 per cent."The slowing down of the overall growth rate of population is because of the sharp decline in the growth rate in rural areas, while the growth rate in urban areas remains almost the same," Chandramouli saidThe level of urbanization increased from 27.81% in the 2001 Census to 31.16% in the 2011 Census, while the proportion of rural population declined from 72.19% to 68.84%.However, according to the report, the number of births in rural areas have increased by 9 crore in the last decade.The statistics reveal that while the maximum number of people living in rural areas in a particular state is 15.5 crore in Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai tops the list having the maximum number of people in urban areas at five crore.The data also reflects that 18.62% of the country's rural population lives in Uttar Pradesh and 13.48% urban population lives in Maharashtra
According to the provisional data released by Census India,these are some of trends of Urban and Rural Population of India
Current Population of India - India, with 1,220,200,000 (1.22 billion) people is the second most populous country in the world, while China is on the top with over 1,350,044,605 (1.35 billion) people. The figures show that India represents almost 17.31% of the world's population, which means one out of six people on this planet live in India. Although, the crown of the world's most populous country is on China's head for decades, India is all set to take the numero uno position by 2030. With the population growth rate at 1.58%, India is predicted to have more than 1.53 billion people by the end of 2030.
More than 50% of India's current population is below the age of 25 and over 65% below the age of 35. About 72.2% of the population lives in some 638,000 villages and the rest 27.8% in about 5,480 towns and urban agglomerations. The birth rate (child births per 1,000 people per year) is 22.22 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) while death rate (deaths per 1000 individuals per year) is 6.4 deaths/1,000 population. Fertility rate is 2.72 children born/woman (NFHS-3, 2008) and Infant mortality rate is 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 estimated). India has the largest illiterate population in the world. The literacy rate of India as per 2001 Population Census is 65.38%, with male literacy rate at 75.96% and female at 54.28%. Kerala has the highest literacy rate at 90.86%, Mizoram (88.80%) is on the second position and Lakshadweep (86.66%) is on third.Every year, India adds more people than any other nation in the world, and in fact the individual population of some of its states is equal to the total population of many countries. For example, Population of Uttar Pradesh (state in India) almost equals to the population of Brazil. It, as per 2001 Population Census of India, has 190 million people and the growth rate is 16.16%. The population of the second most populous state Maharashtra, which has a growth rate of 9.42%, is equal to that of Mexico's population. Bihar, with 8.07%, is the third most populous state in India and its population is more than Germany's. West Bengal with 7.79% growth rate, Andhra Pradesh (7.41%) and Tamil Nadu (6.07%) are at fourth, fifth and sixth positions respectively. The sex ratio of India stands at 933. Kerala with 1058 females per 1000 males is the state with the highest female sex ratio. Pondicherry (1001) is second, while Chhatisgarh (990) and Tamil Nadu (986) are at third and fourth places respectively. Haryana with 861 has the lowest female sex ratio.
Some of the reasons for India's rapidly growing population are poverty, illiteracy, high fertility rate, rapid decline in death rates or mortality rates and immigration from Bangladesh and Nepal. Alarmed by its swelling population, India started taking measures to stem the growth rate quite early. In fact India by launching the National Family Planning programme in 1952 became the first country in the world to have a population policy. The family planning programme yielded some noticeable results, bringing down significantly the country's fertility rate. In 1965-2009, the contraceptive usage more than tripled and the fertility rate more than halved. The efforts did produce positive results, however, failed to achieve the ultimate goal and the population of India since getting independence from Britain in 1947 increased almost three times. Whereas India has missed almost all its targets to bring the rate of population growth under control, China's 'One Child Policy' in 1978, has brought tremendous results for the latter. The policy claims to have prevented between 250 and 300 million births from 1978 to 2000 and 400 million births from 1979 to 2010.
"For the first time since independence, the absolute increase in population is more in urban areas than in rural areas. The rural-urban distribution is 68.84 per cent and 31.16 per cent respectively," Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner C Chandramouli said.
The level of urbanization increased from 27.81 per cent in the 2001 Census to 31.16 per cent in the 2011 Census, while the proportion of rural population declined from 72.19 per cent to 68.84 per cent."The slowing down of the overall growth rate of population is because of the sharp decline in the growth rate in rural areas, while the growth rate in urban areas remains almost the same," Chandramouli saidThe level of urbanization increased from 27.81% in the 2001 Census to 31.16% in the 2011 Census, while the proportion of rural population declined from 72.19% to 68.84%.However, according to the report, the number of births in rural areas have increased by 9 crore in the last decade.The statistics reveal that while the maximum number of people living in rural areas in a particular state is 15.5 crore in Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai tops the list having the maximum number of people in urban areas at five crore.The data also reflects that 18.62% of the country's rural population lives in Uttar Pradesh and 13.48% urban population lives in Maharashtra
According to the provisional data released by Census India,these are some of trends of Urban and Rural Population of India
- For the first time since Independence, the absolute increase in population is more in urban areas that in rural areas
- Rural Population in India: 68.84%
- Urban Population in India :31.16%
- Level of urbanization increased from 27.81% in 2001 Census to 31.16% in 2011 Census
- The proportion of rural population declined from 72.19% to 68.84%
Current Population of India - India, with 1,220,200,000 (1.22 billion) people is the second most populous country in the world, while China is on the top with over 1,350,044,605 (1.35 billion) people. The figures show that India represents almost 17.31% of the world's population, which means one out of six people on this planet live in India. Although, the crown of the world's most populous country is on China's head for decades, India is all set to take the numero uno position by 2030. With the population growth rate at 1.58%, India is predicted to have more than 1.53 billion people by the end of 2030.
More than 50% of India's current population is below the age of 25 and over 65% below the age of 35. About 72.2% of the population lives in some 638,000 villages and the rest 27.8% in about 5,480 towns and urban agglomerations. The birth rate (child births per 1,000 people per year) is 22.22 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) while death rate (deaths per 1000 individuals per year) is 6.4 deaths/1,000 population. Fertility rate is 2.72 children born/woman (NFHS-3, 2008) and Infant mortality rate is 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 estimated). India has the largest illiterate population in the world. The literacy rate of India as per 2001 Population Census is 65.38%, with male literacy rate at 75.96% and female at 54.28%. Kerala has the highest literacy rate at 90.86%, Mizoram (88.80%) is on the second position and Lakshadweep (86.66%) is on third.Every year, India adds more people than any other nation in the world, and in fact the individual population of some of its states is equal to the total population of many countries. For example, Population of Uttar Pradesh (state in India) almost equals to the population of Brazil. It, as per 2001 Population Census of India, has 190 million people and the growth rate is 16.16%. The population of the second most populous state Maharashtra, which has a growth rate of 9.42%, is equal to that of Mexico's population. Bihar, with 8.07%, is the third most populous state in India and its population is more than Germany's. West Bengal with 7.79% growth rate, Andhra Pradesh (7.41%) and Tamil Nadu (6.07%) are at fourth, fifth and sixth positions respectively. The sex ratio of India stands at 933. Kerala with 1058 females per 1000 males is the state with the highest female sex ratio. Pondicherry (1001) is second, while Chhatisgarh (990) and Tamil Nadu (986) are at third and fourth places respectively. Haryana with 861 has the lowest female sex ratio.
Some of the reasons for India's rapidly growing population are poverty, illiteracy, high fertility rate, rapid decline in death rates or mortality rates and immigration from Bangladesh and Nepal. Alarmed by its swelling population, India started taking measures to stem the growth rate quite early. In fact India by launching the National Family Planning programme in 1952 became the first country in the world to have a population policy. The family planning programme yielded some noticeable results, bringing down significantly the country's fertility rate. In 1965-2009, the contraceptive usage more than tripled and the fertility rate more than halved. The efforts did produce positive results, however, failed to achieve the ultimate goal and the population of India since getting independence from Britain in 1947 increased almost three times. Whereas India has missed almost all its targets to bring the rate of population growth under control, China's 'One Child Policy' in 1978, has brought tremendous results for the latter. The policy claims to have prevented between 250 and 300 million births from 1978 to 2000 and 400 million births from 1979 to 2010.
Current Population of India 2012 | ||||
| Rank | State or union territory | Population (2011 Census) | Density (per km²) | Sex ratio |
| 01 | Uttar Pradesh | 199,581,477 | 828 | 908 |
| 02 | Maharashtra | 112,372,972 | 365 | 946 |
| 03 | Bihar | 103,804,637 | 1102 | 916 |
| 04 | West Bengal | 91,347,736 | 1029 | 947 |
| 05 | Andhra Pradesh | 84,665,533 | 308 | 992 |
| 06 | Madhya Pradesh | 72,597,565 | 236 | 930 |
| 07 | Tamil Nadu | 72,138,958 | 555 | 995 |
| 08 | Rajasthan | 68,621,012 | 201 | 926 |
| 09 | Karnataka | 61,130,704 | 319 | 968 |
| 10 | Gujarat | 60,383,628 | 308 | 918 |
| 11 | Odisha | 41,947,358 | 269 | 978 |
| 12 | Kerala | 33,387,677 | 859 | 1,084 |
| 13 | Jharkhand | 32,966,238 | 414 | 947 |
| 14 | Assam | 31,169,272 | 397 | 954 |
| 15 | Punjab | 27,704,236 | 550 | 893 |
| 16 | Haryana | 25,353,081 | 573 | 877 |
| 17 | Chhattisgarh | 25,540,196 | 189 | 991 |
| 18 | Jammu and Kashmir | 12,548,926 | 56 | 883 |
| 19 | Uttarakhand | 10,116,752 | 189 | 963 |
| 20 | Himachal Pradesh | 6,856,509 | 123 | 974 |
| 21 | Tripura | 3,671,032 | 350 | 961 |
| 22 | Meghalaya | 2,964,007 | 132 | 986 |
| 23 | Manipur | 2,721,756 | 122 | 987 |
| 24 | Nagaland | 1,980,602 | 119 | 931 |
| 25 | Goa | 1,457,723 | 394 | 968 |
| 26 | Arunachal Pradesh | 1,382,611 | 17 | 920 |
| 27 | Mizoram | 1,091,014 | 52 | 975 |
| 28 | Sikkim | 607,688 | 86 | 889 |
| UT1 | Delhi | 16,753,235 | 9,340 | 866 |
| UT2 | Puducherry | 1,244,464 | 2,598 | 1,038 |
| UT3 | Chandigarh | 1,054,686 | 9,252 | 818 |
| UT4 | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 379,944 | 46 | 878 |
| UT5 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli | 342,853 | 698 | 775 |
| UT6 | Daman and Diu | 242,911 | 2,169 | 618 |
| UT7 | Lakshadweep | 64,429 | 2,013 | 946 |
| Total | India | 1,210,193,422 | 382 | 940 |
