List of states and union territories of India by population

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States and union
territories of India
ordered by

India is a union consisting of 28 states and 8 union territories.[1] As of 2024, with an estimated population of 1.484 billion, India is the world's most populous country. India occupies 2.4% of the world's area and is home to 17.5% of the world's population.[2] The Indo-Gangetic Plain has one of the world's biggest stretches of fertile not-deep alluvium and are among the most densely populated areas of the world. The eastern and western coastal regions of Deccan Plateau are also densely populated regions of India. The Thar Desert in western Rajasthan is one of the most densely populated deserts in the world.[3] The northern and north-eastern states along the Himalayas contain cold arid deserts with fertile valleys. These states have relatively low population density due to indomitable physical barriers.[4]

Census of India[edit | edit source]

2001 India population density map

The first population census in British India was conducted in 1872. Since India's independence in 1947, a census has been conducted every 10 years, the first occurring in 1951.[5] The census in India is conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner under the Ministry of Home Affairs, and is one of the largest administrative tasks conducted by a federal government.[6]

The latest population figures are based on data from the 2011 census of India.[7] During the decade of 2001–2011, India's annual population growth rate has slowed down from 2.15 percent to 1.76 percent.[7] Based on decennial census data, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu has the fastest growth rate of 55.1 percent, followed by Meghalaya (27.8 percent) and Arunachal Pradesh (25.9 percent). Nagaland recorded the lowest growth rate of -0.5 percent.[8]

India has 641,000 inhabited villages and 72.2 percent of the total population reside in these rural areas.[8] Of them 145,000 villages have population size of 500–999 persons; 130,000 villages have population size of 1000–1999 and 128,000 villages have population size of 200–499. There are 3,961 villages that have a population of 10,000 persons or more.[9] India's 27.8 percent urban population lives in more than 5,100 towns and over 380 urban agglomerations.[10] In the decade of 1991–2001, migration to major cities caused rapid increase in urban population.[11][12] On the basis of net migrants by last residence during the past decade, Maharashtra had most immigration with 2.3 million, followed by National Capital Territory of Delhi (1.7 million), Gujarat (0.68 million) and Haryana (0.67 million). Uttar Pradesh (−2.6 million) and Bihar (−1.7 million) topped the list for interstate emigration.[13] The five states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh account for almost half (47.90 percent) of the total Indian population.[7]

While the national average for the sex ratio shows an increase from 933 in 2001 to 940 in 2011,[7] the 2011 census shows a sharp decline in the child sex ratio, the number of females per thousand males in a population between age group 0–6 years.[7] States such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Mizoram and Andaman and Nicobar Islands recorded an increase in India's child sex ratio.[7] The national child sex ratio has declined from 927 in 2001 to 914 in 2011.[7] Telangana census was separated from Andhra Pradesh state census figures, after Telangana was officially formed on 2 June 2014.[14]

List[edit | edit source]

Data from Government of India Unique Identification Authority of India Report circa October 31st 2024 Aadhaar Card Saturation Report and 2011 Census for Rural Population (population density is rounded to the nearest integer)

List of states and union territories of India by population
(Population number as of Oct 31st, 2024, Rural population from 2011 Census of India)
Rank State or Union Territory Population (2024) %
India (2024) 		2023 Population
estimate[15] 		2011 Census Population

[16][17]

Growth
(2001–2012) 		Rural pop. (2011 Census) Urban pop. (2011 Census) Density 2011
(per km2)
[lower-alpha 1] 		Sex ratio
(per 1000 female, 2011)
Nos. % Nos. %
1 (S1) Uttar Pradesh 241,066,874 Template:Pct 235,687,000 199,812,341 20.2% 155,317,278 Template:Pct 44,495,063 Template:Pct 828 912
2 (S2) Bihar 128,592,000 Template:Pct 126,756,000[lower-alpha 2] 104,099,452 25.4% 92,341,436 Template:Pct 11,758,016 Template:Pct 1,102 918
3 (S3) Maharashtra 127,528,000 Template:Pct 126,710,000 112,374,333 16% 61,556,074 Template:Pct 50,818,259 Template:Pct 365 929
4 (S4) West Bengal 99,563,000 Template:Pct 99,084,000 91,276,115 13.8% 62,183,113 Template:Pct 29,093,002 Template:Pct 1,029 953
5 (S5) Madhya Pradesh 87,610,000 Template:Pct 86,579,000 72,626,809 20.3% 52,557,404 Template:Pct 20,069,405 Template:Pct 236 931
7 (S7) Tamil Nadu 77,089,000 Template:Pct 76,860,000 72,147,030 15.6% 37,229,590 Template:Pct 34,917,440 Template:Pct 555 996
6 (S6) Rajasthan 81,897,000 Template:Pct 81,025,000 68,548,437 21.3% 51,500,352 Template:Pct 17,048,085 Template:Pct 201 928
8 (S8) Karnataka 68,115,000 Template:Pct 67,692,000 61,095,297 15.6% 37,469,335 Template:Pct 23,625,962 Template:Pct 319 973
9 (S9) Gujarat 72,367,000 Template:Pct 71,507,000 60,439,692 19.3% 34,694,609 Template:Pct 25,745,083 Template:Pct 308 919
10 (S10) Andhra Pradesh 53,340,000 Template:Pct 53,156,000 49,577,103 11.0% 34,966,693 Template:Pct 14,610,410 Template:Pct 303 993
11 (S11) Odisha 46,566,000 Template:Pct 46,276,000 41,974,219 14.0% 34,970,562 Template:Pct 7,003,656 Template:Pct 269 978
12 (S12) Telangana 38,272,000 Template:Pct 38,090,000 35,003,674 13.58% 21,395,009 Template:Pct 13,608,665 Template:Pct 312 988
13 (S13) Kerala 35,920,000 Template:Pct 35,776,000 33,406,061 4.9% 17,471,135 Template:Pct 15,934,926 Template:Pct 859 1,084
14 (S14) Jharkhand 39,963,000 Template:Pct 39,466,000 32,988,134 22.4% 25,055,073 Template:Pct 7,933,061 Template:Pct 414 948
15 (S15) Assam 36,047,000 Template:Pct 35,713,000 31,205,576 17.1% 26,807,034 Template:Pct 4,398,542 Template:Pct 398 958
16 (S16) Punjab 30,926,000 Template:Pct 30,730,000 27,743,338 13.89% 17,344,192 Template:Pct 10,399,146 Template:Pct 551 895
17 (S17) Chhattisgarh 30,524,000 Template:Pct 30,180,000 25,545,198 22.6% 19,607,961 Template:Pct 5,937,237 Template:Pct 189 991
18 (S18) Haryana 30,573,000 Template:Pct 30,209,000 25,351,462 19.9% 16,509,359 Template:Pct 8,842,103 Template:Pct 573 879
19 (UT1) Delhi 21,752,000 Template:Pct 21,359,000 16,787,941 21.2% 419,042 Template:Pct 16,368,899 Template:Pct 11,297 868
20 (UT2) Jammu and Kashmir 13,701,000 Template:Pct 13,603,000 12,267,032 23.6% 9,064,220 Template:Pct 3,202,812 Template:Pct 297 890
21 (S19) Uttarakhand 11,755,000 Template:Pct 11,637,000 10,086,292 18.8% 7,036,954 Template:Pct 3,049,338 Template:Pct 189 963
22 (S20) Himachal Pradesh 7,505,000 Template:Pct 7,468,000 6,864,602 12.9% 6,176,050 Template:Pct 688,552 Template:Pct 123 972
23 (S21) Tripura 4,184,000 Template:Pct 4,147,000 3,673,917 14.8% 2,712,464 Template:Pct 961,453 Template:Pct 350 960
24 (S22) Meghalaya 3,379,000 Template:Pct 3,349,000 2,966,889 27.9% 2,371,439 Template:Pct 595,450 Template:Pct 132 989
25 (S23) Manipur[lower-alpha 3] 3,253,000 Template:Pct 3,223,000 2,570,390 24.5% 1,793,875 Template:Pct 776,515 Template:Pct 122 992
26 (S24) Nagaland 2,253,000 Template:Pct 2,233,000 1,978,502 −0.6% 1,407,536 Template:Pct 570,966 Template:Pct 119 931
27 (S25) Goa 1,583,000 Template:Pct 1,575,000 1,458,545 8.2% 551,731 Template:Pct 906,814 Template:Pct 394 973
28 (S26) Arunachal Pradesh 1,576,000 Template:Pct 1,562,000 1,383,727 26.0% 1,066,358 Template:Pct 317,369 Template:Pct 17 938
29 (UT3) Puducherry 1,391,163 Template:Pct 1,646,000 1,247,953 28.1% 395,200 Template:Pct 852,753 Template:Pct 2,598 1,037
30 (S27) Mizoram 1,250,000 Template:Pct 1,238,000 1,097,206 23.5% 525,435 Template:Pct 571,771 Template:Pct 52 976
31 (UT4) Chandigarh 1,243,000 Template:Pct 1,231,000 1,055,450 17.2% 28,991 Template:Pct 1,026,459 Template:Pct 9,252 818
32 (S28) Sikkim 695,000 Template:Pct 689,000 610,577 12.9% 456,999 Template:Pct 153,578 Template:Pct 86 890
33 (UT5) Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 657,587 Template:Pct 1,263,000 585,764 55.1% 243,510 Template:Pct 342,254 Template:Pct 970 711
34 (UT6) Andaman and Nicobar Islands 404,000 Template:Pct 403,000 380,581 6.9% 237,093 Template:Pct 143,488 Template:Pct 46 876
35 (UT7) Ladakh 302,000 Template:Pct 300,000 274,000 17.8% 43,840 Template:Pct 230,160 Template:Pct 2.8 853
36 (UT8) Lakshadweep 69,000 Template:Pct 69,000 64,473 6.3% 14,141 Template:Pct 50,332 Template:Pct 2,013 946
Total India 1,399,754,750 100% 1,388,163,000 1,210,854,977 17.7% 833,463,448 68.84% 377,106,125 31.16% 382 943

Notes

  1. ↑ For determining population density of India and the State of Jammu and Kashmir, the data excludes areas claimed by India but controlled by Pakistan (78,114 km2) and China (5,180 km2 in Shaksgam Valley and 37,555 km2 under Aksai Chin and other areas).[18][19]
  2. ↑ population of caste census finished in Oct 2023 was 130,725,310[20]
  3. ↑ Excludes Mao-Maram, Paomata, and Purul sub-divisions of Senapati district of Manipur.

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "India at a Glance: Profile". Government of India. Archived from the original on 2014-02-09. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  2. ↑ "Census and you - Area And Population". 2007-12-26. Archived from the original on 26 December 2007. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
  3. ↑ "Report of the Task Force on Grasslands and Deserts" (PDF). 2011-12-10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 December 2011. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
  4. ↑ "India - General Profile, Land Use Classification and Land Use Pattern" (PDF). 2006-05-14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2006. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
  5. ↑ "Census Organisation of India". Government of India (2001). Census of India. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  6. ↑ "Brief history of census". Government of India (2001). Census of India. Archived from the original on 2013-11-13. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 "India Census 2011, Provisional Population Totals". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 2011-03-31.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Census 2011: Provisional population totals" (PDF). India Ministry of Home Affairs. 31 March 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-03 – via The Hindu.
  9. ↑ "Area and Population". Government of India (2001). Census of India. Archived from the original on 2007-12-26. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
  10. ↑ "Urban Agglomerations (UAs) & towns". Government of India (2001). Census of India. Archived from the original on 2013-11-13. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  11. ↑ Shinde, Swati (13 Sep 2008). "Migration rate to city will dip". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 2008-12-08.
  12. ↑ "Develop towns to stop migration to urban areas: economist". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Dec 3, 2005. Archived from the original on December 5, 2005. Retrieved 2008-12-08.
  13. ↑ "Migration". Government of India (2001). Census of India. Archived from the original on 2013-11-13. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
  14. ↑ "T-party today: India's 29th state Telangana is born - Times of India ►". The Times of India. 2 June 2014. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  15. ↑ "Indian states 2023 population estimates". www.main.mohfw.gov.in. 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  16. ↑ "List of states with Population, Sex Ratio and Literacy Census 2011". www.census2011.co.in. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  17. ↑ "Census 2011: Population in States and Union Territories of India". Jagranjosh.com. 2016-10-14. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  18. ↑ "J&K 2011 Population density census" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2018-12-25. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  19. ↑ "Religion PCA 2011 J&K census". Archived from the original on 2016-02-09. Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  20. ↑ "Bihar's Caste Census: A Game-Changer in Indian Politics!". 3 October 2023.

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