Master10
Census, Population & Demographics Module

Population Growth, Density & Sex Ratio

Demographic dynamics in India are characterized by shifting population totals, declining decadal growth rates, spatial density variations, and evolving sex ratios. In Census 2011, India's total population stood at 1.21 billion, registering a decadal growth rate of 17.7% between 2001 and 2011. National population density increased to 382 persons per square kilometer, with Bihar ranking highest among states (1,106 persons/km²) and Arunachal Pradesh lowest (17 persons/km²). The national sex ratio improved to 943 females per 1,000 males, whereas the child sex ratio (0-6 years) dropped to 919. Examining these trends illustrates the stages of India's demographic transition.

Key Concepts & Examination Highlights

  • The year 1921 is known as the 'Year of the Great Divide' in Indian demographic history, after which India's population grew continuously without negative growth.
  • According to Census 2011, India's population density is 382 persons per square kilometre; Bihar is the most densely populated state (1,106 persons/km²), while Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest density (17 persons/km²).
  • The overall sex ratio of India in Census 2011 was 943 females per 1,000 males; Kerala recorded the highest sex ratio (1,084), while Haryana recorded the lowest among states (879).
  • The decadal population growth rate of India during 2001-2011 was 17.70%; Meghalaya recorded the highest decadal growth rate (27.95%), whereas Nagaland recorded negative growth (-0.58%).
  • The decadal population growth rate of India during 2001–2011 was 17.70%, declining from 21.54% registered during 1991–2001.
  • Meghalaya registered the highest decadal population growth rate among states at 27.95% during 2001–2011, followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 26.03%.
  • Nagaland was the only Indian state to record a negative decadal population growth rate (-0.58%) during the 2001–2011 census period.
  • Among Union Territories, the National Capital Territory of Delhi had the highest population density with 11,320 persons per sq km in Census 2011.
  • The Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) in India declined from 927 females per 1,000 males in 2001 to 918 in Census 2011.
  • Arunachal Pradesh recorded the highest Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) among states at 972 in Census 2011, while Haryana recorded the lowest at 834.
  • Daman and Diu recorded the lowest sex ratio among all Union Territories at 618 females per 1,000 males in Census 2011, while Puducherry recorded the highest at 1,037.
  • Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India with a population of 199.8 million (16.51% of India's total), while Sikkim is the least populous state with 610,577 persons (Census 2011).
  • India accounts for 2.4% of the world's total surface land area while supporting approximately 17.5% of the global human population according to Census 2011.
  • The second most populous state in India is Maharashtra (112.37 million), followed by Bihar (104.10 million) and West Bengal (91.28 million).
  • Lakshadweep is the least populous Union Territory in India with a population of 64,473 persons according to Census 2011.
  • West Bengal was the second most densely populated state in Census 2011 with 1,028 persons per square kilometre, having previously held the top spot in 2001.
  • Dibang Valley district in Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest population density among all districts in India, with only 1 person per square kilometre.
  • North East Delhi district holds the record for the highest population density in India, with 36,155 persons per square kilometre in Census 2011.
  • Thane district in Maharashtra was the most populous district in India in Census 2011 with a population of 11.06 million (before its bifurcation into Thane and Palghar in 2014).
  • Tamil Nadu recorded the second-highest sex ratio among major Indian states in Census 2011 at 996 females per 1,000 males, followed by Andhra Pradesh at 993.
  • Mahe district in Puducherry recorded the highest sex ratio among all districts in India at 1,184 females per 1,000 males in Census 2011.
  • Daman district recorded the lowest sex ratio among all districts in India at 534 females per 1,000 males in Census 2011.
  • Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in India declined to 2.0 children per woman according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019–21), dropping below the replacement level of 2.1.
  • The proportion of the child population aged 0–6 years to India's total population declined from 15.93% in 2001 to 13.59% in 2011, reflecting fertility decline.
  • India's urban population in Census 2011 stood at 377.1 million (31.16% of total population), while the rural population accounted for 833.5 million (68.84%).
  • The total population of India recorded in Census 2011 was 1,210,854,977 (approximately 1.21 billion), comprising 623.2 million males (51.54%) and 587.6 million females (48.46%).
  • India represented approximately 17.5% of the total world population in Census 2011, residing on 2.4% of the world's total land surface area.
  • The decadal growth rate of India's population during 2001-2011 was 17.70%, declining from 21.54% recorded during the 1991-2001 census decade.
  • The absolute increase in India's population during the decade 2001-2011 was 181.96 million persons, slightly less than the entire population of Brazil.
  • The 1921 Census is historically designated as the 'Year of the Great Divide' in Indian demographic history, being the only census decade (1911-1921) that recorded a negative population growth rate of -0.31%.
  • The negative population growth in 1911-1921 was caused by the catastrophic 1918 Spanish Influenza pandemic (which killed an estimated 12-14 million Indians), coupled with severe famines and plague epidemics.
  • Nagaland was the only state in India that recorded a negative decadal population growth rate of -0.58% during the 2001-2011 census decade.
  • Meghalaya recorded the highest decadal population growth rate among all states in Census 2011 at 27.95%, followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 26.03% and Bihar at 25.42%.
  • Among all Indian states (excluding negative growth in Nagaland), Kerala recorded the lowest decadal population growth rate during 2001-2011 at 4.91%, followed by Goa at 8.23% and Andhra Pradesh at 10.98%.
  • Dadra and Nagar Haveli recorded the highest decadal growth rate among all Union Territories between 2001 and 2011 at 55.88%, followed by Daman and Diu at 53.76%.
  • The population density of India in Census 2011 was 382 persons per square kilometre, an increase of 57 persons per sq km from 325 persons per sq km in 2001.
  • Bihar is the most densely populated state in India according to Census 2011, with a density of 1,106 persons per square kilometre, surpassing West Bengal (1,028 persons/sq km).
  • Kerala ranked as the third most densely populated state in 2011 with 860 persons per sq km, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 829 persons per sq km.
  • Arunachal Pradesh recorded the lowest population density among all states in India in Census 2011 at just 17 persons per square kilometre.
  • Mizoram recorded the second-lowest population density among states in 2011 at 52 persons per sq km, followed by Sikkim at 86 persons per sq km.
  • The National Capital Territory of Delhi is the most densely populated administrative unit in India, with a population density of 11,320 persons per square kilometre in Census 2011.
  • Chandigarh recorded the second-highest population density among Union Territories in 2011 at 9,258 persons per sq km, while Andaman and Nicobar Islands had the lowest UT density at 46 persons per sq km.
  • The overall Sex Ratio of India in Census 2011 was 943 females per 1,000 males, an improvement of 10 points over the 2001 figure of 933 females per 1,000 males.
  • Kerala recorded the highest sex ratio among all Indian states in Census 2011 with 1,084 females per 1,000 males, remaining the only major state with a female surplus.
  • Tamil Nadu recorded the second-highest sex ratio among states in 2011 at 996 females per 1,000 males, followed by Andhra Pradesh (993), Chhattisgarh (991), and Meghalaya (989).
  • Haryana recorded the lowest sex ratio among all Indian states in Census 2011 at 879 females per 1,000 males, followed by Jammu and Kashmir at 889 and Sikkim at 890.
  • Among Union Territories, Puducherry recorded the highest sex ratio in Census 2011 at 1,037 females per 1,000 males, while Daman and Diu recorded the lowest sex ratio in India at 618 females per 1,000 males.
  • The Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years) in India dropped to 919 girls per 1,000 boys in Census 2011 from 927 in 2001, with Mizoram (970) having the highest and Haryana (834) having the lowest ratio.
  • According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5, 2019-21), India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) declined to 2.0 children per woman, falling below the replacement level fertility rate of 2.1.
  • Thane district in Maharashtra was the most populous district in India in Census 2011 with 11.06 million residents (prior to its bifurcation into Palghar in 2014), while Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh was the least populous district with 7,948 residents.
Curriculum & Reference Sources: Census of India 2011 (Registrar General of India), United Nations Population Division, and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Sample Solved Questions & Concept Explanations

8 Verified Concept Questions
Q1.HARD

Which decade in the history of Indian Census is known as the 'Year of the Great Divide' because it was the only census year to register a negative population growth rate (-0.31%) due to the influenza pandemic and famines?

Q2.EASY

Which Indian state was recorded as the most populous state in the 2011 Census with nearly 199.8 million inhabitants?

Q3.EASY

Which state was recorded as the least populous state in India in the 2011 Census with a population of just over 610,000?

Q4.EASY

Which Union Territory was recorded as the most populous UT in India in Census 2011 with over 16.7 million residents?

Q5.EASY

Which was the least populous Union Territory in India according to Census 2011 with 64,473 inhabitants?

Q6.EASY

What was the total population of India recorded in the 2011 Census?

Q7.EASY

What was the overall sex ratio (females per 1,000 males) recorded in India in Census 2011?

Q8.EASY

Which state recorded the highest sex ratio (1,084 females per 1,000 males) in India in the 2011 Census?