At
00.00 hours of 1st March, 2001 the population of India stood at
1027,015,247 comprising of 531,277,078 males and 495,738,169
females. Thus, India becomes the second country in the world
after China to cross the one billion mark.
India added about 181 million persons
between 1991-2001, which is more than the estimated population
of Brazil, the fifth most populous country in the world. India’s
share of the world population is 16.7 percent. The percentage
decadal growth of the country as a whole has declined from 23.86
during 1981-1991 to 21.34 during 1991-2001. Thus, India has
registered a fall in its decadal growth rate by 2.52 percent
points, which is the sharpest decline since independence. Among
the major states Bihar has recorded the highest increase in the
percentage decadal growth from 28.47 during 1981-91 to 28.43
during 1991-2001. During 1991-2001, the lowest growth rate was
recorded in Kerala 9.42 percent followed by Tamil Nadu (11.19)
and Andhra Pradesh (13.86). Andhra Pradesh has shown the
sharpest decline among all the major states (10.34 percent). The
average annual exponential growth rate has declined from 2.14
percent in 1981-91 to 1.93 percent during 1991-2001.
Uttar Pradesh continues to be the most
populous state in the country with 16.17 percent of India’s
population followed by Maharashtra (9.42 percent) and Bihar
(8.07 percent). In fact the population of Uttar Pradesh (166
million) is more than the estimated population of Pakistan. It
would be interesting to note that almost two third of India’s
population lives in States and Union territories which show
decline in growth rate during the decade 1991-2001 as compared
to the previous decade.
India now has 57 more
persons per sq.km. as compared to 1991. West Bengal is the most
densely populated state in the country with 904 persons living
per sq.km. followed by Bihar with 880. Sex ratio (the number of
females per 1000 males) for India is 933 females per 1000 males,
which is an improvement of 6 points over 927 recorded in 1991
Census. Like the 1991 Census, the highest sex ratio (1058) has
been reported in Kerala. Haryana has reported the lowest sex
ratio of 861 among the major states. One of the interesting fact
that has emerged, is that the sex ratio of child population in
age group 0-6 is 927. The child sex ratio in 1991 was 945. The
sharpest decline in sex ratio of the child population has been
observed in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat,
Uttranchal, Maharashtra and Union territory of Chandigarh.
The literacy rates among the population
seven years and above for the country stands at 65.38 percent.
The corresponding figures for males and females are 75.85 and
54.16 percent respectively. In other words three-fourths of the
male population and more than half of the female population in
the country are literate today.
Thus, the literacy
recorded an impressive jump of 13.17 percentage points from
52.21 in 1991 to 65.38 in 2001. The increase of literacy rates
among males and females are 11.72 and 14.87 percentage point
respectively. It is heartening to observe that the gap in males
and females literacy rates has decreased from 28.84 in 1991
Census to 21.70 percentage point in 2001.
One of the most
significant aspects of literacy data thrown up by the
Provisional Population Totals of Census of India, 2001, is that
for the first time since independence the absolute number of
illiterates have shown a decline. The decline is as large as
31.96 million during 1991-2001. This decline among males was
21.45 million and 10.51 million among females.
Kerala continues its
lead in the literacy race with 90.92 percent followed by Mizoram
88.49 and Lakshadweep 87.52 percent. Bihar has recorded the
lowest literacy rate of 47.53 percent in the country.
POPULATION OF INDIA
Persons 1,027,015,247
Males 531,277,078
Females 495,738,169
DECADAL POPULATION GROWTH 1991-2001
Absolute Percentage
Persons 180,627,359 21.34
Males 91,944,020 20.93
Females 88,683,339 21.79
DENSITY OF POPULATION (per sq km) 324
SEX RATIO (females per 1,000 males) 933
POPULATION IN THE AGE
GROUP 0-6 Absolute Percentage to total population
Persons 157,863,145 15.42
Males 81,911,041 15.47
Females 75,952,104 15.36
LITERATES Absolute Percentage to total population
Persons
566,714,995 65.38
Males 339,969,048 75.85
Females 226,745,947 54.16
Nots:
1.The population of
India includes the estimated population of entire Kachchh
district, Morvi, Maliya-Miyana and Wankaner talukas of Rajkot
district, Jodiya taluka of Jamanagar district of Gujarat State
and entire Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh where population
enumeration of Census of India 2001 could not be conducted due
to natural calamities.
2.For working out
density of India, the entire area and population of those
portions of Jammu and Kashmir which are under illegal occupation
of Pakistan and China have not been taken into account.
3.Figures shown against
‘Population in the age-group 0-6’ and ‘Literates’ do not include
the figures of entire Kachchh district, Morvi, Maliya-Miyana and
Wankaner talukas of Rajkot district, Jodiya taluka of Jamanagar
district and entire Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh where
population enumeration of Census of India 2001 could not be
conducted due to natural calamities.
Copy Right: Registrar General of India, Government of India