Population in India

India covers a total geographical territory of 3,287,240 sq km (1,269,210 sq miles) and according to the census conducted in 2011, the population of India is 1,210,193,422, which makes it the 2nd most populated country in the world.

Over the past 10 years or so, the population of India increased at a rate of 1.76% per year. This dropped from 2.13% per year in the last decade of 1991 to 2001. As per the 2011 census, the human sex ratio in the country is 940:1,000 (female: male), and this ratio is the lowest after the country achieved its independence in 1947.

Some important facts about the population of India

In the census conducted in 2001, the average age of the country was 24.9. Advancements in the healthcare industry over the past five decades together with higher farming output due to the Green Revolution have led the population of the country to rise at a fast pace.

Since 1991 to 2001, the percentage of the population of the country inhabiting the metropolitan regions has also gone up, rising by 31.2%. In spite of this fact, more than 70% of the population of the country still resides in the village regions or countrysides. As laid down by the census conducted in 2001, the country is home to 27 million-plus cities or cities that have a population of 1 million (1000000). Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata are the largest cities in the country.

India is home to around one sixth of the entire population of the world. Housing 17.5% of the population of the world, the country is expected to become the most populated country in the world by the year 2025.

With its population surpassing 1.6 billion by the year 2050, the population of India is projected to exceed China. The growth rate of Indian population is 1.41%, holding the 93rd position in the world.

India is home to a diverse population and there significant differences among the various communities in terms of education, income, and culture. Only the African continent surpasses India in terms of genetic, linguistic, and cultural variety.

Over 50% of the population of India is aged under 25 and over 65% of the population of India is aged under 35. It is anticipated that the median age of an Indian citizen will be 29 years in 2020, in comparison to 48 for Japan and 37 for China; and, the dependency ratio of India by 2030 would be only more than 0.4.

Religion and ethnicity

India is home to over 2,000 ethnic communities and each important religion is represented similarly like four important groups of languages (Dravidian, Indo-European, Tibeto-Burman, and Austro-Asiatic languages) together with two separate languages (the Burushaski language used in areas of Jammu and Kashmir and the Nihali language used in areas of Maharashtra).

The Constitution of India distinguishes 212 listed ethnic communities, which collectively form around 7.5% of the population of India. The census conducted in 2001 mentioned that Hinduism is the faith in the country, which has the biggest number of devotees. More than 800 million Hindus live in India and they represent 80.5% of the population of the country. There are also people belonging to other faiths and communities such as Christians (2.3%), Muslims (13.4%), Buddhists (0.8%), Sikhs (1.9%), Jains (0.4%), Zoroastrians, Jews, and followers of the Baha'i faith. The country houses the third-largest Muslim population in the world. It is also home to the biggest number of Muslim inhabitants for a non-Muslim majority nation.

Significant aspects of the population of India

• India covers 2.4% of the land territory of the world and represents more than 17.5% of the population of the world.
• The country houses more productive farming land area as compared to any nation barring the United States. The country also houses more water bodies as compared to any other nation barring the United States and Canada.
• The lifestyle of Indian people typically is dependent on farming and associated operations in tiny villages. The major part of the Indian population inhabits these rural areas.
• According to the census of 2001, 72.2% of the Indian population stays in around 638,000 villages. Rest of the population (27.8%) inhabits over 380 metropolitan cities and 5,100 town areas.

Other interesting facts about the population of India

Age structure

• 0-14 years - 31.1% (male 190,075,426 and female 172,799,553)
• 15-64 years - 63.6% (male 381,446,079 and female 359,802,209)
• 65 and above - 5.3% (male 29,364,920 and female 32,591,030)

All figures are based on 2009 estimates.

Sex ratio

At birth - 1.12 male(s)/female

Under 15 - 1.10 male(s)/female

15-64 years - 1.06 male(s)/female

65 and above - 0.90 male(s)/female

All figures are based on 2009 estimates.

Death rate - 6.4 deaths/1,000 (As per 2009 estimates)

Birth rate - 22.22 births/1,000 (As per 2009 estimates)

Life expectancy - 69.89 years (As per 2009 estimates)

Male - 67.46 years

Female - 72.61 years

Infant mortality rate - 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births (As per 2009 estimates)

Fertility rate - 2.68 childbirths/woman (As per 2010 estimates)