Density of Population in India 1901-2011

Density of Population: ‘Density of Population’ is defined as the number of persons per square kilometer. In the beginning of the twentieth century i.e. in 1901 the population density of India was as low as 77 persons per sq. km. It steadily increased in each decade to reach 382 persons per sq. km. in 2011. The rate of increase in population density of India has exhibited a sharp decline during 2001-2011 (17.5 per cent) compared to 1991-2001 (21.7 per cent). With a population density of 382/km2, India ranks 31st among the most densely populated countries in the world. Even though India accounts for only 2.4% of surface area of the earth, it contributes 17.5% to the world population, which is extremely large. Where as USA, accounting for 7.2% of the earth’s surface area, contributes only 4.5% to the world population. The table given below will provide population densities of India and its different states and union territories:

Population Density of India
Serial No.	India/ States/UT	2001	2011
-	INDIA	324	382
1	Jammu and Kashmir	99	56
2	Himachal Pradesh	109	123
3	Punjab	482	550
4	Chandigarh (UT)	7903	9252
5	Uttaranchal	159	189
6	Haryana	477	573
7	Delhi (UT)	9294	9340
8	Rajasthan	165	201
9	Uttar Pradesh	689	828
10	Bihar	880	1102
11	Sikkim	76	86
12	Arunachal Pradesh	13	17
13	Nagaland	120	119
14	Manipur	107	122
15	Mizoram	42	52
16	Tripura	304	350
17	Meghalaya	103	132
18	Assam	340	397
19	West Bengal	904	1030
20	Jharkhand	338	414
21	Orissa	236	269
22	Chhatisgarh	154	189
23	Madhya Pradesh	196	236
24	Gujarat	258	308
25	Daman & Diu (UT)	1411	112
26	Dadra & Nagar Haveli (UT)	449	491
27	Maharashtra	314	365
28	Andhra Pradesh	275	308
29	Karnataka	275	319
30	Goa	363	394
31	Lakshadweep (UT)	1894	2013
32	Kerala	819	859
33	Tamil Nadu	478	555
34	Pondicherry (UT)	2029	2598
35	Andaman & Nicobar Islands (UT)	43	46

The following is a list of the Top Ten Most Densely Populated States of India. Bihar tops the list followed by West Bengal & Kerala.

S.No.	States	Population Density per square km
1	Bihar	1,102.4
2	West Bengal	1,029.2
3	Kerala	859.1
4	Uttar Pradesh	689
5	Haryana	573.4
6	Tamil Nadu	554.7
7	Punjab	550.1
8	Jharkhand	441.5
9	Assam	396.8
10	Goa	393.8

Bihar has the maximum density of population among the Indian states and the Union Territory with the highest population density is Delhi.

Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands have the lowest population densities among the Indian states and union territories respectively.

Population Density of India in a chronological order
Year	Density of population per sq km
1901	77
1911	82
1921	81
1931	90
1941	103
1951	117
1961	142
1971	177
1981	216
1991	274
2001	324
2011	382

# - Union TerritoriesSource: Family Welfare Statistics in India - 2011 & CensusIndia.gov

• << Injury Related Deaths in India
• Statistics of Suicide in India >>