Introduction
Although the first census in India was conducted in 1872, it was formally initiated in 1881 during the reign of the then Viceroy Ripon. Since 1881, a regular census has been conducted every 10 years. The provisional census figures were released on March 31, 2011. The final figures were released on April 30, 2013. Final data at the state level was released on May 29, 2013. Before delving into the census scenario of Uttar Pradesh in detail, let’s consider the concepts of demography, population, and census.
Demography, Population, and Censuses : Concepts
Demography is the statistical study of populations, including their size, composition, distribution, and change over time. It is a broad field that encompasses a wide range of topics, such as fertility, mortality, migration, urbanisation, and aging.
Population refers to the total number of people living in a particular area at a given time. It is a dynamic concept, as populations can change through births, deaths, and migration.
Census is a complete count of the population of a country or territory at a specific point in time. Censuses are typically conducted every ten years, and they provide valuable information about the population, such as its size, age distribution, sex ratio, and educational level.
‘Differences’ & ‘Relations’
|
Differences between demography, population, & census | ||
| Concept | Definition | Features |
| Demography | The statistical study of populations | Focuses on the size, composition, distribution, and change of populations over time |
| Population | The total number of people living in a particular area at a given time | Dynamic concept that can change through births, deaths, and migration |
| Census | A complete count of the population of a country or territory at a specific point in time | Typically conducted every ten years, provides valuable information about the size, age |
Relation between demography, population, and census :
Another perspective on distinguishing demography, population, and census is as follows: Demography is the field dedicated to the study of populations; population refers to the actual group of individuals; and census serves as the instrument employed by demographers to investigate populations.
Examples:
- A demographer might study the trends in fertility and mortality in a country over time.
- A population analyst might track the growth of urban populations in a region.
- A census worker might count the number of people living in a particular household.
Demography, population, and census are all important concepts for understanding the human population and its dynamics. This information can be used to make informed decisions about public policy, resource allocation, and social planning.
Final Reports of UP Census : 2011
Administrative Data
In the year 2011, the 15th census was conducted in a total of 71* districts, 312 tehsils, 648 statutory towns, 267 census towns, and 106,774 villages within the state.
| UP : Administrative Data, 2011 | ||
| Administrative Unit | 2011 | Current Data |
| Total Districts | 71 | 75 |
| Total Tehsils | 312 | 351 |
| Municipal Corporation | 13 | 17 |
| Nagar Palika | 194 | 200 |
| Nagar Panchayat | 423 | 546 |
| Total cities ( Statutory towns ) | 648 | — |
| Community Development Block | 820 | 826 |
| Nyaya Panchayats | 8135 | — |
| Gram Panchayats | 51976 | 58189 |
| Inhabited Villages | 97941 | — |
| Total villages | 1.6 lakhs | — |
Total Population
- According to the 2011 census report, the state’s total population is 19,98,12,341, which is 3,36,14,420 more than the previous report (2001).
- The 2011 report shows that out of the total state population, there are 10,44,80,510 (52.29%) males and 9,53,31,831 (47.71%) females.
- Uttar Pradesh has the highest population among all states in the country, ranking fourth in terms of area after Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
- In 2001, the state’s population was 16.16% of the total country population, which increased to 16.51% in 2011. Notably, the state’s area is only 7.33% of the total country area.
- Globally, Uttar Pradesh ranks fifth in population, following China, India, America, and Indonesia. In 2001, it was at the sixth position, but during 2001-11, it surpassed Brazil in terms of population.
- The five most populous districts in the state according to the 2011 census are (in descending order): Prayagraj (59,54,351), Moradabad (47,72,006), Ghaziabad (46,81,645), Azamgarh (46,13,913), and Lucknow (45,89,838).
- According to the 2011 census, the five districts with the least population in the state (in increasing order) are: Mahoba (8,75,958), Chitrakoot (9,91,730), Hamirpur (11,04,285), Shravasti (11,17,361), and Lalitpur (12,21,592).
Population Aged 0-6
According to the 2011 report, the total population of Uttar Pradesh in the age group of 0-6 is 3,07,91,331.
According to the 2011 census, the percentage of the population in the 0-6 age group is 15.41% (3,07,91,331), whereas in 2001, it was 19.0%. Thus, compared to 2001, the proportion of the population in the age group 0-6 has decreased by 3.59%.
According to the 2011 census, the ratio of the population in the 0-6 age group in the state is higher than the national level (13.6).
The five districts with the highest population in the 0-6 age group are (in decreasing order): Prayagraj, Moradabad, Sitapur, Azamgarh, and Bareilly.
The five districts with the lowest population in the age group 0-6 (in increasing order) are Mahoba, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot, Baghpat, and Auraiya.
The highest percentage of the population in the age group 0-6 is in Bahraich (18.77%), and the lowest is in Kanpur city (11.13%).
Growth Rate
During 2001-2011, the decadal growth rate of the state’s population was 20.23%, which is higher than the national average growth rate (17.7%).
|
Comparison of decadal population growth of India and UP | ||
| Decade | India | UP |
| 1901-11 | 5.75 | -1.36 |
| 1911-21 | -0.31 | -3.16 |
| 1921-31 | 11.00 | 6.56 |
| 1931-41 | 14.22 | 13.57 |
| 1941-51 | 13.31 | 11.78 |
| 1951-61 | 21.51 | 16.38 |
| 1961-71 | 24.80 | 19.54 |
| 1971-81 | 24.60 | 25.39 |
| 1981-91 | 23.87 | 25.61 |
| 1991-01 | 21.54 | 25.85 |
| 2001-11 | 17.7 | 20.23 |
- During 2001-11, the state’s decadal growth rate declined more than the national average decadal growth rate.
- During 2001-11, the decadal growth of men and women in the state was 19.31% and 21.23%, respectively.
- In terms of decadal population growth rate, the state ranks 15th among all the states/union territories in the country.
- After independence, the highest growth rate occurred during 1991-01, and the lowest during 1951-61.
- The decadal growth rate has been steadily increasing since independence until 2001, declining since 2011. The growth rate remained almost constant during 1981-2001.
- As of 2011, the five districts with the highest decadal growth rate (in descending order) are Gautam Buddha Nagar (49.1%), Ghaziabad (41.3%), Shravasti (30.5%), Bahraich (29.3%), and Balrampur (27.7%).
- According to the 2011 data, the five districts with the lowest growth rate (in increasing order) are Kanpur Nagar (9.9%), Hamirpur (11.1%), Baghpat (11.9%), Fatehpur (14.1%), and Deoria (14.2%).
Density of Population
According to the final data of 2011, the average population density of the state is 829 persons per square kilometre, which is 447 more than the national average (382).
|
Comparison of population density of India & UP | ||
| Year | India | UP |
| 1951 | 111 | 215 |
| 1961 | 134 | 251 |
| 1971 | 173 | 300 |
| 1981 | 216 | 377 |
| 1991 | 267 | 548 |
| 2001 | 325 | 690 |
| 2011 | 382 | 829 |
- According to the 2011 data, it ranks 9th among the states/union territories of the country in terms of population density.
- During 2001-2011, the population density increased by 139 persons/sq.km.
- After independence, the highest increase (171) in population density of the state occurred during 1981–91, while the lowest increase (36) occurred during 1951–61.
- The top five districts in terms of population density (in descending order) are Ghaziabad (3971), Varanasi (2395), Lucknow (1816), Bhadohi (1555), and Kanpur City (1452).
- The districts with the lowest population density (in increasing order) are Lalitpur (242), Sonbhadra (270), Hamirpur (275), Mahoba (279), and Chitrakoot (308).
Literacy Rate
According to the 2011 data, the total literacy rate of Uttar Pradesh was 67.72%, with male literacy at 77.3% and female literacy at 57.2%.
| Year | Total Literacy Rate Of the State | Male Literacy Rate of the Sate | Female Literacy Rate of the State |
| 1951 | 12.02 | 19.17 | 4.07 |
| 1961 | 20.87 | 32.08 | 8.36 |
| 1971 | 23.99 | 35.01 | 11.23 |
| 1981 | 32.65 | 46.65 | 16.74 |
| 1991 | 40.70 | 54.82 | 24.37 |
| 2001 | 56.36 | 68.8 | 42.2 |
| 2011 | 67.7 | 77.3 | 57.2 |
- The overall literacy rate of the state is 5.3% lower than the national average.
- During 2001-2011, literacy in the state increased by 11.36%.
- In terms of average and male literacy in the country, Uttar Pradesh is ranked 29th among all the states, whereas in female literacy, it is ranked 31st.
- Uttar Pradesh is the third state in the country in terms of the growth of the literate population (57.25%).
- According to the table, the highest increase (15.65%) in the average literacy of the state occurred during 1991-2001, while the lowest increase (3.12%) occurred during 1961-71.
- According to the table, the highest increase (13.98%) in male literacy occurred during 1991-2001, and the lowest increase (2.93%) occurred during 1961-71.
- According to the table, the highest increase (17.83%) in female literacy occurred during 1991-2001, and the lowest (2.87%) increase during 1961-71.
- According to the table, the highest (30.45%) difference between female and male literacy was in 1991, and the lowest (15.1%) was in 1951.
- According to the table, the gap between male and female literacy in the state continued to increase from 1951 to 1991 but has been decreasing since 2001.
- According to 2011, the difference between male and female literacy in the state is 20.1%. The maximum difference is in Maharajganj, and the least is in Kanpur Nagar district.
- During 2001-11, female literacy increased by 15.0%, while male literacy increased by 8.48%.
- The five districts with the highest average literacy rates are (in descending order): Gautam Buddha Nagar (80.12%), Kanpur Nagar (79.65%), Auraiya (78.95%), Etawah (78.41%), Ghaziabad (78.07%).
- The five districts with the lowest average literacy rates are (in increasing order): Shravasti (46.74%), Bahraich (49.36%), Balrampur (49.51%), Badaun (51.29%), Rampur (53.34%).
- The five districts with the highest male literacy rates are (in decreasing order): Gautam Buddha Nagar (88.06%), Auraiya (86.11%), Etawah (86.06%), Ghaziabad (85.42%), Jhansi (85.38%).
- The five districts with the lowest male literacy rates are (in increasing order): Shravasti (57.16%), Bahraich (58.34%), Balrampur (59.73%), Badaun (60.98%), Rampur (61.40%).
- The five districts with the highest female literacy rates are (in decreasing order): Kanpur Nagar (75.05%), Lucknow (71.54%), Gautam Buddha Nagar (70.82%), Auraiya (70.61%), Ghaziabad (69.79%).
- The five districts with the lowest female literacy rates are (in increasing order): Shravasti (34.78%), Balrampur (38.43%), Bahraich (39.18%), Badaun (40.09%), Rampur (44.44%).
- According to 2011, the average literacy rate in rural areas of the state is 65.46%.
- According to 2011, the average literacy rate in urban areas of the state is 75.14%.
Sex Ratio
According to the 2011 data, the number of females (sex ratio) per 1000 males in the state is 912, which is 31 less than the national average (943).
| Year | INDIA | UP |
| 1951 | 946 | 908 |
| 1961 | 941 | 907 |
| 1971 | 930 | 876 |
| 1981 | 934 | 882 |
| 1991 | 927 | 876 |
| 2001 | 933 | 898 |
| 2011 | 943 | 912 |
- The sex ratio of the state improved (increased by 14) in 2011 compared to 2001 (898).
- As of 2011, the sex ratio of the state is 31 points lower than the sex ratio of the country as a whole.
- In terms of both adult sex ratio and child sex ratio, it ranks 26th among the states/union territories of the country.
- According to the 2011 data, the sex ratio of 25 districts of the state is higher than the average sex ratio of the state.
- As of 2011, the sex ratio of 15 districts of the state is higher than the sex ratio of India as a whole.
- The highest increase in the sex ratio of the state after independence occurred during 1991–2001.
- The top five districts in terms of sex ratio (in descending order) are – Jaunpur (1024), Azamgarh (1019), Deoria (1017), Pratapgarh (998), and Sultanpur (983).
- The districts with the lowest sex ratio (in increasing order) are – Gautam Buddha Nagar (851), Baghpat/Hamirpur (861), Kanpur Nagar/Banda/Mathura (863), Auraiya (864), and Jalaun (865).
- The sex ratio in the age group 0-6 was 916 in 2001, which has declined to 902 in 2011.
- During 2001-11, while the adult sex ratio has increased by 14 points, the sex ratio in the age group 0-6 has decreased by 14 points.
- As of 2011, the state’s child sex ratio is 17 points lower than the national child sex ratio.
- The five districts with the highest child sex ratio in the state (in descending order) are – Balrampur (950), Sant Kabir Nagar (942), Siddharth Nagar/Bahraich (935), Ambedkar Nagar/Barabanki (932), and Maharajganj/Faizabad (931).
- The 15 districts with the lowest child sex ratio in the state (in increasing order) are – Baghpat (841), Gautam Buddha Nagar (843), Ghaziabad (850), Meerut (852), and Bulandshahr (854).
Urban and Rural population
According to the 2011 data, out of the total population of the state (19,98,12,341), the rural population is 15,53,17,278 (77.73%), and the urban population is 4,44,95,063 (22.27%). It’s noteworthy that in 2001, out of the total population of the state (16,61,97,921), the rural population was 13,16,58,339 (79.22%), and the urban population was 3,45,39,582 (20.78%).
| Year | Urban population in total population (%) | Decadal increase in urban population (%) |
| 1971 | 14.02 | — |
| 1981 | 17.95 | 61.22 |
| 1991 | 19.89 | 38.97 |
| 2001 | 20.78 | 32.65 |
| 2011 | 22.27 | 28.82 |
- According to the 2011 data, out of a total of 915 cities in the state, there are 64 statutory cities with a population of 1 to 10 lakh, and 7 statutory cities with a population of 10 lakh or more. It is known that in 2001, out of a total of 704 cities in the state, there were 41 cities with a population of 1 to 10 lakh, and there were 6 cities with a population of more than 10 lakh.
- The urban agglomerations with a population of more than 10 lakh are as follows, in decreasing order of population: Kanpur city, Lucknow, Ghaziabad, Agra, Varanasi, Meerut, and Prayagraj.
- Cities with a population of more than 10 lakh, based on the population of the municipal corporation area only (in descending order), are: Lucknow (28,15,033), Kanpur city (27,69,413), Ghaziabad, Agra, Meerut, Varanasi, and Prayagraj.
- The number of districts with an urban population of more than 10 lakh is 12.
- Uttar Pradesh ranks first in the total rural population of the country, accounting for 18.63%.
- According to the 2011 data, in terms of the total urban population, Uttar Pradesh (4,44,95,063) ranks second after Maharashtra (5,08,18,259). Uttar Pradesh’s contribution to the total urban population of the country is 11.79%.
- In terms of the percentage of urban population in the total population of the state, Uttar Pradesh ranks 30th among the states of the country.
- According to the 2011 data, the districts with the highest and lowest rural population are Prayagraj and Gautam Buddha Nagar, respectively.
- According to the 2011 data, the districts with the highest and lowest percentage of rural population are Shravasti and Ghaziabad, respectively.
- According to the 2011 data, the districts with the highest and lowest urban population and percentage are Ghaziabad and Shravasti, respectively.
- The 5 districts with the highest urban population, in descending order, are Ghaziabad (3,162,547), Lucknow (3,038,996), Kanpur Nagar (3,015,645), Agra (2,024,195), and Meerut (1,759,182).
- The 5 districts with the minimum urban population, in increasing order, are Shravasti (38,649), Chitrakoot (96,332), Kaushambi (124,456), Sant Kabir Nagar (128,531), and Maharajganj (134,730).
- The 5 districts with the highest percentage of urban population, in descending order, are Ghaziabad (67.55%), Lucknow (66.21%), Kanpur Nagar (65.83%), Gautam Buddha Nagar (59.12%), and Meerut (51.08%).
- The 5 districts with the lowest urban population percentage, in increasing order, are Shravasti (3.46%), Kushinagar (4.72%), Maharajganj (5.02%), Sultanpur (5.26%), and Pratapgarh (5.46%).
- The 5 districts with the highest rural population, in descending order, are Prayagraj, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Sitapur, and Gorakhpur.
- The 5 districts with the minimum rural population, in increasing order, are Gautam Buddha Nagar, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot, and Baghpat.
- The 5 districts with the highest rural population percentage, in decreasing order, are Shravasti, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Sultanpur, and Pratapgarh.
- The 5 districts with the minimum rural population percentage, in increasing order, are Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Kanpur Nagar, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Meerut.
Scheduled Caste
According to the last census report of 2011, the population of Scheduled Castes in the state is 4,13,57,608, which constitutes 20.69% of the total population of the state. In contrast, the percentage of Scheduled Castes population in the entire country’s total population is 16.6%.
- Uttar Pradesh is the state with the highest Scheduled Caste population in the country, while Punjab boasts the highest percentage (31.9%). In this context, Uttar Pradesh ranks fourth with a 20.69% representation.
- The districts with the highest SC population in the state, in descending order, are Sitapur (14,46,427), Prayagraj (13,09,851), Hardoi (12,74,505), Azamgarh (11,71,378), and Kheri (10,61,782).
- Conversely, the 5 districts with the lowest SC population in the state, in increasing order, are Baghpat (1,49,060), Shravasti (1,89,334), Gautam Buddha Nagar (2,16,105), Mahoba (2,20,898), and Lalitpur (2,40,519).
- The 5 districts with the highest percentage of SC population in the state, in descending order, are Kaushambi (34.72%), Sitapur (32.26%), Hardoi (31.14%), Unnao (30.52%), and Rae Bareli (30.26%).
- Conversely, the five districts with the lowest percentage of SC population in the state, in increasing order, are Baghpat (11.44%), Bareilly (12.53%), Balrampur (12.90%), Gautam Buddha Nagar (13.11%), and Rampur (13.18%).
- As of 2011, the sex ratio among Scheduled Castes in the state is 907, an increase from the 2001 figure of 900. Notably, Azamgarh has the highest sex ratio, standing at 1021.
Scheduled Tribes
According to the 2011 census, the population of Scheduled Tribes in the state is 11,34,273, which accounts for 0.57% of the total state population. In contrast, the percentage of the ST population in India’s total population is 8.6%.
- The 5 districts in the state with the highest Scheduled Tribe population, listed in descending order, are Sonbhadra (3,85,018), Ballia (1,10,114), Deoria (1,09,894), Kushinagar (80,269), and Lalitpur (71,610).
- On the other hand, the 5 districts in the state with the lowest Scheduled Tribe population, listed in increasing order, are Baghpat (14), Kannauj (15), Badaun (58), Etah (140), and Auraiya and Kasganj (150).
- The 5 districts in the state with the highest percentage of Scheduled Tribe population, listed in decreasing order, are Sonbhadra (20.67%), Lalitpur (5.86%), Deoria (3.54%), Ballia (3.40%), and Kushinagar (2.25%).
- Conversely, the 5 districts in the state with the lowest percentage of Scheduled Tribe population, listed in increasing order, are Baghpat (0.001%), Kannauj (0.001%), Badaun (0.002%), Bulandshahr (0.006%), and Muzaffarnagar (0.008%).
- According to the 2011 census, the sex ratio among the Scheduled Tribes of the state is 951, showing an increase from the 2001 figure of 934.
Work Participation Rate
According to the 2011 census, the average work participation rate in the state is 32.9%. The work participation rate is 33.4% in rural areas and 31.2% in urban areas.
- In 2011, out of the total population of the state, only 32.9% (6,58,14,715) people are considered workers, while the remaining 67.1% are dependent.
- Among the total working population, 75.7% are men, and 24.3% are women.
- Of the total working population, 78.9% reside in rural areas, while 21.1% live in urban areas.
- Main workers constitute 67.8% of the total working population, while the remaining 32.2% are marginal workers who lack permanent employment.
- Within the total working population, 29.0% are engaged in farming, and 30.3% are agricultural workers. This means that 59.3% of the state’s workforce is employed in the agriculture sector.
- Furthermore, 5.9% of the total workers are employed in domestic industries, and 34.8% work in other sectors.
Slum Census – 2011
According to the 2011 census, the total slum population in the state is 62,39,965. Among these, 5,62,548 reside in notified slums, 46,78,326 in approved slums, and 9,99,091 in identified slums.
- In 2011, out of the total slum population (62,39,965) in the state, 32,98,339 are males, and 29,41,626 are females.
- As of 2011, the proportion of the slum population in the total population of the state is 9.5%, whereas in 2001, it was 11.0%.
- The districts with the highest slum population in the state are Meerut, Agra, Kanpur Nagar, Lucknow, and Ghaziabad.
- The literacy rate among the state’s slum population is 69%.
- In 2011, out of 648 statutory towns in the state, 293 reported having slum areas.
- The states with the highest slum population in the country are Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
- Furthermore, the states with the highest percentage of slum population in the country are Maharashtra (18.1%), Andhra Pradesh (15.6%), West Bengal (9.8%), Uttar Pradesh (9.5%), and Tamil Nadu (8.9%).
Religious Census – 2011
According to the religious census of 2011, out of the total population of the state, the highest percentage, 79.7%, follows the Hindu religion, while the lowest population adheres to Buddhism, with only 0.1%. Please refer to the table for details.
|
Religion based demographic data | |||||
| Religion | Population | Female
(%) | Percentage of total population of the state | Sex Ratio | Decadal growth
(%) |
| Hindu | 159312654 | 47.55 | 79.73 | 907 | 18.9 |
| Muslim | 38483967 | 48.37 | 19.26 | 937 | 25.2 |
| Sikh | 643500 | 46.94 | 0.32 | 885 | -5.1 |
| Christian | 356448 | 48.71 | 0.18 | 950 | 67.7 |
| Jain | 213267 | 47.96 | 0.11 | 921 | 3.0 |
| Buddhist | 206285 | 47.91 | 0.10 | 920 | -31.7 |
Planning and management of renewable and non-renewable energy resources of UP