COUNTRIES & REGIONS

Demographics of India
 Table of Contents

01 Overview Crude birth rate in India 2012-2022 21

Fertility rate in India 2012-2022 22
Development of the world population until 2050 04
Life expectancy in India 2022 23
Total population of India 2029 05
Death rate in India 2022 24
Population density in India 2011-2021 06
Literacy rate in India 1981-2022, by gender 07
05 Income and expenditure
Share of population by caste identity India 2019-2021 08
Population in India 2011-2019, by income tier 26

02 Age and gender Rate of labor participation across India 2023 27

Unemployment rate in India 2023 28
Age distribution in India 2012-2022 10
Households by annual income India FY 2021 29
Median age of the population in India 2100 11
Annual household consumption expenditure in India 2013-2022 30
Population distribution in India 2020, by gender and age group 12
Gender ratio in India 2018-2020, by region 13
06 Urbanization
India's gender ratio 2018-20, by state 14
Urbanization in India 2023 32

03 Households Rural and urban population in India 2018-2022 33

Rural-urban migration rate in India 2020-2021, by gender 34
Number of households in India 2011, by region 16
Largest cities in India 2023 35
Distribution of households in India 2019-2021, by size 17
Household distribution in India 2019-2021 by structure 18
07 External migration
Number of households in India 2021-2047, by income class 19
Number of emigrants and immigrants in India 1995-2020 37

04 Fertility and mortality Number of Indian students emigrated abroad 2016-2023 38

1
 Table of Contents

Number of work emigrants India 2020-2022 39

Number of Indians renouncing citizenship India 2011-2023 40

2
CHAPTER 01

Overview
 Development of the world population from 1950 to 2050 (in billions)
Development of the world population until 2050

12

10 9.74
9.48
9.2
8.89
8.55
World population in billions

8.18
8 7.79
7.38
6.96
6.54
6.14
6 5.74
5.33
4.87
4.46
4.08
4 3.7
3.34
3.03
2.54 2.77

0
1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050

4 Description: The statistic shows the development of the world population from 1950 to 2050. The world population was around 7.38 billion people in 2015. Read more
Note(s): Worldwide
Source(s): United Nations
 India: Estimated total population from 2019 to 2029 (in millions)
Total population of India 2029

1,600
1,479.58 1,491.67 1,503.47
1,441.72 1,454.61 1,467.23
1,407.56 1,417.17 1,428.63
1,383.11 1,396.39
1,400

1,200
Inhabitants in millions

1,000

800

600

400

200

0
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029

5 Description: The statistic shows the total population of India from 2019 to 2029. In 2023, the estimated total population in India amounted to approximately 1.43 billion people. Read more
Note(s): India
Source(s): IMF
 India: Population density from 2011 to 2021 (inhabitants per square
kilometer)
Population density in India 2011-2021

500
465.19 469.66 473.42
455.47 460.45
444.93 450.24
450 434.26 439.68
422.99 428.66

400
Inhabitants per square kilometer

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

6 Description: In 2021, the population density in India remained nearly unchanged at around 473.42 inhabitants per square kilometer. Nevertheless, 2021 still represents a peak in the population density in India with 473.42 inhabitants per
square kilometer. Read more
Note(s): 2011 to 2021
Source(s): World Bank
 India: Literacy rate from 1981 to 2022, by gender
Literacy rate in India 1981-2022, by gender

Overall Men Women

90%
83.45%
80% 75.19% 76.32%
73.41%
69.3% 69.1%
70%
61.64% 61.01% 62.75%
59.28%
60% 54.84%
50.82%
Literacy rate

50% 48.22% 47.84%

40.76%
40%
33.73%
30% 25.68%

20%

10%

0%
1981 1991 2001 2006 2011* 2022

7 Description: Literacy in India has been increasing as more and more people receive a better education, but it is still far from all-encompassing. In 2022, the degree of literacy in India was about 76.32 percent, with the majority of literate Indians
being men. It is estimated that the global literacy rate for people aged 15 and above is about 86 percent. How to read a literacy rateIn order to identify potential for intellectual and educational progress, the literacy rate of a country covers the level
of education [...] Read more
Note(s): Asia, India; 1981 to 2022; 15 years and above; *The source does not provide any data for men for the year 2011. Values have been rounded. Read more
Source(s): World Bank
 Share of Indian population between 2019 and 2021, based on caste
identity
Share of population by caste identity India 2019-2021

45%
42%

40%

35%

30%
Share of population

25%
22% 22%

20%

15%

10%
10%

5%
5%

0%
Other backward class Other general category Scheduled caste Scheduled tribe No caste/tribe

8 Description: The population of India is divided into several groups based on social, educational, and financial statuses. The formation of these groups is a result of the historical social structure of the country. Between 2019 and 2021, Other
Backward Class (OBC) constituted the largest part of Indian households accounting for about 42 percent. On the other hand, Schedule Tribes formed about ten percent of households. Read more
Note(s): India; 2019 to 2021
Source(s): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India); Pew Research Center
CHAPTER 02

Age and gender

 India: Age distribution from 2012 to 2022
Age distribution in India 2012-2022

0-14 years 15-64 years 65 years +

100%
5.22% 5.32% 5.46% 5.64% 5.84% 6.04% 6.25% 6.47% 6.67% 6.8% 6.9%
90%

80%
Share of the population

70%
64.7% 65.06% 65.4% 65.73% 66.05% 66.36% 66.66%
60% 66.93% 67.22% 67.51% 67.8%

50%

40%

30%

20%
30.08% 29.62% 29.14% 28.63% 28.12% 27.6% 27.09% 26.59% 26.11% 25.69% 25.31%
10%

0%
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

10 Description: This statistic depicts the age distribution of India from 2012 to 2022. In 2022, about 25.31 percent of the Indian population fell into the 0-14 year category, 67.8 percent into the 15-64 age group and 6.9 percent were over 65
years of age. Read more
Note(s):
Source(s): World Bank
 India: Average age of the population from 1950 to 2100 (median age in
years)
Median age of the population in India 2100

60

50 46.9 47.8
45.5
43.6
41.3
40 38.3
Median age in years

34.7
30.8
30 27
23.6
20 21.2
19.2 18.9 19.7
20 18.1

10

0
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
9 50 955 960 965 970 975 980 985 990 995 000 005 010 015 020 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 21

11 Description: The median age in India was 27 years old in 2020, meaning half the population was older than that, half younger. This figure was lowest in 1970, at 18.1 years, and was projected to increase to 47.8 years old by 2100. Aging in India
India has the second largest population in the world, after China. Because of the significant population growth of the past years, the age distribution remains skewed in favor of the younger age bracket. This tells a story of rapid population growth,
but also of a [...] Read more
Note(s): India; 1950 to 2024
Source(s): United Nations
 Population distribution in India in 2020, by gender and age group
Population distribution in India 2020, by gender and age group

Male Female

80%

69.7% 70.3%
70%

60%
Population share

50%

40%

30%
25.4% 24.3%

20%

10%
4.9% 5.4%

0%
0-14 15-64 65+

12 Description: The growth in India's overall population is driven by its young population. Nearly 70 percent of the country's population was between the ages of 15 and 64 years old in 2020. With over 600 million people between 18 and 35
years old, India had the largest number of millennials and Gen Zs globally. Read more
Note(s): India; 2020
Source(s): Indian Census
 Gender ratio in India between 2018 and 2020, by region (women per
1,000 men)
Gender ratio in India 2018-2020, by region

1,000
907 910 907
900

800
Women per thousand men

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0
Rural Urban Total

13 Description: Between 2018 to 2020, India recorded a gender ratio of approximately 907 women to every one thousand men. Rural areas saw a lower gender ratio in comparison, with 907 women for every 1,000 men during the same time
period. Read more
Note(s): India; 2018 to 2020
Source(s): NFHS
 Gender ratio in India between 2018 and 2020, by state
India's gender ratio 2018-20, by state

Gender ratio
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200
Kerala 974

Chhattisgarh 958

Himachal Pradesh 950

West Bengal 936

Andhra Pradesh 926

Odisha 925

Assam 923

Jammu & Kashmir 921

Madhya Pradesh 919

Tamil Nadu 917

Karnataka 916

Jharkhand 914

Rajasthan 911

Uttar Pradesh 905

Punjab 897

14 Description: The southern state of Kerala had the highest gender ratio based on registered births, with 974 females per 1,000 males between 2018 and 2020. In contrast, Uttarakhand had a gender ratio of 844 females for every 1,000 males.
India's average gender ratio was 907 during the measured time period. Read more
Note(s): India; 2018 to 2020
Source(s): Indian Census
CHAPTER 03

Households
 Number of households across India in 2011, by region (in millions)
Number of households in India 2011, by region

300

249.5
250
Number of households in millions

200
168.61

150

100
80.89

50

0
Rural Urban Total

16 Description: In 2011, there were over 249 million households across the south east Asian country of India. Furthermore, there were about 169 million households in the urban regions of the country and over 80 million households in the rural
regions. Read more
Note(s): India; 2011
Source(s): Indian Census
 Distribution of households in India from 2019 to 2021, by number of
residents
Distribution of households in India 2019-2021, by size

25%
23.1%

20%
17.6%
16.7%
Share of households

15%
13.6%

11.3%

10%

5.7%
4.8%
5% 4%
3%

0%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 or more

17 Description: Most households in India between 2019 and 2021 had between three and five people. The number of four-people households accounted for over 23 percent during the survey period. Interestingly, about four percent reported nine
or more people in one household. Rural areas had a higher share of households with five or more members. Read more
Note(s): India; 2019 to 2021
Source(s): Indian Census
 Household distribution across urban and rural India from 2019 to 2021,
by structure
Household distribution in India 2019-2021 by structure

Nuclear Non-nuclear

70%

61.3%
60% 58.2%
56.7%

50%
Share of households

43.3%
41.8%
40% 38.7%

30%

20%

10%

0%
Rural Urban Total

18 Description: According to a national survey between 2019 and 2021, a majority of households across India lived in nuclear setups, amounting to over 58 percent across the country. This was more prominent in urban areas as compared to
rural India. Read more
Note(s): India; 2019 to 2021; According to the source, nuclear households are households comprised of a married couple or a man or a woman living alone.
Source(s): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India)
 Number of households in India during financial year 2016 and 2021, with
projections for 2031 and 2047, by income class (in millions)
Number of households in India 2021-2047, by income class

FY 2016 FY 2021 FY 2031* FY 2047*

250

200
Number of households in millions

150

100

50

0
Less than 125,000 INR- 500,000 INR- 1.5 million INR- 3 million INR-5 5 million INR- 10 million INR- More than 20
125000 INR 500,000 INR 1.5 million INR 3 million INR million INR 10 million INR 20 million INR million INR
(Destiute) (Aspirers) (Seekers) (Strivers) (Near rich) (Clear rich) (Sheer rich) (Super rich)

19 Description: In the financial year 2021, the number of super-rich households earning more than 20 million Indian rupees went up to 1.81 million from 1.06 million in the financial year 2016. This was an annual growth of 11.3 percent. The number is expected to grow to
over nine million in the financial year 2031 and 32 million households in the financial year 2047. This will be the fastest growth across all income categories. On the other hand, destitute classified Indian households with earnings of less [...] Read more
Note(s): India; FY 2016 and FY 2021; the latest survey is based on 40,000 households from 25 Indian states.; *Projections. India's financial year begins in April and ends in March. For example, FY 2022 started in April 2021 and ended in March 2022. [...] Read more
Source(s): Business Standard; PRICE
CHAPTER 04

Fertility and mortality

 India: Birth rate from 2012 to 2022 (per 1,000 inhabitants)
Crude birth rate in India 2012-2022

25

20.42
19.93
20
Birth rate per thousand population

19.05 18.76 18.51

17.91 17.65
17.05
16.57 16.42 16.27

15

10

0
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

21 Description: The crude birth rate in India saw no significant changes in 2022 in comparison to the previous year 2021 and remained at around 16.27 live births per 1,000 inhabitants. Yet 2022 saw the lowest rate in India with 16.27 live births
per 1,000 inhabitants. Read more
Note(s): India; 2012 to 2022; crude birth rate
Source(s): World Bank
 Fertility rate across India from 2012 to 2022 (number of children born per
woman)
Fertility rate in India 2012-2022

3.0

2.47
2.5 2.41
Number of children born per woman

2.31 2.29 2.27

2.2 2.18
2.11
2.05 2.03 2.01
2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

22 Description: In 2022, the total fertility rate in India remained nearly unchanged at around 2.01 children per woman. Yet 2022 saw the lowest fertility rate in India with 2.01 children per woman. Read more
Note(s): India; 2012 to 2022
Source(s): World Bank
 India: Life expectancy at birth from 2012 to 2022 (in years)
Life expectancy in India 2022

80

69.64 70.12 70.47 70.71 70.91 70.15

67.89 68.46 69.07 67.74
70 67.24
Life expectancy at birth in years

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

23 Description: The statistic shows the life expectancy at birth in India from 2012 to 2022. The average life expectancy at birth in India in 2022 was 67.74 years. Standard of living in India India is one of the so-called BRIC countries, an acronym which
stands for Brazil, Russia, India and China, the four states considered the major emerging market countries. They are all in a similar advanced economic state and are expected to advance even further. India is also among the twenty leading countries
with the [...] Read more
Note(s): India
Source(s): World Bank
 India: Death rate from 2012 to 2022 (in deaths per 1,000 inhabitants)
Death rate in India 2022

10
9.45
9.07
9

8
7.35
Deaths per 1,000 inhabitants

7.12 6.96
7 6.79 6.67 6.6 6.64 6.71
6.59

0
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

24 Description: The death rate in India decreased by 0.4 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (-4.23 percent) compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the last two years recorded a significantly higher death rate than the preceding years.
Read more
Note(s): India; 2012 to 2022
Source(s): World Bank
CHAPTER 05

Income and expenditure

 Population in India in 2011 and 2019, by income tier (in millions)
Population in India 2011-2019, by income tier

2011 2019

1,400

1,179
1,200

1,000
Population in millions

873

800

600

400 340

200
87 78
1 3 7 20 29
0
High income Upper middle Middle Low income Poor

26 Description: Over a billion Indians were classified under low income in 2019, from only 873 million in 2011. The change meant that between 2011 and 2019, about 262 million Indians saw an increase in their standard of living, from poor to
low income. Read more
Note(s): India; 2011 to 2019; figures expressed in 2011 purchasing power parities in 2011 prices
Source(s): Pew Research Center; World Bank
 Rate of labor force participation (LFPR) across rural and urban India in
2023
Rate of labor participation across India 2023

70%

60%

50%
Labor Participation Rate

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
Urban Rural All India

27 Description: In 2023, the labor force participation rate (LFPR) in urban areas increased to 50.4 percent, higher than previous year but still lower than in the rural areas. Read more
Note(s): India; July 2022 to June 2023; 1,81,049 in rural areas and 1,39,211 in urban areas; 15+; PLFS survey
Source(s): MOSPI
 India: Unemployment rate from 1999 to 2023
Unemployment rate in India 2023

9.5%

8.7%8.63%
8.53% 8.54%
8.36% 8.38%
8.35% 8.32%
8.5% 8.22%
8.16%
8.1% 8.09%
7.99%
7.96% 7.89%7.8% 7.86%
7.77%
7.71% 7.72%
7.65%
7.5%
Unemployment rate

6.51%
6.38%
6.5%

5.5%
4.82%

4.5% 4.17%

3.5%
1999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023

28 Description: The statistic shows the unemployment rate in India from 1999 to 2023. In 2023, the unemployment rate in India was estimated to be 4.17 percent. India's economy in comparison to other BRIC states India possesses one of the fastest-
growing economies in the world and as a result, India is recognized as one of the G-20 major economies as well as a member of the BRIC countries, an association that is made up of rapidly growing economies. As well as India, three other countries,
[...] Read more
Note(s): India
Source(s): World Bank
 Share of households by gross annual income across India in financial year
2021
Households by annual income India FY 2021

60%
52%
50%

40%
30%
30%

20% 15%
Share of housholds

10%
3%
0%
R) R) R) R)
IN IN IN IN
n n 00 00
io io
ill ill 0,
0
5,
0
m m 0
3 -3 -5 12
r
ve an
(o 0 00 0 00 th
ch 0 0, 2 5, ss
Ri (5 (1 (le
s
s rs te
las ire u
c p tit
d le As es
id D
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29 Description: In the financial year 2021, a majority of Indian households fell under the aspirers category, earning between 125,000 and 500,000 Indian rupees a year. On the other hand, about three percent of households that same year,
accounted for the rich, earning over 3 million rupees annually. The middle class more than doubled that year compared to 14 percent in financial year 2005. Read more
Note(s): India; FY 2021
Source(s): PRICE; Times of India
 Annual household consumption expenditure in India from 2013 to 2022
(in trillion U.S. dollars)
Annual household consumption expenditure in India 2013-2022

2.5

2.07
2.0 1.93
1.74
Value in trillion U.S. dollars

1.6 1.62
1.56
1.5
1.36
1.24
1.19
1.07
1.0

0.5

0.0
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

30 Description: In 2022, the annual household consumption expenditure in India amounted to 2.07 trillion U.S. dollars. This was an increase as compared to the previous year when the annual household consumption expenditure amounted to
1.93 trillion U.S. dollars. Household consumption expenditure is the market value of goods and services purchased by households including slow-moving consumer goods (computers, cars, and washing machines). Read more
Note(s): India; 2013 to 2022
Source(s): theglobaleconomy.com
CHAPTER 06

Urbanization
 India: Degree of urbanization from 2013 to 2023
Urbanization in India 2023

40%
35.87% 36.36%
34.93% 35.39%
34.03% 34.47%
35% 33.18% 33.6%
32.38% 32.78%
32%

30%
Share of urban population

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

32 Description: In 2023, approximately a third of the total population in India lived in cities. The trend shows an increase of urbanization by more than 4 percent in the last decade, meaning people have moved away from rural areas to find work and
make a living in the cities. Leaving the fieldOver the last decade, urbanization in India has increased by almost 4 percent, as more and more people leave the agricultural sector to find work in services. Agriculture plays a significant role in the Indian
economy and [...] Read more
Note(s): India
Source(s): World Bank
 Rural and urban population in India from 2018 to 2022 (in millions)
Rural and urban population in India 2018-2022

Rural Urban

1,000

903.13 906.33 908.68 909.38 908.8

900
Number of people in millions

800

700

600

498.18 508.37
476.79 487.7
500 465.87

400
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

33 Description: Around 908.8 million people in India lived in the rural areas in 2022, a decrease from 2021. Urban India, although far behind with over 508 million people, had a higher year-on-year growth rate during the measured time period.
Read more
Note(s): India; 2018 to 2022
Source(s): Macrotrends; United Nations; World Bank
 Rural-urban migration rate across India between July 2020 and June 2021,
by gender
Rural-urban migration rate in India 2020-2021, by gender

Rural Urban

120%

100%

80%
Share of migrants

47.8%

60%

34.9%
40%

48%
20%
22.5%
26.5%

5.9%
0%
Male Female Overall

34 Description: The migration rate within India between 2020 and 2021 was almost 29 percent. This means, between July 2020 and June 2021, about 26.5 percent of the population in the rural areas of the country were migrants, while this was
about 35 percent for the population in urban areas. During the same time period, there was a much higher share of migrants among females than males in the country. Read more
Note(s): India; July 2020 to June 2021; 113,998 migrants
Source(s): MOSPI
 India: the ten largest cities in 2023 (in million inhabitants)*
Largest cities in India 2023

35
32.94

30

25
Inhabitants in millions

21.3
20

15.33
15 13.61
11.78
10.8
10 8.65 8.06
7.17

5 4.21

0
Delhi Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Chennai Hyderabad Ahmedabad Surat Pune Jaipur

35 Description: Delhi was the largest city in terms of number of inhabitants in India in 2023.The capital city was estimated to house nearly 33 million people, with Mumbai ranking second that year. India's population estimate was 1.4 billion,
ahead of China that same year. Read more
Note(s): India; 2023; *based on growth rate estimates and projections.
Source(s): IISc; PIB; World Population Review
CHAPTER 07

External migration
 Number of emigrants and immigrants in India from 1995 to 2020 (in
million)
Number of emigrants and immigrants in India 1995-2020

Immigrants Emigrants

20
17.79
18

16
Number of people in million

14

12

10

8 7.15
6.69
6
4.48
4

0
1995 2020

37 Description: India saw nearly 17.8 million people emigrating out of the country in 2020. On the other hand, about 4.5 million people immigrated into the country that year. Emigration from India grew significantly in the last few decades.
Read more
Note(s): India; 1995 to 2020
Source(s): International Organization for Migration; UN DESA; UNDP
 Number of Indian students emigrated abroad from 2016 to 2023 (in
1,000s)
Number of Indian students emigrated abroad 2016-2023

900

800 765.41
750.37

700
Number of people in thousands

588.93
600
520.34
500 456.82 444.55

400 371.51

300 259.66

200

100

0
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023*

38 Description: In 2023, over 765,000 students emigrated from India to study abroad. The number of students emigrating from India was the highest since 2016. The number of students going abroad declined drastically during the pandemic,
however, with the opening of international borders there was an uptick in the number of students going abroad for education. Read more
Note(s): India; 2016 to 2023; *Until October 2023. Values have been rounded for clarity. Previous reports have been accessed for historical data. Read more
Source(s): Lok Sabha; MEA (India)
 Number of Indian work emigrants from 2020 to 2022 (in million)
Number of work emigrants India 2020-2022

1.4
1.3

1.2
Number of people in million

1.0

0.83
0.8
0.72

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0
2020 2021 2022*

39 Description: As of July 2022, 1.3 million people from India emigrated to work. The number of people emigrating from India for work had considerably increased since 2020. The United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, and Saudi
Arabia hosted the highest number of Indians during the measured time period. Read more
Note(s): India; 2020 to 2022; *Data calculated till July 2022. Read more
Source(s): The Economic Times; UN DESA
 Number of people renouncing Indian citizenship from 2011 to 2023 (in
millions)
Number of Indians renouncing citizenship India 2011-2023

250
225.62
216.22

200
Number of people in thousands

163.37

150 141.6 144.02

131.41 131.49 133.05 134.56
129.33
122.82 120.93

100
85.26

50

0
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

40 Description: In 2023, over 216 thousand Indians renounced their citizenship. This was a decline from the previous which recorded the highest number of passports relinquished. The number of people giving up their Indian citizenship has
significantly increased since 2020. Most of these became citizens of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. Read more
Note(s): India; 2011 to 2023
Source(s): MEA (India)
 Sources

Business Standard World Population Review

IISc
IMF
Indian Census
International Organization for Migration
Lok Sabha
Macrotrends
MEA (India)
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India)
MOSPI
NFHS
Pew Research Center
PIB
PRICE
Quartz
The Economic Times
theglobaleconomy.com
Times of India
UN DESA
UNDP
United Nations
World Bank

41