Uttar Pradesh - Demographics

Demographics

Uttar Pradesh has both a large population and a high population growth rate. During the decade from 1991 to 2001 its population increased by over 25.8%. Uttar Pradesh is also the most populous state in India, with a population of 199,581,477 million people as of 1 March 2011. The state contributes 16.16% of India's population. The population density is 828 people per square kilometre, making it one of the densest states in the country. The sex ratio as of 2011, at 908 women to 1000 men, is lower than the national figure of 933. The state's 2001–2011 decennial growth rate (including Uttrakhand) was 20.09%, higher than the national rate of 17.64%. Uttar Pradesh has a large number of people living below the poverty line. Estimates released by the Planning Commission for the year 2004-05 reveal that Uttar Pradesh has 59 million people below the poverty line, the most for any state in India.

As of the 2001 Indian census, about 80% of Uttar Pradesh's population is Hindu, while Muslims make up around 18.4% of the population, being the second-largest community as also the largest minority group. The remainder consist of Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, and Jains. Uttar Pradesh has the caste system among the Hindus who constitute the majority of the population. Social and political tensions have resulted in the growth of large caste settlements in compact regions of the state for Ahirs, Kurmis and Bhumihars. The Scheduled castes and Harijans also exist in the state. Uttar Pradesh has many Hindu Temples including at Varanasi, Allahabad and Gorakhpur.

The literacy rate of the state according to the 2011 Census is 70%, which is below the national average of 74%. While the literacy rate for men is at 79%, it is 59% for women. In 2001, the literacy rate in Uttar Pradesh stood at 56.27% overall, and 67% and 43% for men and women, respectively.

Hindi is the only official language of Uttar Pradesh. The Hindu people regard their language a very important part of their cultural identity. Hindi is spoken as the first language by 89.43% of the population. Most people in Uttar Pradesh speak a dialect of Hindustani, which in its written forms is referred to as Urdu and Hindi. In addition to Hindustani, a large number of other dialects exit. Five distinct dialect regions have been identified. The western part of the state, Rohilkhand and the upper Doab, is home to the speakers of Khari Boli. The lower Doab, which is referred as Braj Bhumi, or the land of Braj, is home to the speakers of Braj Bhasha. Further south, the Bundelkhand region people speaks Bundelkhandi. In central Uttar Pradesh, people speak the Awadhi dialect and Bhojpuri is spoken in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh.