# List of states in India by past population
The most recent complete count of India's states and union territories by population is the [Census of India](https://www.edgepedia.org/census-of-india) 2011, which enumerated 1,210,193,422 people across 35 states and union territories as they existed at the time.[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) • [2](https://census360.in/rankings/population) [Uttar Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/uttar-pradesh) was the most populous state and [Lakshadweep](https://www.edgepedia.org/lakshadweep) the least populous territory.[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| National total (2011) | 1,210,193,422 persons; decadal growth 2001–2011 of 17.64%; density 382 per sq km[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) |
| Most populous state | Uttar Pradesh, 199,581,477 (16.5% of India), growth 20.09%, density 828 per sq km[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) |
| Second and third | Maharashtra 112,372,972; Bihar 103,804,637[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) |
| Least populous | Lakshadweep 64,429; Daman and Diu 242,911; Dadra and Nagar Haveli 342,853[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) |
| Fastest growth 2001–2011 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli 55.50%; Daman and Diu 53.54%[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) |
| Slowest or negative growth | Nagaland −0.47%; Kerala 4.86%; Goa 8.17%[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) |
| Densest jurisdictions | Delhi 11,297 per sq km; Chandigarh 9,252; Lakshadweep 2,013; Bihar 1,102 among states[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) |
| Current status | The next census, postponed from 2021, began in 2026; India's population is now estimated above 1.4 billion[3](https://apnews.com/article/3c7480e4eb294efcf56e9a85cd87a087) |
## The 2011 census as the baseline
The 2011 figures come from the Primary Census Abstract of the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India (ORGI), under the [Ministry](https://www.edgepedia.org/ministry-government-department) of Home Affairs, which publishes state, district, sub-district, town and village level tables with 85 indicators covering households, population by sex and age, scheduled castes and tribes, and work status.[4](https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/en/data/population-finder) • [5](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/6191) The provisional state-wise totals reported in 2011 gave India 1,210,193,422 people; the final population enumeration figures later revised the national total to 1,210,854,977, with 623,270,258 males and 587,584,719 females, and slightly adjusted some state totals (for example, [Andhra Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/andhra-pradesh) from 84,665,533 provisional to 84,580,777 final).[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) • [6](https://www.nitiforstates.gov.in/public-assets/Policy/policy_files/RSS2131M000234.pdf)
Two later boundary changes affect how the 2011 list reads today. The data portal notes that Manipur's population was updated by an order of the Registrar General dated 7 January 2014, and that figures for Andhra Pradesh and [Telangana](https://www.edgepedia.org/telangana) were collected from the states after the 2014 bifurcation.[7](https://www.data.gov.in/resource/state-wise-population-decadal-population-growth-rate-and-population-density-2011-0) The 2011 tables therefore report undivided Andhra Pradesh.[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf)
## Population ranking, 2011
The ten most populous states and union territories at the 2011 Census were:[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) • [2](https://census360.in/rankings/population)
| Rank | State | Population 2011 | Growth 2001–2011 | Density (per sq km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 199,581,477 | 20.09% | 828 |
| 2 | Maharashtra | 112,372,972 | 15.99% | 365 |
| 3 | Bihar | 103,804,637 | 25.07% | 1,102 |
| 4 | West Bengal | 91,347,736 | 13.93% | 1,029 |
| 5 | Andhra Pradesh (undivided) | 84,665,533 | 11.10% | 308 |
| 6 | Madhya Pradesh | 72,597,565 | 20.30% | 236 |
| 7 | Tamil Nadu | 72,138,958 | 15.60% | 555 |
| 8 | Rajasthan | 68,621,012 | 21.44% | 201 |
| 9 | Karnataka | 61,130,704 | 15.67% | 319 |
| 10 | Gujarat | 60,383,628 | 19.17% | 308 |
At the other end, the smallest jurisdictions were Lakshadweep (64,429), Daman and Diu (242,911), [Dadra and Nagar Haveli](https://www.edgepedia.org/dadra-and-nagar-haveli) (342,853), the [Andaman and Nicobar Islands](https://www.edgepedia.org/andaman-and-nicobar-islands) (379,944), and Sikkim (607,688), the least populous state.[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) • [2](https://census360.in/rankings/population) Uttar Pradesh alone held about one sixth of the national population, while the ten largest states together accounted for roughly three quarters.[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf)
## Growth and density
**Growth varied widely by state.** Bihar grew 25.07% over the decade and [Meghalaya](https://www.edgepedia.org/meghalaya) 27.82%, while Kerala grew 4.86% and Goa 8.17%. Nagaland was the only jurisdiction with a negative rate, −0.47%.[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) The union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli (55.50%) and Daman and Diu (53.54%) grew fastest, driven largely by migration; their rural populations in fact declined (−7.64% and −40.18% respectively) while urban populations more than tripled.[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf)
**Density separated city-territories from large states.** Delhi counted 11,297 persons per square kilometer and [Chandigarh](https://www.edgepedia.org/chandigarh) 9,252, against a national average of 382.[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf) Among states, Bihar (1,102) and [West Bengal](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-bengal) (1,029) were densest, while [Arunachal Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/arunachal-pradesh) (17) and Mizoram (52) were sparsest.[1](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf)
## What has changed since 2011
No census has taken place since 2011. The exercise planned for 2021 was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and logistical challenges, leaving a fifteen-year gap between counts.[3](https://apnews.com/article/3c7480e4eb294efcf56e9a85cd87a087) The new census began in 2026, blending in-person surveys with a digital option using a multilingual smartphone application with satellite-based mapping; India's population is now estimated at more than 1.4 billion, making it the most populous nation.[3](https://apnews.com/article/3c7480e4eb294efcf56e9a85cd87a087) Until the new results are released, the 2011 tables remain the last official state-by-state population figures, and the government's population projection report for 2011–2036 provides estimated state totals for the intervening years.[8](https://www.mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Population%20Projection%20Report%202011-2036%20-%20upload_compressed_0.pdf)
## References
1. [State-wise Population, Decadal Population Growth Rate and Population Density – 2011, Rural Health Statistics tables, National Health Mission](https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/monitoring/rhs/rhs-march-2011-tables-final-9-4-2012.pdf)
2. [Population Rankings — Indian states, union territories and districts, 2011 Census, Census360](https://census360.in/rankings/population)
3. [India has begun its long-delayed population census. Here's why it matters, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/3c7480e4eb294efcf56e9a85cd87a087)
4. [Population Finder 2011, Census of India](https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/en/data/population-finder)
5. [PCA SD: Primary census abstract data, India & States/UTs – State and district level – 2011, ORGI](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/6191)
6. [Table No. 1(c) – Area and Population by States (Census-2011), NITI for States](https://www.nitiforstates.gov.in/public-assets/Policy/policy_files/RSS2131M000234.pdf)
7. [State-wise Population, Decadal Population Growth rate and Population Density – 2011, Open Government Data Platform India](https://www.data.gov.in/resource/state-wise-population-decadal-population-growth-rate-and-population-density-2011-0)
8. [Population Projection Report 2011–2036, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare](https://www.mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Population%20Projection%20Report%202011-2036%20-%20upload_compressed_0.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Places and geography › Countries, territories, and regional overviews › Countries and territories › Country statistical rankings › Demographic rankings*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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