Population Census 2011

More Quick Facts on Punjab

Population density 550 per sq km

1. Punjab’s population stands at 27.7 million (14.6 male; 13 million female). This is 7.6 million increase in the decade 2001-2011 (13.7 % increase as against 20.1 % during 1991-2001). This is less than the average for India (17.6 %).

2. Highest population growth in Mohali, Patiala and Taran Taran. Ludhiana has the highest population density (975) and Muktsar has the lowest (348).

3. The sex ratio (number of females per thousand males) has risen to 893, as against 876 in the 2001 census.

4. All 20 districts except Mansa and Bhatinda have seen improvements in the sex ratio. For Bathinda, the ratio declined from 870 in 2001 to 865. Mansa registered no change and the sex ratio remained at 880. Taran Taran has the lowest sex ratio at 819. Nawanshehar, Jalandhar, and Kapurthala had the highest improvements with sex ratios of 879, 874 and 872 respectively.

5. The sex ratio for the 0-6 year age group increased from 798 in the last census to 846 no

6. Ludhiana is the most populous district with a population of 34.87 lakhs. Barnala had the lowest population, just over 5 lakhs.

7. Literacy rates improved slightly from 74 % in 2001 to 76.7 % in 2011. Women showed greater improvement (7.9 % against 6.3 for men). Muktsar and Mansa had the lowest literacy rates – 60% and 56 % respectively. Hoshiarpur was No 1 with 85.4 % of its population literate.

8. Religious composition of Punjab’s population: Sikhs -63.6 %; Hindus - 34.00%; Muslims - 2%; Christians - 1.20%; Jains - 0.16%

CENSUS 2012: Overview of Literacy in Punjab 70.23% Punjabis in rural areas still illiterate The literacy rate has increased from 69.65 in the last Census to 76.68 in 2011. Of the total number of illiterates, 70.23 per cent are in rural areas. Nearly one-third of the illiterate rural population is concentrated in the border districts of Ferozepur, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran. Ludhiana has the highest number of illiterates in urban areas (almost one in every five persons).

CENSUS 2012: Punjab Gender Ratios- why are ratios in urban areas worse than rural areas? The gender ratio (893) in the state has increased by 48 points as compared to the last Census (845). It is 906 in rural areas and 872 among the urban population. Hoshiarpur has the highest gender ratio of 974 in the rural settings, followed by Mohali (962) and Jalandhar (951). In urban areas, Mohali has the highest sex ratio of 924. At 837, Fatehgarh Sahib has the lowest gender ratio in urban areas, with Gurdaspur one position up at 848.