India Population 2026 | Live Population Clock by States & UTs
Bihar has India’s highest birth rate (~27/1,000) · Kerala & Tamil Nadu have India’s lowest birth rates (~13–14/1,000).
India’s overall TFR has fallen to ~2.0 — near replacement level — but varies from 1.6 in South to 3.0+ in some Northern states.
| # | State / Union Territory ↕ | Capital | Type | Zone | Population ↕ | Share | Births Today ↕ | Deaths Today ↕ | Net Today |
|---|
India Population 2026: 1.45 Billion People, 28 States, and the World’s Largest Demographic Dividend
India became the most populous country in the world during 2023, surpassing China after seven decades during which China had held that position. By mid 2026, the India population stands at approximately 1.45 billion residents according to the live counters on worldpopulationclock.net, drawing on the United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 revision and the most recent estimates from India’s Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner. The figure makes India home to roughly 17.7 percent of all human beings on Earth in 2026, more than any other single nation has ever represented in modern history.
The current India population reflects more than seven decades of post independence demographic change. India numbered approximately 360 million at independence in 1947. The country grew nearly fourfold in the seventy nine years that followed, fueled by sustained natural increase, mortality declines that gained pace from the 1970s onward, and the gradual fertility transition that has unfolded across different regions of the country at different speeds. Today India adds approximately 12 to 13 million net residents per year, which is equivalent to adding the entire population of Belgium each year. Yet the pace has slowed significantly from its peak growth years of the 1980s, and India’s total fertility rate has fallen below replacement level for the first time in modern history, settling near 1.98 children per woman in 2026.
This comprehensive examination of the India population covers the country’s demographic position in 2026, the state by state distribution across all 28 states and 8 union territories, the major cities that anchor regional economies, the religious and linguistic composition that shapes Indian society, the sex ratio and gender demographic patterns, the demographic dividend that economists and policymakers have analyzed for two decades, the Indian diaspora abroad, and the projected trajectory through 2050 and 2100.
Current India Population in 2026: The Headline Numbers
In mid 2026, India hosts approximately 1.45 billion residents. The country grows by approximately 0.85 percent per year, adding roughly 12 to 13 million net residents annually. The crude birth rate sits near 16.4 per 1,000 residents, the crude death rate near 7.2 per 1,000 residents, and net international migration plays only a marginal role at the national level given India’s enormous population base.
A few key India population figures worth noting in 2026:
- Total population: approximately 1.45 billion
- Working age population (15 to 64): approximately 970 million
- Population aged 0 to 14: approximately 365 million
- Population aged 65 and older: approximately 115 million
- Median age: approximately 29.5 years
- Total fertility rate: approximately 1.98 children per woman
- Sex ratio: approximately 948 women per 1,000 men
- Life expectancy at birth: approximately 71 years
- Urban population share: approximately 36 percent
- Literacy rate: approximately 77 percent
India’s population density averages approximately 484 residents per square kilometer, although the spread is significant. The Gangetic plain states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal show densities exceeding 1,000 per square kilometer in some districts. The northeastern states, parts of Rajasthan, and the union territories of Ladakh and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands show densities below 100 per square kilometer.
India Population History: From 360 Million to 1.45 Billion
India’s modern demographic history begins in earnest with the 1951 census, the first conducted by the independent Republic of India. The population at that time stood at approximately 361 million. Over the seven decades that followed, India underwent a demographic transformation of extraordinary scale, with several distinct phases worth examining.
The 1950s and 1960s brought rapid growth fueled by mortality declines (particularly improvements in infectious disease control) while fertility remained high. India’s total fertility rate exceeded 5.5 children per woman through this period. The population reached approximately 548 million by 1971.
The 1970s and 1980s saw the Indian government’s first sustained family planning interventions, including the controversial emergency period sterilization campaigns of 1975 to 1977. Despite the political backlash to coercive family planning, fertility began declining gradually through these decades. The population crossed 800 million by 1990.
The 1990s and 2000s saw continued fertility decline alongside continued mortality improvements. The population crossed 1 billion in 1999, a milestone marked by the symbolic identification of “the billionth Indian.” The 2010s saw fertility transition complete in southern and western Indian states while continuing in the northern Hindi belt.
The 2020s have brought India to the position of world’s most populous country and to total fertility below replacement level. Both milestones carry significant implications for the country’s demographic, economic, and social trajectory.
A condensed India population history:
- 1951: 361 million at first independent census
- 1971: 548 million
- 1991: 846 million
- 2001: 1.029 billion (crossed 1 billion in 1999)
- 2011: 1.211 billion (last completed census)
- 2023: India surpasses China as most populous country
- 2026: 1.45 billion
The next Indian census, originally scheduled for 2021 but repeatedly postponed due to the pandemic and other factors, is expected to be conducted in 2025 to 2026 with results emerging through 2027. The lack of completed census data since 2011 has created significant uncertainty around precise demographic figures, with current estimates relying on annual sample surveys, vital registration data, and various indirect methods.
India Population by State: All 28 States and 8 Union Territories
India is divided into 28 states and 8 union territories. The state level distribution shows enormous variation, with Uttar Pradesh holding more residents than the entire population of Brazil and several smaller states and union territories holding fewer than 2 million residents. The following table presents 2026 estimates for all Indian states and union territories, ranked by population.
| State / Union Territory | Type | 2026 Population (Est.) | Capital City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | State | 245 million | Lucknow |
| Bihar | State | 131 million | Patna |
| Maharashtra | State | 128 million | Mumbai |
| West Bengal | State | 104 million | Kolkata |
| Madhya Pradesh | State | 88 million | Bhopal |
| Rajasthan | State | 83 million | Jaipur |
| Tamil Nadu | State | 78 million | Chennai |
| Gujarat | State | 74 million | Gandhinagar |
| Karnataka | State | 70 million | Bengaluru |
| Andhra Pradesh | State | 55 million | Amaravati |
| Odisha | State | 46 million | Bhubaneswar |
| Telangana | State | 40 million | Hyderabad |
| Jharkhand | State | 40 million | Ranchi |
| Assam | State | 37 million | Dispur |
| Kerala | State | 36 million | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Punjab | State | 32 million | Chandigarh |
| Chhattisgarh | State | 32 million | Raipur |
| Haryana | State | 30 million | Chandigarh |
| Delhi (NCT) | UT | 22 million | New Delhi |
| Jammu and Kashmir | UT | 14 million | Srinagar (summer) / Jammu (winter) |
| Uttarakhand | State | 12 million | Dehradun |
| Himachal Pradesh | State | 7.5 million | Shimla |
| Tripura | State | 4.4 million | Agartala |
| Meghalaya | State | 3.7 million | Shillong |
| Manipur | State | 3.4 million | Imphal |
| Nagaland | State | 2.4 million | Kohima |
| Goa | State | 1.7 million | Panaji |
| Arunachal Pradesh | State | 1.7 million | Itanagar |
| Puducherry | UT | 1.65 million | Puducherry |
| Mizoram | State | 1.3 million | Aizawl |
| Chandigarh | UT | 1.18 million | Chandigarh |
| Sikkim | State | 720,000 | Gangtok |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | UT | 415,000 | Port Blair |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu | UT | 615,000 | Daman |
| Ladakh | UT | 305,000 | Leh |
| Lakshadweep | UT | 70,000 | Kavaratti |
Source: Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India 2025 estimates and UN World Population Prospects 2024.
The state by state India population pattern reveals several important features. Uttar Pradesh alone holds approximately 245 million residents, more than the population of any country other than India itself, China, the United States, and Indonesia. The state’s population exceeds that of Pakistan, Brazil, Nigeria, and Russia individually. If Uttar Pradesh were a country, it would rank fifth most populous in the world.
Bihar and Maharashtra each hold more than 125 million residents, comparable in scale to Mexico, Japan, or Ethiopia. The five largest Indian states (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh) together hold approximately 696 million residents, nearly half of the country’s total population. The bottom ten states and union territories combined hold less than 25 million residents.
The growth patterns also vary dramatically by state. Bihar continues to grow at above 1.5 percent per year through both elevated fertility and demographic momentum. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand also continue to record substantial growth. Southern and western states including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab have largely completed their fertility transitions and grow much more slowly. Kerala has been below replacement fertility since the 1980s and has the oldest population among major Indian states.
Top 10 Largest Cities in India by Population in 2026
India’s urban population concentration includes some of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. The following table presents the ten largest Indian cities by metropolitan area population in 2026.
| Rank | City | Metropolitan Population | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delhi (NCR) | 32 million | Delhi NCT |
| 2 | Mumbai (MMR) | 22 million | Maharashtra |
| 3 | Kolkata | 15 million | West Bengal |
| 4 | Bengaluru | 14 million | Karnataka |
| 5 | Chennai | 12 million | Tamil Nadu |
| 6 | Hyderabad | 11 million | Telangana |
| 7 | Ahmedabad | 8.5 million | Gujarat |
| 8 | Pune | 7.5 million | Maharashtra |
| 9 | Surat | 7 million | Gujarat |
| 10 | Jaipur | 4 million | Rajasthan |
Source: Office of the Registrar General of India 2025 metropolitan area estimates.
Delhi National Capital Region, including the urban agglomeration extending across Delhi, Gurgaon (Haryana), Noida (Uttar Pradesh), and surrounding areas, is the largest urban region in India and one of the largest in the world at approximately 32 million residents. Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) at approximately 22 million is the second largest urban concentration. Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad each anchor metropolitan regions of more than 10 million residents.
India Sex Ratio: Improvement Across Decades
The India sex ratio, defined as the number of women per 1,000 men, has been a subject of significant policy attention for decades. Historical patterns of son preference, sex selective abortion, and differential treatment of girls produced sex ratios that distorted the demographic balance. The 1991 census recorded a sex ratio of approximately 927 women per 1,000 men, the lowest figure ever recorded in independent India. The 2011 census showed improvement to 943 women per 1,000 men. Sample registration system estimates suggest the sex ratio has continued improving to approximately 948 by 2026.
The child sex ratio (girls per 1,000 boys aged 0 to 6) has shown more concerning patterns, with declines through the 1990s and 2000s as access to ultrasound technology enabled sex selective abortion in some regions. The Pre Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act of 1994, amended in 2003, banned prenatal sex determination and has been enforced with varying effectiveness. The 2011 census recorded a child sex ratio of 919 girls per 1,000 boys, with significant improvement noted in subsequent sample surveys.
State level sex ratio variation remains substantial. Kerala has historically had the most balanced sex ratio, with women outnumbering men in some surveys. Haryana, Punjab, and parts of western Uttar Pradesh have shown the most distorted ratios, although significant improvement has been recorded in these states over the past decade through Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter) campaigns and stronger enforcement of sex selection prohibitions.
India Religious Demographics in 2026
India’s population includes practitioners of every major world religion, with the following approximate composition based on 2011 census data and subsequent projections through 2026:
- Hindus: approximately 79 percent (1.146 billion)
- Muslims: approximately 15 percent (218 million)
- Christians: approximately 2.4 percent (35 million)
- Sikhs: approximately 1.7 percent (25 million)
- Buddhists: approximately 0.7 percent (10 million)
- Jains: approximately 0.4 percent (5.8 million)
- Other religions, including indigenous traditions and those identifying with no religion: approximately 0.9 percent
The Indian Muslim population is the second largest national Muslim population in the world after Indonesia, exceeding the populations of major Muslim majority countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Egypt. The Hindu majority varies significantly by state, with several states including Punjab (Sikh majority), Kerala, Goa, and several northeastern states showing different religious compositions.
Religious fertility patterns have converged significantly over recent decades. Total fertility differences between Hindus and Muslims that were as large as 1.5 children per woman in earlier decades have narrowed to approximately 0.4 to 0.5 in recent surveys. Both major religious communities have experienced fertility transition, with Muslim fertility now approaching replacement level in southern and western states.
The 2026 census, when completed, will provide updated religious demographic data after a fifteen year gap from the 2011 census. The release of these figures is expected to inform policy debates around demographic trends, social programs, and political representation.
India Urbanization and the Mega City Phenomenon
India’s urban population share stands at approximately 36 percent in 2026, up from approximately 17 percent in 1951 and 28 percent in 2001. The country adds approximately 10 million urban residents per year through both natural increase in cities and rural to urban migration. India’s pace of urbanization has been slower than that of China or many other developing countries, with the rural population still numbering approximately 928 million.
The country hosts five metropolitan areas with more than 10 million residents (Delhi NCR, Mumbai MMR, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad), three with between 7 and 10 million (Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat), and dozens of cities with populations between 1 and 5 million. Urban growth has concentrated in particular states and metropolitan corridors, including the Mumbai Pune corridor, the Bangalore Chennai axis, the Delhi NCR expansion, and several growing tier two cities including Lucknow, Indore, Kanpur, Nagpur, and Visakhapatnam.
The Smart Cities Mission launched in 2015 targeted 100 cities for infrastructure and quality of life improvements. The implementation has produced mixed results across cities, although the broader investment in urban infrastructure including metro rail systems, water supply, sanitation, and digital connectivity has reshaped many Indian cities.
India Demographic Dividend: A Once in a Generation Window
India’s demographic dividend refers to the potential economic boost from a working age population that is growing faster than the dependent population. The dividend window for India opened approximately in the early 2000s and is expected to remain open through approximately 2055 to 2060, with peak years projected in the 2030s.
The numerical mathematics of the India demographic dividend are striking. The country’s working age population (defined here as ages 15 to 64) numbers approximately 970 million in 2026 and is projected to peak around 1.04 billion in the late 2040s before beginning gradual decline. The dependency ratio, the ratio of dependents (children plus elderly) to working age adults, has fallen from approximately 80 dependents per 100 working age adults in 1990 to approximately 50 in 2026 and is projected to fall further to approximately 47 in the early 2030s.
Whether India captures the economic potential of its demographic dividend depends on several factors that are not automatic. Job creation must keep pace with the millions of young Indians entering the labor force each year. Education quality, vocational training, and skill development must equip workers for productive employment. Female labor force participation, currently at approximately 32 percent (one of the lowest figures in the developing world), must rise substantially to capture the full demographic potential. Urbanization must proceed at sufficient pace to support productivity gains.
The track record over the past two decades has been mixed. India has achieved significant economic growth, with gross domestic product growing at average rates exceeding 6 percent over recent decades. Service sector expansion, information technology services, and consumer market growth have supported employment for educated urban workers. However, manufacturing has not expanded at the pace needed to absorb less educated rural to urban migrants, and labor force participation rates particularly among women have not risen as much as projected.
India Fertility Rate and Demographic Transition
India’s total fertility rate (TFR) sits at approximately 1.98 children per woman in 2026, having fallen below the 2.1 replacement level for the first time in 2020. The transition has occurred at different speeds across different regions of the country. Southern and western states largely completed their fertility transition decades ago. Kerala recorded below replacement fertility in the 1980s. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka followed in the 1990s. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal achieved below replacement fertility through the 2000s.
The northern Hindi belt states have transitioned more slowly. Uttar Pradesh fertility sits near 2.4 in 2026, down from 4.0 a generation ago. Bihar fertility sits near 2.9, the highest among major states. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand record fertility between 2.0 and 2.4. The northeastern states show varied patterns, with Meghalaya recording fertility above 3.0 while several other northeastern states sit near or below replacement.
The completion of India’s fertility transition will fundamentally reshape the country’s demographic trajectory. As large birth cohorts age out of childbearing years and smaller cohorts enter, the absolute number of births will decline even before total fertility stabilizes. India’s annual births peaked around 2010 and have been declining gradually since.
Indian Diaspora: 32 Million Abroad
The Indian diaspora abroad numbers approximately 32 million in 2026, the largest national diaspora of any country in the world. Major Indian diaspora populations include:
- United Arab Emirates: approximately 3.5 million
- United States: approximately 4.8 million
- Saudi Arabia: approximately 2.5 million
- Malaysia: approximately 2.95 million (including ethnic Indian Malaysian citizens)
- Myanmar: approximately 2.0 million (largely citizens of Indian origin)
- United Kingdom: approximately 1.9 million
- Sri Lanka: approximately 1.7 million (including Tamil ethnic populations)
- South Africa: approximately 1.5 million (largely citizens of Indian origin)
- Kuwait: approximately 1.0 million
- Canada: approximately 1.4 million
- Various other destinations: combined several million
The Indian diaspora sends remittances of approximately 125 billion U.S. dollars annually to India, the largest remittance inflow received by any country in the world. The remittances support millions of Indian households, finance education and small business creation, and contribute approximately 3 percent of Indian gross domestic product.
The diaspora dimension also includes significant Indian student populations abroad, particularly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany. Indian students represent the largest international student community in the United States and Canada in recent years.
India Population vs China: The Great Demographic Crossover
For seven decades after Indian independence in 1947, China held the position of world’s most populous country. The crossover happened in 2023, with India surpassing China for the first time. The two countries’ demographic trajectories now diverge sharply.
India will continue growing through approximately the early 2060s, reaching projected peak around 1.7 billion before slow decline begins. China, having peaked at approximately 1.426 billion in 2021, has been declining and is projected to fall to approximately 770 million by 2100. By that point, India is projected to have approximately 1.51 billion residents, nearly twice China’s projected total.
The implications of this demographic divergence extend across economic, geopolitical, and social dimensions. India’s working age population will continue growing while China’s contracts. India’s median age will remain younger than China’s by approximately 10 to 15 years across coming decades. India’s consumer markets, labor force, and demographic structures will increasingly differ from those of its northern neighbor.
India Population Projections: 2030, 2050, and 2100
Projections from the UN World Population Prospects 2024 revision suggest the India population will reach approximately 1.51 billion by 2030, around 1.67 billion by 2050, and approximately 1.51 billion by 2100. The trajectory assumes fertility continues declining gradually, mortality improvements continue, and modest net emigration continues.
| Year | Projected India Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 1.51 billion | Working age population near 1.04 billion |
| 2040 | 1.62 billion | Median age approaches 35 |
| 2050 | 1.67 billion | Largest Indian population ever recorded |
| 2065 | 1.70 billion (projected peak) | Long-term peak under medium variant |
| 2075 | 1.66 billion | Slow decline begins |
| 2100 | 1.51 billion | Population back to early 2030s level |
Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium variant.
The India population 2030 figure of approximately 1.51 billion implies the country will add roughly 60 million more residents over the remainder of this decade. The 2050 figure of approximately 1.67 billion reflects a gain of 220 million from the 2026 level, an addition larger than the entire population of Pakistan or Indonesia. India is projected to peak around 2065 at approximately 1.7 billion before beginning slow decline.
The India population 2100 figure of approximately 1.51 billion implies a return roughly to the population level expected in the early 2030s. India would still be the most populous country in the world by a significant margin throughout the projection horizon, with China projected at approximately 770 million and the United States at approximately 421 million by 2100.
Major Demographic Challenges Facing India
India faces several major demographic challenges that will shape policy debates over the coming decades.
Job creation for the working age population entering the labor force represents perhaps the central challenge. India needs to create approximately 7 to 10 million quality jobs per year to absorb the growth of working age cohorts. The current pace of formal sector job creation falls short of this target. Underemployment, informal sector work, and rural to urban migration toward precarious employment characterize much of the actual labor market reality.
Female labor force participation, at approximately 32 percent in 2026, ranks among the lowest in the developing world. Cultural factors, safety concerns, lack of childcare infrastructure, transportation barriers, and limited access to formal sector employment all contribute. Increasing female participation could substantially boost economic growth and demographic dividend capture.
Urbanization at sufficient pace to support productivity growth poses infrastructure challenges. Indian cities face severe shortages of housing, transportation, water, sanitation, and air quality management. Climate change risks including heat waves and water stress compound urban challenges.
Aging will become an increasing concern from the 2040s onward. While India remains relatively young in 2026, the rapidly declining fertility means that aging will accelerate substantially in coming decades. Pension and healthcare systems for the elderly remain underdeveloped relative to the scale of need that will emerge.
Regional inequality in fertility, mortality, and economic development creates challenges for national policy coordination. Southern Indian states have largely completed their demographic transitions and face issues similar to other middle income countries. Northern states are still in earlier transition phases with very different demographic profiles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of India in 2026?
The India population in 2026 stands at approximately 1.45 billion residents, making India the most populous country in the world. The figure draws on the UN World Population Prospects 2024 revision and Indian government estimates, given that the most recent completed census dates from 2011.
When did India become the most populous country?
India surpassed China as the most populous country in the world in 2023, according to UN estimates. India’s population had been growing while China’s population had peaked at approximately 1.426 billion in 2021 and begun declining.
Which Indian state has the largest population?
Uttar Pradesh is the most populous Indian state at approximately 245 million residents in 2026, more than the population of any country other than India, China, the United States, and Indonesia. Bihar follows at 131 million, then Maharashtra at 128 million, West Bengal at 104 million, and Madhya Pradesh at 88 million.
How many states does India have?
India has 28 states and 8 union territories as of 2026. The number of states has grown over decades through various reorganizations, most recently with the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 to create Telangana and the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories in 2019.
What is India’s fertility rate in 2026?
India’s total fertility rate sits at approximately 1.98 children per woman in 2026, having fallen below the 2.1 replacement level for the first time in 2020. The rate varies significantly by state, from below 1.5 in Kerala and several southern states to approximately 2.9 in Bihar.
What is the largest city in India by population?
Delhi National Capital Region is the largest urban region in India at approximately 32 million residents, including Delhi proper and the connected urban areas in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Mumbai Metropolitan Region follows at approximately 22 million, then Kolkata at 15 million, Bengaluru at 14 million, and Chennai at 12 million.
What is the India male female ratio?
The India sex ratio sits at approximately 948 women per 1,000 men in 2026, having improved from 927 in 1991 and 943 in 2011. The improvement reflects both demographic changes and policy interventions including the PCPNDT Act prohibiting prenatal sex determination and various campaigns supporting girls’ education and welfare.
What is the India population growth rate?
India’s population grows at approximately 0.85 percent per year in 2026, adding roughly 12 to 13 million net residents annually. The growth rate has declined from peaks above 2 percent during the 1980s and is projected to continue slowing as fertility transition completes and aging accelerates.
What is the religious composition of India?
India’s population in 2026 is approximately 79 percent Hindu, 15 percent Muslim, 2.4 percent Christian, 1.7 percent Sikh, 0.7 percent Buddhist, 0.4 percent Jain, and 0.9 percent other religions or no religion. The Indian Muslim population is the second largest in the world after Indonesia.
What is the India life expectancy?
Life expectancy at birth in India stands at approximately 71 years in 2026, with women averaging approximately 73 years and men approximately 69 years. Indian life expectancy has improved substantially from approximately 32 years in 1947 and continues improving gradually.
What is the median age in India?
The median age in India sits at approximately 29.5 years in 2026, considerably younger than China at 40 years or the United States at 39 years. The relatively young Indian population underpins what economists call the demographic dividend window.
Will India’s population continue to grow?
Yes, India’s population is projected to continue growing through approximately 2065, reaching peak around 1.7 billion under the UN medium variant. India will then enter gradual decline, falling to approximately 1.51 billion by 2100.
How urbanized is India?
Approximately 36 percent of India’s population lived in urban areas as of 2026, up from approximately 17 percent in 1951. The country adds approximately 10 million urban residents per year through both natural increase in cities and rural to urban migration.
What is the size of the Indian diaspora?
The Indian diaspora abroad numbers approximately 32 million in 2026, the largest national diaspora of any country in the world. Major destinations include the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and various other countries. The diaspora sends approximately 125 billion U.S. dollars in annual remittances.
What is India’s population density?
India’s average population density is approximately 484 residents per square kilometer in 2026, although the figure varies enormously by state. Bihar averages over 1,100 per square kilometer while Arunachal Pradesh averages approximately 17 per square kilometer.
Sources
- United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects 2024 revision.
- Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Census 2011 final results and Sample Registration System reports through 2025.
- World Bank Open Data, World Development Indicators, 2024 and 2025 updates.
- Reserve Bank of India, Remittance Statistics 2024.
- National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 5 results, 2019-2021.
- Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Population of Overseas Indians annual report 2024.
- Live national, state, and city counters at worldpopulationclock.net, calibrated against UN baseline.