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India’s Population Trend from 1951 to 2011, As per Census 2011

UID: PD-20241002-IN-02

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Meta Data

Source

Census

Last Updated

October 5, 2024

Time Range

1951 – 2011

Periodicity

Decadal

Overview

Population refers to a group of organisms of the same species inhabiting a particular geographic region. In human contexts, the population often pertains to the number of people residing in a particular area, whether a city, country or the world as a whole. However, the definition of population extends beyond mere numbers. It includes the demographic characteristics of individuals, such as age, gender, education, employment, health, and ethnicity. Each attribute has significant implications for understanding population dynamics and how populations grow, shrink, and change over time.

Trends & Insights

In 1951, India’s population was 361 million. In 2011, it increased more than three times and reached to 1.21 billion, representing a 235% increase over 60 years. However, the rate of growth varied over this period. The fastest growth occurred between 1961 and 1971, with an increase of about 109 million people, representing a 25% jump in just ten years. From 1971 to 1981, the population grew by 135 million, the largest absolute increase in any decade during this period. However, the growth rate began to slow in percentage terms from the 1981-1991 decade onwards. The period from 1991 to 2001 saw another substantial increase of 182 million people, which brought India’s population over the 1 billion mark for the first time. This milestone underscored India’s position as one of the world’s most populous countries and highlighted the challenges of managing such a large and rapidly growing population. From 2001 to 2011, there was a population increase of 182 million, identical to the previous decade in absolute terms but representing a smaller percentage increase, which suggests a continuing trend of slowing population growth rates, albeit with large absolute increases due to the sizeable base population. India’s large and growing population has contributed to its potential as an economic powerhouse, providing a vast labour force and consumer market. The gradual slowing of growth rates in recent decades may indicate a demographic transition, potentially leading to a more favourable dependency ratio in the coming years.

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Citation

Please cite this article using proper attribution to 360 Analytika when referencing or sharing our content.

Census. India’s Population Trend from 1951 to 2011, As per Census 2011 (360 Analytika, Ed.) [Dataset]. 360 Analytika. https://360analytika.com/indias-population-trend-as-per-census/

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