In 2022, the union territory of Delhi had the highest urban population density of over 18 thousand persons per square kilometer. While the rural population density was highest in union territory of Puducherry, followed by the state of Bihar.

India is the most populous country in the world with one-sixth of the world's population. According to official estimates in 2022, India's population stood at over 1.42 billion.

This dataset contains the population distribution by state, gender, sex & region.

The file is in .csv format thus it is accessible everywhere.

The statistic shows the Hindu population in India in 2011, by state and union territory. The region with the highest Hindu population was Uttar Pradesh, followed by the state of Maharashtra, with close to 90 million Hindus. The region with the least Hindu population was Lakshadweep in that year. The countries with the largest number of Hindus in 2010 can be found here.

The statistic displays the main states and union territories with the highest number of people living in urban areas in India in 2011. In that year, the state of Maharashtra had the highest population with over 50 million people living in urban areas. The population density in India from 2004 to 2014 can be seen here.

India population growth rate for 2023 was 0.88%, a 0.09% increase from 2022.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>India population growth rate for 2022 was <strong>0.79%</strong>, a <strong>0.03% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>India population growth rate for 2021 was <strong>0.82%</strong>, a <strong>0.15% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>India population growth rate for 2020 was <strong>0.97%</strong>, a <strong>0.07% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

In 2022, India overtook China as the world's most populous country and now has almost 1.46 billion people. China now has the second-largest population in the world, still with just over 1.4 billion inhabitants, however, its population went into decline in 2023. Global population As of 2025, the world's population stands at almost 8.2 billion people and is expected to reach around 10.3 billion people in the 2080s, when it will then go into decline. Due to improved healthcare, sanitation, and general living conditions, the global population continues to increase; mortality rates (particularly among infants and children) are decreasing and the median age of the world population has steadily increased for decades. As for the average life expectancy in industrial and developing countries, the gap has narrowed significantly since the mid-20th century. Asia is the most populous continent on Earth; 11 of the 20 largest countries are located there. It leads the ranking of the global population by continent by far, reporting four times as many inhabitants as Africa. The Demographic Transition The population explosion over the past two centuries is part of a phenomenon known as the demographic transition. Simply put, this transition results from a drastic reduction in mortality, which then leads to a reduction in fertility, and increase in life expectancy; this interim period where death rates are low and birth rates are high is where this population explosion occurs, and population growth can remain high as the population ages. In today's most-developed countries, the transition generally began with industrialization in the 1800s, and growth has now stabilized as birth and mortality rates have re-balanced. Across less-developed countries, the stage of this transition varies; for example, China is at a later stage than India, which accounts for the change in which country is more populous - understanding the demographic transition can help understand the reason why China's population is now going into decline. The least-developed region is Sub-Saharan Africa, where fertility rates remain close to pre-industrial levels in some countries. As these countries transition, they will undergo significant rates of population growth

Census: Population: Odisha: Female data was reported at 20,762,082.000 Person in 03-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 18,144,090.000 Person for 03-01-2001. Census: Population: Odisha: Female data is updated decadal, averaging 8,090,657.000 Person from Mar 1901 (Median) to 03-01-2011, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20,762,082.000 Person in 03-01-2011 and a record low of 5,244,817.000 Person in 03-01-1901. Census: Population: Odisha: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAB002: Census: Population: by States.

india - Population Growth for India was 0.88329 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, india - Population Growth for India reached a record high of 0.88329 in January of 2023 and a record low of 0.79020 in January of 2022. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for india - Population Growth for India - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Punjab: Rural data was reported at 6.600 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.000 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Punjab: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 9.900 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.600 NA in 1997 and a record low of 6.600 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Punjab: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH004: Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: by States.

India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Urban data was reported at 68,740,419.000 Person in 2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 49,393,496.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Urban data is updated yearly, averaging 59,066,957.500 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 68,740,419.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 49,393,496.000 Person in 2001. India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Urban data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAE001: Census: Population: by Religion.

The Bureau of the Census has released Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF1) 100-Percent data. The file includes the following population items: sex, age, race, Hispanic or Latino origin, household relationship, and household and family characteristics. Housing items include occupancy status and tenure (whether the unit is owner or renter occupied). SF1 does not include information on incomes, poverty status, overcrowded housing or age of housing. These topics will be covered in Summary File 3. Data are available for states, counties, county subdivisions, places, census tracts, block groups, and, where applicable, American Indian and Alaskan Native Areas and Hawaiian Home Lands. The SF1 data are available on the Bureau's web site and may be retrieved from American FactFinder as tables, lists, or maps. Users may also download a set of compressed ASCII files for each state via the Bureau's FTP server. There are over 8000 data items available for each geographic area. The full listing of these data items is available here as a downloadable compressed data base file named TABLES.ZIP. The uncompressed is in FoxPro data base file (dbf) format and may be imported to ACCESS, EXCEL, and other software formats. While all of this information is useful, the Office of Community Planning and Development has downloaded selected information for all states and areas and is making this information available on the CPD web pages. The tables and data items selected are those items used in the CDBG and HOME allocation formulas plus topics most pertinent to the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), the Consolidated Plan, and similar overall economic and community development plans. The information is contained in five compressed (zipped) dbf tables for each state. When uncompressed the tables are ready for use with FoxPro and they can be imported into ACCESS, EXCEL, and other spreadsheet, GIS and database software. The data are at the block group summary level. The first two characters of the file name are the state abbreviation. The next two letters are BG for block group. Each record is labeled with the code and name of the city and county in which it is located so that the data can be summarized to higher-level geography. The last part of the file name describes the contents . The GEO file contains standard Census Bureau geographic identifiers for each block group, such as the metropolitan area code and congressional district code. The only data included in this table is total population and total housing units. POP1 and POP2 contain selected population variables and selected housing items are in the HU file. The MA05 table data is only for use by State CDBG grantees for the reporting of the racial composition of beneficiaries of Area Benefit activities. The complete package for a state consists of the dictionary file named TABLES, and the five data files for the state. The logical record number (LOGRECNO) links the records across tables.

The statistic gives the share of aging population in India across selected states and union territories in India in 2011. The regions with the highest share of elderly people were in the state of Kerala, with some 12.6 percent of the population living there were 60 years or older, followed by the state of Goa with 11.2 percent. The share of aging population in the whole country that year was 8.6 percent.

Abstract

The National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) programme, initiated in the early 1990s, has emerged as a nationally important source of data on population, health, and nutrition for India and its states. The 2005-06 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), the third in the series of these national surveys, was preceded by NFHS-1 in 1992-93 and NFHS-2 in 1998-99. Like NFHS-1 and NFHS-2, NFHS-3 was designed to provide estimates of important indicators on family welfare, maternal and child health, and nutrition. In addition, NFHS-3 provides information on several new and emerging issues, including family life education, safe injections, perinatal mortality, adolescent reproductive health, high-risk sexual behaviour, tuberculosis, and malaria. Further, unlike the earlier surveys in which only ever-married women age 15-49 were eligible for individual interviews, NFHS-3 interviewed all women age 15-49 and all men age 15-54. Information on nutritional status, including the prevalence of anaemia, is provided in NFHS3 for women age 15-49, men age 15-54, and young children.

A special feature of NFHS-3 is the inclusion of testing of the adult population for HIV. NFHS-3 is the first nationwide community-based survey in India to provide an estimate of HIV prevalence in the general population. Specifically, NFHS-3 provides estimates of HIV prevalence among women age 15-49 and men age 15-54 for all of India, and separately for Uttar Pradesh and for Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, and Tamil Nadu, five out of the six states classified by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) as high HIV prevalence states. No estimate of HIV prevalence is being provided for Nagaland, the sixth high HIV prevalence state, due to strong local opposition to the collection of blood samples.

NFHS-3 covered all 29 states in India, which comprise more than 99 percent of India's population. NFHS-3 is designed to provide estimates of key indicators for India as a whole and, with the exception of HIV prevalence, for all 29 states by urban-rural residence. Additionally, NFHS-3 provides estimates for the slum and non-slum populations of eight cities, namely Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Meerut, Mumbai, and Nagpur. NFHS-3 was conducted under the stewardship of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), Government of India, and is the result of the collaborative efforts of a large number of organizations. The International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, was designated by MOHFW as the nodal agency for the project. Funding for NFHS-3 was provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), DFID, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, UNFPA, and MOHFW. Macro International, USA, provided technical assistance at all stages of the NFHS-3 project. NACO and the National AIDS Research Institute (NARI) provided technical assistance for the HIV component of NFHS-3. Eighteen Research Organizations, including six Population Research Centres, shouldered the responsibility of conducting the survey in the different states of India and producing electronic data files.

The survey used a uniform sample design, questionnaires (translated into 18 Indian languages), field procedures, and procedures for biomarker measurements throughout the country to facilitate comparability across the states and to ensure the highest possible data quality. The contents of the questionnaires were decided through an extensive collaborative process in early 2005. Based on provisional data, two national-level fact sheets and 29 state fact sheets that provide estimates of more than 50 key indicators of population, health, family welfare, and nutrition have already been released. The basic objective of releasing fact sheets within a very short period after the completion of data collection was to provide immediate feedback to planners and programme managers on key process indicators.

Geographic coverage

• National (29 states )
• Regional (for HIV Prevalence : Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, and Tamil Nadu)
• Local (population and health indicators for slum and non-slum populations for eight cities, namely Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Meerut, Mumbai, and Nagpur)

Analysis unit

• Household
• Women age 15-49
• Men age 15-59

Universe

The population covered by the 2005 DHS is defined as the universe of all ever-married women age 15-49, NFHS-3 included never married women age 15-49 and both ever-married and never married men age 15-54 as eligible respondents.

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

SAMPLE SIZE

Since a large number of the key indicators to be estimated from NFHS-3 refer to ever-married women in the reproductive ages of 15-49, the target sample size for each state in NFHS-3 was estimated in terms of the number of ever-married women in the reproductive ages to be interviewed.

The initial target sample size was 4,000 completed interviews with ever-married women in states with a 2001 population of more than 30 million, 3,000 completed interviews with ever-married women in states with a 2001 population between 5 and 30 million, and 1,500 completed interviews with ever-married women in states with a population of less than 5 million. In addition, because of sample-size adjustments required to meet the need for HIV prevalence estimates for the high HIV prevalence states and Uttar Pradesh and for slum and non-slum estimates in eight selected cities, the sample size in some states was higher than that fixed by the above criteria. The target sample was increased for Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh to permit the calculation of reliable HIV prevalence estimates for each of these states. The sample size in Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal was increased to allow separate estimates for slum and non-slum populations in the cities of Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Mumbai, Meerut, and Nagpur.

The target sample size for HIV tests was estimated on the basis of the assumed HIV prevalence rate, the design effect of the sample, and the acceptable level of precision. With an assumed level of HIV prevalence of 1.25 percent and a 15 percent relative standard error, the estimated sample size was 6,400 HIV tests each for men and women in each of the high HIV prevalence states. At the national level, the assumed level of HIV prevalence of less than 1 percent (0.92 percent) and less than a 5 percent relative standard error yielded a target of 125,000 HIV tests at the national level.

Blood was collected for HIV testing from all consenting ever-married and never married women age 15-49 and men age 15-54 in all sample households in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. All women age 15-49 and men age 15-54 in the sample households were eligible for interviewing in all of these states plus Nagaland. In the remaining 22 states, all ever-married and never married women age 15-49 in sample households were eligible to be interviewed. In those 22 states, men age 15-54 were eligible to be interviewed in only a subsample of households. HIV tests for women and men were carried out in only a subsample of the households that were selected for men's interviews in those 22 states. The reason for this sample design is that the required number of HIV tests is determined by the need to calculate HIV prevalence at the national level and for some states, whereas the number of individual interviews is determined by the need to provide state level estimates for attitudinal and behavioural indicators in every state. For statistical reasons, it is not possible to estimate HIV prevalence in every state from NFHS-3 as the number of tests required for estimating HIV prevalence reliably in low HIV prevalence states would have been very large.

SAMPLE DESIGN

The urban and rural samples within each state were drawn separately and, to the extent possible, unless oversampling was required to permit separate estimates for urban slum and non-slum areas, the sample within each state was allocated proportionally to the size of the state's urban and rural populations. A uniform sample design was adopted in all states. In each state, the rural sample was selected in two stages, with the selection of Primary Sampling Units (PSUs), which are villages, with probability proportional to population size (PPS) at the first stage, followed by the random selection of households within each PSU in the second stage. In urban areas, a three-stage procedure was followed. In the first stage, wards were selected with PPS sampling. In the next stage, one census enumeration block (CEB) was randomly selected from each sample ward. In the final stage, households were randomly selected within each selected CEB.

SAMPLE SELECTION IN RURAL AREAS

In rural areas, the 2001 Census list of villages served as the sampling frame. The list was stratified by a number of variables. The first level of stratification was geographic, with districts being subdivided into contiguous regions. Within each of these regions, villages were further stratified using selected variables from the following list: village size, percentage of males working in the nonagricultural sector, percentage of the population belonging to scheduled castes or scheduled tribes, and female literacy. In addition to these variables, an external estimate of HIV prevalence, i.e., 'High', 'Medium' or 'Low', as estimated for all the districts in high HIV prevalence states, was used for stratification in high HIV prevalence states. Female literacy was used for implicit stratification (i.e., villages were

Population, female (% of total population) in India was reported at 48.41 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Population, female (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Nagaland: Urban data was reported at 8.400 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.300 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Nagaland: Urban data is updated yearly, averaging 11.800 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.000 NA in 2006 and a record low of 8.400 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Nagaland: Urban data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH004: Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: by States.

india - Employment to Population Ratio for India was 53.23% in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, india - Employment to Population Ratio for India reached a record high of 53.23 in January of 2024 and a record low of 47.50 in January of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for india - Employment to Population Ratio for India - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Census: Population: Goa data was reported at 1,458,545.000 Person in 03-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,347,668.000 Person for 03-01-2001. Census: Population: Goa data is updated decadal, averaging 568,722.500 Person from Mar 1901 (Median) to 03-01-2011, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,458,545.000 Person in 03-01-2011 and a record low of 469,494.000 Person in 03-01-1921. Census: Population: Goa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAB002: Census: Population: by States.

Abstract

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) was carried out as the principal activity of a collaborative project to strengthen the research capabilities of the Population Reasearch Centres (PRCs) in India, initiated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), Government of India, and coordinated by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Bombay. Interviews were conducted with a nationally representative sample of 89,777 ever-married women in the age group 13-49, from 24 states and the National Capital Territoty of Delhi. The main objective of the survey was to collect reliable and up-to-date information on fertility, family planning, mortality, and maternal and child health. Data collection was carried out in three phases from April 1992 to September 1993. THe NFHS is one of the most complete surveys of its kind ever conducted in India.

The households covered in the survey included 500,492 residents. The young age structure of the population highlights the momentum of the future population growth of the country; 38 percent of household residents are under age 15, with their reproductive years still in the future. Persons age 60 or older constitute 8 percent of the population. The population sex ratio of the de jure residents is 944 females per 1,000 males, which is slightly higher than sex ratio of 927 observed in the 1991 Census.

The primary objective of the NFHS is to provide national-level and state-level data on fertility, nuptiality, family size preferences, knowledge and practice of family planning, the potentiel demand for contraception, the level of unwanted fertility, utilization of antenatal services, breastfeeding and food supplemation practises, child nutrition and health, immunizations, and infant and child mortality. The NFHS is also designed to explore the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of fertility, family planning, and maternal and child health. This information is intended to assist policymakers, adminitrators and researchers in assessing and evaluating population and family welfare programmes and strategies. The NFHS used uniform questionnaires and uniform methods of sampling, data collection and analysis with the primary objective of providing a source of demographic and health data for interstate comparisons. The data collected in the NFHS are also comparable with those of the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in many other countries.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Household
• Data collected for women 13-49, indicators calculated for women 15-49

Universe

The population covered by the 1992-93 DHS is defined as the universe of all women age 13-49 who were either permanent residents of the households in the NDHS sample or visitors present in the households on the night before the survey were eligible to be interviewed.

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

SAMPLE DESIGN

The sample design for the NFHS was discussed during a Sample Design Workshop held in Madurai in Octber, 1991. The workshop was attended by representative from the PRCs; the COs; the Office of the Registrar General, India; IIPS and the East-West Center/Macro International. A uniform sample design was adopted in all the NFHS states. The Sample design adopted in each state is a systematic, stratified sample of households, with two stages in rural areas and three stages in urban areas.

SAMPLE SIZE AND ALLOCATION

The sample size for each state was specified in terms of a target number of completed interviews with eligible women. The target sample size was set considering the size of the state, the time and ressources available for the survey and the need for separate estimates for urban and rural areas of the stat. The initial target sample size was 3,000 completed interviews with eligible women for states having a population of 25 million or less in 1991; 4,000 completed interviews for large states with more than 25 million population; 8,000 for Uttar Pradesh, the largest state; and 1,000 each for the six small northeastern states. In States with a substantial number of backward districts, the initial target samples were increased so as to allow separate estimates to be made for groups of backward districts.

The urban and rural samples within states were drawn separetly and , to the extent possible, sample allocation was proportional to the size of the urban-rural populations (to facilitate the selection of a self-weighting sample for each state). In states where the urban population was not sufficiently large to provide a sample of at least 1,000 completed interviews with eligible women, the urban areas were appropriately oversampled (except in the six small northeastern states).

THE RURAL SAMPLE: THE FRAME, STRATIFICATION AND SELECTION

A two-stage stratified sampling was adopted for the rural areas: selection of villages followed by selection of households. Because the 1991 Census data were not available at the time of sample selection in most states, the 1981 Census list of villages served as the sampling frame in all the states with the exception of Assam, Delhi and Punjab. In these three states the 1991 Census data were used as the sampling frame.

Villages were stratified prior to selection on the basis of a number of variables. The firts level of stratification in all the states was geographic, with districts subdivided into regions according to their geophysical characteristics. Within each of these regions, villages were further stratified using some of the following variables : village size, distance from the nearest town, proportion of nonagricultural workers, proportion of the population belonging to scheduled castes/scheduled tribes, and female literacy. However, not all variables were used in every state. Each state was examined individually and two or three variables were selected for stratification, with the aim of creating not more than 12 strata for small states and not more than 15 strata for large states. Females literacy was often used for implicit stratification (i.e., the villages were ordered prior to selection according to the proportion of females who were literate). Primary sampling Units (PSUs) were selected systematically, with probaility proportional to size (PPS). In some cases, adjacent villages with small population sizes were combined into a single PSU for the purpose of sample selection. On average, 30 households were selected for interviewing in each selected PSU.

In every state, all the households in the selected PSUs were listed about two weeks prior to the survey. This listing provided the necessary frame for selecting households at the second sampling stage. The household listing operation consisted of preparing up-to-date notional and layout sketch maps of each selected PSU, assigning numbers to structures, recording addresses (or locations) of these structures, identifying the residential structures, and listing the names of the heads of all the households in the residentiak structures in the selected PSU. Each household listing team consisted of a lister and a mapper. The listing operation was supervised by the senior field staff of the concerned CO and the PRC in each state. Special efforts were made not to miss any household in the selected PSU during the listing operation. In PSUs with fewer than 500 households, a complete household listing was done. In PSUs with 500 or more households, segmentation of the PSU was done on the basis of existing wards in the PSU, and two segments were selected using either systematic sampling or PPS sampling. The household listing in such PSUs was carried out in the selected segments. The households to be interviewed were selected from provided with the original household listing, layout sketch map and the household sample selected for each PSU. All the selected households were approached during the data collection, and no substitution of a household was allowed under any circumstances.

THE RURAL URBAN SAMPLE: THE FRAME, STRATIFICATION AND SELECTION

A three-stage sample design was adopted for the urban areas in each state: selection of cities/towns, followed by urban blocks, and finally households. Cities and towns were selected using the 1991 population figures while urban blocks were selected using the 1991 list of census enumeration blocks in all the states with the exception of the firts phase states. For the first phase states, the list of urban blocks provided by the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSSO) served as the sampling frame.

All cities and towns were subdivided into three strata: (1) self-selecting cities (i.e., cities with a population large enough to be selected with certainty), (2) towns that are district headquaters, and (3) other towns. Within each stratum, the cities/towns were arranged according to the same kind of geographic stratification used in the rural areas. In self-selecting cities, the sample was selected according to a two-stage sample design: selection of the required number of urban blocks, followed by selection of households in each of selected blocks. For district headquarters and other towns, a three stage sample design was used: selection of towns with PPS, followed by selection of two census blocks per selected town, followed by selection of households from each selected block. As in rural areas, a household listing was carried out in the selected blocks, and an average of 20 households per block was selected systematically.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face

Research instrument

Three types of questionnaires were used in the NFHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Women's Questionnaire, and the Village Questionnaire. The overall content

Abstract

The 44th round started from July 1988. The survey period of this round was July 1988 to June 1989. This round has been devoted to mainly three enquiries. First and foremost, there has been an enquiry on the living condition of the tribal population. Of the other two, one is concerned with the housing condition of the general population and the other is a survey on current building construction activity. For the purpose of this enquiry, “tribal population” mean the members of the Scheduled Tribes declared under the Article 342 of the Constitution of India. They are known to be the descendants of the earliest inhabitants of India (hence called “Adivasis”). At present, in most parts of India, they form one of the economically weakest sections of the society. So far there has not been any systematic study of their living conditions covering the whole country. Whatever data are available are derived from the decennial censuses, apart from some micro studies carried out by social anthropologists. In the NSS the tribal population has always been covered as part of the general population. In NSS 32nd and 33rd rounds special surveys had been carried out through an integrated schedule (schedule 16.4) in the North-Eastern region. The survey was conducted in the rural areas of the following States:- 32nd round : Arunachal Pradesh, Assam (N. Cachar and Karbi Anglong districts only), Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura; 33rd round: In addition to the above States, Mizoram also. Even though this covered many aspects specially related to the life of the people of this region (who are mostly tribals), no such survey has so far been undertaken about the life of the tribals living in the main tribal belt stretching from West Bengal through Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh to Gujarat and Rajasthan. The scope of the enquiry is to understand the living condition of the tribals living in the main tribal belt stretching from West Bengal through Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh to Gujarat and Rajasthan.) The object of the enquiry in the this round is to throw light on as many aspects as possible of the tribal population of this country. This relates to aspects of their “level of the living” including demographic and activity particulars, family expenditure etc. as well as to their entrepreneurial activities.

Geographic coverage

The survey covered the whole of Indian Union except Ladakh and Kargil districts of Jammu and Kashmir state. The rural areas of Nagaland, so far outside NSS coverage up to the 43rd round, have also been brought in this round.

Analysis unit

Randomly selected households based on sampling procedure and members of the household

Universe

The survey used the interview method of data collection from a sample of randomly selected households and members of the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample design is stratified two-stage with the census village as the first stage unit in the rural sector and UFS block as the first stage unit in the urban sector. The second stage units are households.

The sample design in the rural sector has been decided with a view to providing good estimates for the tribal enquiry. Except in the north-eastern region, the tribal population is concentrated in some districts within the states having considerable tribal population and even in those districts they are found to be unevenly distributed geographically. Therefore special stratification and selection procedures have been adopted not only to net sufficient number of tribal households in the sample but also to improve the design in general for the tribal enquiry.

While the rural design is oriented towards the tribal enquiry, the urban design is oriented towards the enquiry on construction. As building construction activity is found to be concentrated in some areas in the urban sector, attempts have been made in urban design to demarcate such areas in larger towns as separate strata. Detailed description of the rural and urban sample designs are as follows:

SAMPLE DESIGN : RURAL

Sampling frame of villages: The list of 1981 census villages constitute the sampling frame for selection of villages in most districts. However in Assam (where '81 census was not done) and a few districts of some other states (where the available lists of villages were not satisfactory), 1971 census village lists have been used as frame.

Stratification :
In Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Daman & Diu and Pondicherry where there are practically no tribal population, the strata used in NSS 43rd round were retained. In Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep also the strata of 43rd round were retained because of the high percentage of ST population in these States/U.T.'s. (The strata of 43rd round have been retained in the case of Sikkim as the distribution of tribal population is more or less uniform over all the districts). In the remaining states fresh stratification was carried out as described below.

In these states all districts accounting for the bulk of the state's tribal population were selected for formation of strata with concentration of tribal population. Besides these districts, tribal concentration strata have been demarcated also in some other districts with relatively small tribal population in order to ensure coverage of as many different ethnic groups as possible.

Within each district so identified for formation of tribal concentration strata, the tehsils with relatively high concentration of tribal population, together constituted one stratum. These tehsils were selected in such a way that together they accounted for the bulk (70% or more) of the district tribal population and the proportion of tribal to total population in this stratum was significantly greater than that of the district as a whole. The strata so formed were not always geographically contiguous. These tribal concentration strata are called STRATUM TYPE -1. Further, all the strata of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep and Sikkim are also considered as stratum type-1. All the remaining strata in the rural sector (in any State/U.T.) are called stratum type -2.

Sampling deviation

There was no deviation from the original sampling design.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

NSS Round 44 Schedule 29.2 consists of 17 blocks as enumerated below:

Block 1: identification of sample household Block 2: particulars of field operations Block 3: remarks by investigator Block 4: remarks by supervisory officer (s) Block 5: household characteristics Block 6: demographic particulars of household members Block 7: particulars of assistance received by the household during last 3 years Block 8: particulars of land owned and possessed Block 9: particulars of disposal of land during last 5 years Block 10: information on input items for cultivation during 1987-88 Block 11: particulars of crops produced during 1987-88 Block 12: particulars of wage employment in forest and forestry operation
Block 13: particulars of forest produce collected, consumed at home and sold by household members during last 30 days as self-employed Block 14: particulars of household enterprise (other than cultivation) during last 30 days Block 15: particulars of products (other than forest products) marketed during last 30 days Block 16 : inventory of assets owned on the date of survey Block 17 : cash dues and grain & other commodity dues payable by the household as on the date of survey and particulars of transaction of loans during last 365 days

According to the latest census data, Lakshadweep, the island union territory had the highest share of Muslim population in the country, where 97 percent of its population identified as followers of the Islamic faith. Jammu & Kashmir ranked second at 68 percent during the same time period. With almost all major religions being practiced throughout the country, India is known for its religious diversity. Islam makes up the highest share among minority faiths in the country.