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.

The statistic displays the Indian states with the largest area of national parks in 2016. During the measured time period, the largest area of national parks belonged to the state of Uttarakhand with close to 5,000 square kilometers, followed by Rajasthan with approximately 3,950 square kilometers.

The north-western state of Rajasthan was the largest in terms of land area in India in 2021 with over 342 thousand square kilometers. Central Madhya Pradesh and south-western Maharashtra followed, while the union territory of Lakshadweep recorded an area of 30 square kilometers. Overall, India's geographical area amounted to about 3.3 million square kilometers.

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

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.

According to the 2011 census, the population density in the Indian state of Maharashtra was 365 individuals per square kilometer. Located on the Deccan Plateau, it is the second-most populous state in the country. A steady increase in the population of the state can be attributed to growing urban districts such as Mumbai and Pune, with diverse employment opportunities in several sectors.

India's economic powerhouse

With a contribution of over 22 trillion Indian rupees in the financial year 2017, the state of Maharashtra had the highest gross state domestic product in the country. A per capita income of over 175 thousand Indian rupees was estimated across the state for the preceding year. Based on its economic model, the state was a highly preferred destination for domestic and foreign investments.

The most populous Indian state

Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra, was the most populous city after Delhi. As the country's economic core, it serves as the financial and commercial capital while providing numerous job opportunities. Many are attracted to this dream city in search of a lucrative career and to make it big in the world-famous Bollywood film industry.

The statistic shows the total population of India from 2019 to 2029. In 2023, the estimated total population in India amounted to approximately 1.43 billion people.

Total population in India

India currently has the second-largest population in the world and is projected to overtake top-ranking China within forty years. Its residents comprise more than one-seventh of the entire world’s population, and despite a slowly decreasing fertility rate (which still exceeds the replacement rate and keeps the median age of the population relatively low), an increasing life expectancy adds to an expanding population. In comparison with other countries whose populations are decreasing, such as Japan, India has a relatively small share of aged population, which indicates the probability of lower death rates and higher retention of the existing population.

With a land mass of less than half that of the United States and a population almost four times greater, India has recognized potential problems of its growing population. Government attempts to implement family planning programs have achieved varying degrees of success. Initiatives such as sterilization programs in the 1970s have been blamed for creating general antipathy to family planning, but the combined efforts of various family planning and contraception programs have helped halve fertility rates since the 1960s. The population growth rate has correspondingly shrunk as well, but has not yet reached less than one percent growth per year.

As home to thousands of ethnic groups, hundreds of languages, and numerous religions, a cohesive and broadly-supported effort to reduce population growth is difficult to create. Despite that, India is one country to watch in coming years. It is also a growing economic power; among other measures, its GDP per capita was expected to triple between 2003 and 2013 and was listed as the third-ranked country for its share of the global gross domestic product.

The northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, also the most populous state, occupied 80 seats in the lower house of the Indian Parliament. It was followed by Maharashtra with 48 seats. The three states of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bihar account for almost 30 percent of members of Lok Sabha or the lower house of the Indian Parliament.

The statistic displays the Indian states with the largest area of wildlife sanctuaries in 2016. During the measured time period, the largest area of wildlife sanctuaries was present in the state of Gujarat which amounted to approximately 16,600 square kilometers, followed by Andhra Pradesh with an area of about 11,600 square kilometers of sanctuaries for wildlife.

New York was the most populous state in the union in the year 1900. It had the largest white population, for both native born and foreign born persons, and together these groups made up over 7.1 million of New York's 7.2 million inhabitants at this time. The United States' industrial centers to the north and northeast were one of the most important economic draws during this period, and states in these regions had the largest foreign born white populations. Ethnic minorities Immigration into the agricultural southern states was much lower than the north, and these states had the largest Black populations due to the legacy of slavery - this balance would begin to shift in the following decades as a large share of the Black population migrated to urban centers to the north during the Great Migration. The Japanese and Chinese populations at this time were more concentrated in the West, as these states were the most common point of entry for Asians into the country. The states with the largest Native American populations were to the west and southwest, due to the legacy of forced displacement - this included the Indian Territory, an unorganized and independent territory assigned to the Native American population in the early 1800s, although this was incorporated into Oklahoma when it was admitted into the union in 1907. Additionally, non-taxpaying Native Americans were historically omitted from the U.S. Census, as they usually lived in separate communities and could not vote or hold office - more of an effort was made to count all Native Americans from 1890 onward, although there are likely inaccuracies in the figures given here. Changing distribution Internal migration in the 20th century greatly changed population distribution across the country, with California and Florida now ranking among the three most populous states in the U.S. today, while they were outside the top 20 in 1900. The growth of Western states' populations was largely due to the wave of internal migration during the Great Depression, where unemployment in the east saw many emigrate to "newer" states in search of opportunity, as well as significant immigration from Latin America (especially Mexico) and Asia since the mid-1900s.

The northern state of Rajasthan reported the highest number of rape cases across India in 2022, at over 5.3 thousand. Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, ranked second that year, while the union territory of Lakshadweep recorded the lowest number.

Crime against women in India: a grim reality  

2012’s gang rape and murder of a 22-year-old physiotherapy intern shook the country in what is now known as the Nirbhaya case. Literally translated from Hindi, Nirbhaya means fearless. Outcry in the form of protests and marches seized the country in the weeks following the incident. This took place in the country’s capital Delhi, ranking first among metropolitans for rape cases.

Arguably, this was a turning point in conversations about crime and the status and treatment of women in India, forcing it to the forefront. Even so, Nirbhaya continues to be one of the many names given to refer to the other rape cases in the country since.

Women’s safety in India  

Despite public and private initiatives to ensure safety measures are being implemented, being a girl or woman is often seen as a disadvantage. From banning prenatal sex determination to encouraging girls to go to school and inclusion in the workforce, attempts are consistently being made to better how women are treated. Despite this, Indians live in a society that has deeply normalized all levels of crime against women, giving the responsibility of safety to the individual rather than the community.

In 1800, the population of the region of present-day India was approximately 169 million. The population would grow gradually throughout the 19th century, rising to over 240 million by 1900. Population growth would begin to increase in the 1920s, as a result of falling mortality rates, due to improvements in health, sanitation and infrastructure. However, the population of India would see it’s largest rate of growth in the years following the country’s independence from the British Empire in 1948, where the population would rise from 358 million to over one billion by the turn of the century, making India the second country to pass the billion person milestone. While the rate of growth has slowed somewhat as India begins a demographics shift, the country’s population has continued to grow dramatically throughout the 21st century, and in 2020, India is estimated to have a population of just under 1.4 billion, well over a billion more people than one century previously. Today, approximately 18% of the Earth’s population lives in India, and it is estimated that India will overtake China to become the most populous country in the world within the next five years.

The Indian state of Punjab reported the highest number of active coronavirus (COVID-19) cases of over one thousand cases as of October 20, 2023. Kerala and Karnataka followed, with relatively lower casualties. That day, there were a total of over 44 million confirmed infections across India.

The statistic displays the Indian states with the largest protected forest area in 2013. During the measured time period, the protected forest area in the state of Himachal Pradesh was the largest and amounted to approximately 33,000 square kilometers, while Madhya Pradesh was second with about 31,000 square kilometers.

In the financial year 2016, Tamil Nadu was the Indian state with the highest alcohol revenue at about 300 billion Indian rupees. India has the third-largest alcohol market in the world. The revenue of alcoholic drinks in the country was more than 67 billion dollars in 2018. Despite its uses for medical purposes in Ayurveda, the cultural diversity in India makes alcohol a controversial commodity in the country.

The market

The market is composed of Indian-made liquor (IMIL), Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL), wine, beer and imported products. Indians did not seem to enjoy the imported liquor; the market share of imported liquor was less than five percent in 2017, whereas the country’s own liquor share was almost 50 percent. Amongst spirits, whiskey was the clear favorite with close to 200 million nine-liter cases sold in 2016.

Stereotypes and society

Alcohol consumption in India has always been a battle between social and economic consequences. The war has benefitted the black market where almost three liters of pure alcohol were sold per capita in 2016. The industry continues to grow nonetheless, tackling lawmakers and condemners. With a bit of help from the government and a bit more tolerance, the growth may be able to become steady.

Rajasthan had the highest donkey population across India, at about 23 thousand in 2019. The number of donkeys across the country declined enormously by over 61 percent between 2012 and 2019. Livestock population amounted to nearly 535.8 million, with cattle, buffaloes and goats making up the largest share.

The statistic gives the Christian population in India in 2011, with a breakdown by state and union territory. The region with the highest Christian population was Kerala, followed by the state of Tamil Nadu with almost 4.5 million Christians. The region with the least Christian population was the union territory of Lakshadweep in that year. The countries with the largest number of Christians in 2010 can be found here.

The statistic illustrates the Buddhist population in India in 2011, with a breakdown by state and union territory. The region with the highest Buddhist population was Maharashtra, followed by the state of West Bengal with close to 283,000 Buddhists. The region with the least Buddhist population was the union territory of Lakshadweep in that year. The countries with the largest number of Buddhists in 2010 can be found here.

The south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh had the largest scrub area of over eight thousand square kilometers as of 2021. Madhya Pradesh followed with the second largest scrub area with over five thousand square kilometers that year.

In 2022, the majority of Indian adults had a wealth of 10,000 U.S. dollars or less. On the other hand, about 0.1 percent were worth more than one million dollars that year. India The Republic of India is one of the world’s largest and most economically powerful states. India gained independence from Great Britain on August 15, 1947, after having been under their power for 200 years. With a population of about 1.4 billion people, it was the second most populous country in the world. Of that 1.4 billion, about 28.5 million lived in New Delhi, the capital. Wealth inequality India suffers from extreme income inequality. It is estimated that the top 10 percent of the population holds 77 percent of the national wealth. Billionaire fortune has increase sporadically in the last years whereas minimum wages have remain stunted.