India Population 2023, State-wise Population, Age Structure and Growth Rate

India Population 2023: India has the world’s largest democracy with a population of over 1.2 billion. According to the last official recorded census in 2011, the total Indian population was 1,21,08,54,977. India ranks first and tops the list of countries by population in 2023. The current population of India in 2023 is 1,428,627,663, a 0.81% increase from 2022.

India Population 2023

India is geographically located in South Asia and its land area is the seventh largest in the world. India is most suitable as a human habitat as it has vast expense of plains, plateaus and river valleys. India has one of the longest histories of more than 2000 years that traces back to an era of human civilization. India has the largest population in the world and is the 26^th country by population density.

Population in India is unevenly distributed across the area of the country. The Indian population differs in urban and rural areas, among males and females affecting the total population in states and union territories.

India’s population reached the billion mark back in 1997 and now in 2023, India is the most populated country with 1.486 billion people.

Population in India is expected to increase by 17,950,464 people and reach 1,443,721,994 by the beginning of 2024.

According to the stats and estimated figures, India’s population density is 433.7 people per square kilometre (1,123.3/mi²) as of 2023.

Distribution of Population in India

The Indian population has the world’s largest youth population, with over 908 million people under the age of 35. This represents 66% of India’s total population. In the 15-24 age group, India has the highest youth population in the world, with over 255 million people.

Population Distribution in India Age Structure

The following table distributes the estimated population of India on the basis of gender i.e. males and Females.

India Population in Past Years 5 years

The table indicates the jump in population over the years and its percentage of increase in India’s Population from the year 2019-2023.

State Wise Population in India 2023

Current stats analysed based on the data provided by the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, show the most populous state in India where the most populous is Uttar Pradesh with an estimated population of 199,581,477. Maharashtra comes second with approx. 112,372,972 residents. Bihar accommodates 103,804,637 people and ranks third. West Bengal is the fourth state that hosts 91,347,736 people. The fifth state is Madhya Pradesh with 72,597,565 inhabitants. The least populated state in India is Sikkim with a population of 610,577.

Most Populated States in India

India is politically and demographically divided into 28 States and 8 Union Territories at present. The Largest State in India by population is Uttar Pradesh and the lowest is Sikkim.

India’s largest state in terms of population is Uttar Pradesh with a population of 199,581,477.

Least Populated States in India

India’s smallest state in terms of population is Sikkim with a population of 610,577. 

List of Most Populated Cities in India 2023

According to the latest estimated figures for 2023, Delhi has surpassed Mumbai in terms of population. Delhi is the most populous city with over 30 million and Mumbai with a population of over 20 million. The table indicates the data as per the last conducted census.

Classification of Cities on the basis of Population

Different bodies and organizations classify Indian cities and tiers based on population. The Pay Commission categorises Indian cities into X cities as Tier 1, Y cities as Tier 2 and Z cities as Tier 3. The Reserve Bank of India categorises Indian cities into six tiers based on the population. Tier 1 cities have a population of over 1,00,000 while Tier 6 has the least population below 5,000 people.

UNFPA India Ageing Report 2023

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) released a report in 2023 – the India Ageing Report highlighting the significant demographic shifts in India due to the rapidly increasing elderly population.

The Key Findings of the report suggest –

• a decadal growth rate of 41% for the elderly population in India.
• The report further predicts that by 2046, it is expected that the elderly population will surpass the population of children aged up to 15 and by the year 2050, the elderly population will make up over 20% of India’s total population.
• The population of people aged 80+ years is expected to increase by around 279% between 2022 and 2050.
• Mentions gender disparities in life expectancy among the elderly where Women have a higher life expectancy at the ages of 60 and 80 compared to men.
• States like Himachal Pradesh and Punjab have a significantly higher share of the elderly population than the national average.
• Whereas, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh will see an increase in the share of the elderly population but at a lower level than the national average.
• India’s ageing population’s major reasons include feminization the proportion of elderly women is more and ruralisation i.e. high elderly population in rural areas.
• The sex ratio among the elderly has been increasing since 1991reflecting that women tend to outlive men in this age group.

The Report recommends quality collection of credible data by the National Sample Survey and Census of India which will help in informed policymaking. Further, the report suggests promoting the awareness of existing schemes for older people encouraging the setting up of elderly self-help groups. Additionally, the implementation of policies to facilitate and support the living arrangements of elderly people.

The growing elderly population is expected to capture a substantial portion of the total population by 2050 in India. Thus, there is an urgent and dire need to address and develop policies to regulate the ageing population.

Indian Population Growth Rate 1995-2023

There are four phases of India’s population growth, Phase 1(1901-1921) was stagnant for many years and the population declined for a period. Phase 2(1921-1951) saw steady growth in the Indian population mainly due to improvements in health. Phase 3(1951-1981) again the Indian population spiked and was the period of population explosion. Phase 4(1981-2023) has seen an absolute high increment with a slowing decadal growth rate.

India Population in the Upcoming Years

It is predicted that by the year 2025, the Indian population will be 1,454,606,724 with an urban population of 542,742,539. In the year 2030, 1,514,994,080 and by the year 2050, 1,670,490,596 likely to be the Indian population.

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