Demographics of Bihar

At the 2011 Census, Bihar was the third most populous state of India with total population of 104,099,452, nearly 89% of it rural. It was also India's most densely populated state, with 1,106 persons per square kilometre. The sex ratio was 918 females per 1000 males.[1] Almost 58% of Bihar's population was below 25 years age, which is the highest in India. At 11.3%, Bihar has the second-lowest urbanisation rate in India after Himachal Pradesh.[2]

Most of Bihar's population belongs to a collection of ethnic groups speaking indic languages. It also attracted Punjabi Hindu refugees during the Partition of British India in 1947.[3] Bihar has a total literacy rate of 63.82% (73.39% for males and 53.33% for females), recording a growth of 20% in female literacy over the preceding decade. According to the 2011 census, 82.7% of Bihar's population practised Hinduism, while 16.9% followed Islam.[4] Bihar has highest fertility rate of 3.41 in comparison to the other states of India.[5]

Population

Population by Age group (2001)[6]
Age Group Total Male Female
0–4 11006072 5623280 5382792
5–9 12804302 6705263 6099039
10–14 11063777 5970201 5093576
15–19 7190188 4028643 3161545
20–24 6323193 3180063 3143130
25–29 5908308 2894706 3013602
30–34 5549787 2713871 2835916
35–39 5077935 2576089 2501846
40–44 4153203 2213770 1939433
45–49 3461664 1778368 1683296
50–54 2711041 1543620 1167421
55–59 2069940 990011 1079929
60–64 2103909 1120743 983166
65–69 1354937 683656 671281
70–74 1029921 571438 458483
75–79 446860 233961 212899
80+ 565647 312207 253440
Age not stated 177825 103905 73920
All ages 82998509 43243795 39754714

Religion

Main article: Religion in Bihar

Religions in Bihar 2011

  Hinduism (82.7%)
  Islam (16.9%)
  Others (0.4%)
Religion in Bihar
Religion 2001[7] 2011[8]
Hinduism 69,076,919 86,078,686
Islam 13,722,048 17,557,809
Christianity 53,137 129,247
Buddhism 18,818 25,453
Sikhism 20,780 23,779
Jainism 16,085 18,914
Other 52,905 13,437
Not stated n/a[a] 252,127
Total 82,998,509 104,099,452
Religion in Bihar (%)
Religion 2001[7] 2011[8]
Hinduism 83.22 82.69
Islam 16.53 16.87
Christianity 0.06 0.12
Buddhism 0.02 0.02
Sikhism 0.03 0.02
Jainism 0.02 0.02
Other 0.06 0.01
Not stated n/a[b] 0.24

As per recently released Bihar caste-based survey 2022, Hinduism is practised by 81.99% and Islam is followed by 17.70%.[9]

Caste and ethnic groups

Main article: Bihar caste-based survey 2022

As per Bihar government’s Bihar caste-based survey 2022 report, released on 2 October 2023, showed that extremely backward classes (EBCs) account for 36.01 percent of the 13.07 crore population of the state.[10][11] OBCs, EBCs together account for 63% of total population of Bihar.[12][13]

Caste Groups of Bihar[14][15]
Caste Groups Population[16] (%)
OBC 27.12%
EBC 36.01%
Dalits(SCs) 19.65%
Forward caste 15.52%
Adivasis(STs) 1.68%


Caste Population Percentage
Yadav 18,650,119 14.2666%
Kushwaha (Koeri) 5,506,113 4.212%
Kurmi 3,762,969 2.8785%
Brahmin 4,781,280 3.6575%
Teli 3,677,491 2.8131%
Mallah (Nishad) 3,410,093 2.6086%
Nonia 2,498,474 1.9112%
Kanu 2,892,761 2.2129%
Bania 3,026,912 2.3155%
Bhumihar 3,750,886 2.8693%
Rajput 4,510,733 3.4505%
Dushadh 6,943,000 5.3111%
Musahar 4,035,787 3.0872%
Kayastha 785,771 0.6011%
Ravidas 6,869,664 5.255%
  • As per, 2011 Census of India, Scheduled Castes constitute 16% of Bihar's 104 million population.[17] The census identified 21 of 23 Dalit sub-castes as Mahadalits.[18] Mahadalit community consists of the following sub castes - Bantar, Bauri, Bhogta, Bhuiya, Chaupal, Dabgar, Dom (Dhangad), Ghasi, Halalkhor, Hari (Mehtar, Bhangi), Kanjar, Kurariar, Lalbegi, Musahar, Nat, Pan (Swasi), Rajwar, Turi, Dhobi, Pasi, Chamar and Paswan (Dusadh).[19] Paswan caste was initially left out of the Mahadalit category.[20][21][22] Adivasis (Scheduled Tribes) constitute around 1.3% of Bihar population.[23][24] Tribals include Gond, Santhal and Tharu communities in Bihar.[25][26]
  • Extremely Backward Class (EBCs) are also sometimes referred to as Most Backward Class(MBCs). There are 130-odd EBC castes in Bihar.[27][28][29]

Languages

Main article: Languages of Bihar
See also: Maithili language, Bhojpuri language, Angika, Magahi, Magadhi Prakrit, and Hindi in Bihar

Languages of Bihar (2011)[30]

  Hindi (25.54%)
  Bhojpuri (24.86%)
  Maithili (12.55%)
  Magahi (10.87%)
  Urdu (8.42%)
  Surjapuri (1.78%)
  Others (15.98%)

Hindi and Urdu are the official languages of the state, whilst the majority of the people speak one of the Bihari languages – Bhojpuri, Magadhi, Maithili or Angika. Maithili is also one of the recognised regional languages of India as per the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Proponents have called Bhojpuri, Magahi, Bajjika and Angika to receive the same status.[31][32][33]

Education

Education in Bihar (2001)[34]
Level Persons Male Female
Literate without educational 1,715,049 1,109,731 605,318
Below Primary 7,890,329 4,754,137 3,136,192
Primary 8,334,709 5,130,917 3,203,792
Middle 4,390,226 3,012,151 1,378,075
Secondary 4,751,560 3,439,918 1,311,642
Higher Secondary 1,826,093 1,385,282 440,811
Technical Diploma 24,989 20,088 4,901
Non-technical Diploma 48,532 40,458 8,074
Graduate & above 2,109,415 1,737,651 371,764
Unclassified 18,675 14,043 4,632
Main articles: Education in Bihar and Literacy In Bihar

Bihar has a total literacy rate of 69.83%. Overall Male and Female literacy rate is 70.32% and 53.57% respectively.[35] Total Rural literacy rate is 43.9%. In rural areas of Bihar, Male and Female literacy rate is 57.1 and 29.6 respectively. Total Urban literacy rate is 71.9. In urban areas of Bihar, Male and Female literacy rate is 79.9 and 62.6 respectively. .[36] Total number of literates in Bihar is 3,16,75,607 which consists 2,09,78,955 Male and 1,06,96,652 Female. Patna has highest Literacy Rate of 63.82% followed by Rohtas (62.36%) and Munger (60.11%). Kishanganj has lowest Literacy Rate of 31.02% followed by Araria (34.94%) and Katihar (35.29%).

Economics

Main article: Economy of Bihar

Districts

Districtwise Demographics (2001)[37]
Districts of Bihar Total Population
2001
 Male Population
2001
 Female Population
2001
 Growth Rate
1981–91
 Growth Rate
1991-01
 Sex Ratio
1991
 Sex Ratio
2001
 Population density
1991
 Population density
2001
West Champaran 3,043,044 1,600,853 1,442,191 18.30 30.40 877 901 446 582
East Champaran 3,933,636 2,072,350 1,861,286 25.46 29.27 883 898 767 991
Sheohar 514,288 271,261 243,027 27.34 36.16 876 896 853 1,161
Sitamarhi 2,669,887 1,410,149 1,259,738 23.13 32.58 884 893 915 1,214
Madhubani 3,570,651 1,837,361 1,733,290 21.76 26.08 932 943 809 1,020
Supaul 1,745,069 908,855 836,214 23.45 29.95 904 920 557 724
Araria 2,124,831 1,108,924 1,015,907 26.69 31.84 907 916 569 751
Kishanganj 1,294,063 666,910 627,153 22.20 31.50 933 940 522 687
Purnia 2,540,788 1,325,794 1,214,994 23.76 35.23 903 916 582 787
Katihar 2,389,533 1,244,943 1,144,590 27.77 30.91 909 919 597 782
Madhepura 1,524,596 796,272 728,324 22.16 29.45 885 915 659 853
Saharsa 1,506,418 788,585 717,833 25.54 33.03 884 910 665 885
Darbhanga 3,285,473 1,716,640 1,568,833 25.04 30.85 911 914 1,102 1,442
Muzaffarpur 3,743,836 1,941,480 1,802,356 25.30 26.74 904 928 931 1,180
Gopalganj 2,149,343 1,072,151 1,077,192 25.12 26.11 968 1,005 838 1,057
Siwan district 2,708,840 1,332,218 1,376,622 22.04 24.78 1,017 1,033 978 1,221
Saran 3,251,474 1,654,428 1,597,046 23.44 26.37 963 965 974 1,231
Vaishali 2,712,389 1,412,276 1,300,113 29.08 26.39 921 921 1,054 1,332
Samastipur 3,413,413 1,771,249 1,642,164 28.35 25.63 926 927 936 1,175
Begusarai 2,342,989 1,226,057 1,116,932 24.61 29.11 898 911 946 1,222
Khagaria 1,276,677 675,501 601,176 28.44 29.32 868 890 664 859
Bhagalpur 2,430,331 1,294,192 1,136,139 20.67 27.24 864 878 743 946
Banka 1,608,778 843,061 765,717 24.44 24.47 893 908 428 533
Munger 1,135,499 604,662 530,837 17.79 20.34 856 878 665 800
Lakhisarai 801,173 416,727 384,446 21.08 23.94 880 923 526 652
Sheikhpura 525,137 273,468 251,669 19.84 24.96 896 920 610 762
Nalanda 2,368,327 1,236,467 1,131,860 21.73 18.64 898 915 848 1,006
Patna 4,709,851 2,514,949 2,194,902 19.84 30.17 867 873 1,130 1,471
Bhojpur 2,233,415 1,175,333 1,058,082 20.26 24.58 904 900 725 903
Buxar 1,403,462 738,239 665,223 18.63 29.03 884 901 670 864
Kaimur 1,284,575 673,556 611,019 24.20 30.64 884 907 292 382
Rohtas 2,448,762 1,282,655 1,166,107 21.77 27.71 894 909 498 636
Jehanabad 1,511,406 783,960 727,446 19.43 28.64 919 928 749 963
Aurangabad 2,004,960 1,035,757 969,203 24.49 30.19 915 936 466 607
Gaya 3,464,983 1,789,231 1,675,752 23.92 30.03 922 937 536 696
Nawada 1,809,425 928,638 880,787 23.70 33.08 936 948 545 726
Jamui 1,397,474 728,812 668,662 21.90 32.90 903 917 339 451

Miscellaneous statistics

As of 2001, Bihar had 212,015 international migrants[38] and 1,619,031 inter-state migrants.[39]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ The 2001 Census did not record a figure for people who did not specify their religion
  2. ^ The 2001 Census did not record a figure for people who did not specify their religion

Citations

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