4.86% growth in population in last decade

Thiruvananthapuram: The State has recorded a population growth of 4.86 per cent during the decade ending March 1, 2011, according to the Census 2011 provisional figures.

In decade ending 2001, the population had grown by 9.43 per cent. At a press conference called to release the Census 2011 provisional figures here on Friday, Census Director V.M. Gopala Menon said the districts of Pathanamthitta and Idukki had already recorded negative decadal population growth this time. Population decreased by 3.12 per cent in Pathanamthitta and by 1.93 per cent in Idukki during the decade ending 2011.

The population of the State had been growing at a slower rate with each passing decade since 1971, when the growth rate was more than 25 per cent, according to a graph released by him. (The trend suggests the possibility of the State's population beginning a decreasing trend during the decade ahead).
The total population of the State as at ‘zero hours' on March 1, 2011 was 3,33,87,677. The population consisted of 1,60,21,290 males and 1,73,66,387 females. The previous Census (2001) had recorded, for the State, a total population of 3,18,41,374 that included 1,54,68,614 males and 1,63,72,760 females. The increase in total population during the past one decade came to 15,46,303.

Among the districts, Malappuram tops the population list with 41,10,956 persons, constituting 12.31 per cent of the State's total population. Wayanad with 8,16,558 persons, constituting 2.45 per cent of the State's population, is at the bottom of the list. Malappuram also recorded the highest growth in population (13.39 per cent) during the decade 2001-2011.

Sex ratio (number of females per 1,000 males) as per the provisional figures is 1,084 in the State as a whole. It is highest among the districts in Kannur (1,133) and lowest in Idukki (1,006). The sex ratio recorded in the State in 2001 was 1,058.

There are 33,22,247 children below the age of six in the State as per Census 2011 provisional figures. They constitute 9.95 per cent of the population. The sex ratio among children below the age of six is 959. Mr. Menon said the provisional figures showed a decrease of 12.41 per cent in the number of children below the age in the past decade. The sex ratio among children aged up to six years in 2001 was 960.

As much as 93.91 per cent of the population (after leaving out children below the age of six) is literate in Kerala as per the provisional figures. Literacy rate has increased by 3.05 per cent during the past one decade. Among the districts, Pathanamthitta tops in literacy (96.93 per cent), while Palakkad is at the bottom of the list (88.49 per cent).

Density of population in the State as a whole is 859 persons in a square kilometre (sq km). Among the districts, it is highest in Thiruvananthapuram (1,509 persons per square kilometre) and lowest in Idukki (254 persons per square kilometre).

Source: The Hidu, 2nd April 2011

Kerala and the Census of India 2011

The recently announced provisional results of the Census of India 2011 confirm Kerala's standing as a leader in stabilising population growth and achieving demographic transition, defined by the Government of India's National Commission on Population as “the transition from a stable population with high mortality and fertility to a stable population with low mortality and fertility.”

According to the 2011 census — the second census of the 21{+s}{+t} century and the seventh after Independence — Kerala's population as on 1st March, 2011 is 3,33,87,677, with 1,60,21,290 males and 1,73,66,387 females.

Kerala's population
Although Kerala accounts for only 1 per cent of the total area of India, it contains about 3 per cent of the country's population. The population density of the State is about 819 people per square kilometres, three times the national average of 324. Kerala is one of the densest States in the country.

The percentage decadal growth rate of Kerala's population during 2001-2011 was 4.86, compared to 17.64 for India as a whole, which has a total population of 1,21,01,93,422. For the same period, Kerala reported a literacy rate of 93.91 per cent, compared to 74.04 for India. The total number of literates during the 2011 census period was 2,82,34,227 — 1,37,55,888 males and 1,44,78,339 females. The Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India defines as literate any person aged seven and above who can both read and write with understanding in any language.

An illiterate is a person who can neither read nor write or can only read, but cannot write in any language. All children six years old or younger, even if they go to school and have picked up reading and writing, are treated as illiterate.
Kerala's sex ratio — the number of females per 1,000 males — also remains impressive. As of 2011, it was 1084 (with a ratio of 959 in the 0-6 years child population), compared to the all-India ratio of 940 (and 914 as the child sex ratio). On the whole, these statistics show that Kerala has consolidated its demographic transition — a stabilisation of the population level once a certain level of socioeconomic achievement has been reached, mainly because of economic incentives on families to limit the number of their children. Today, Kerala boasts population and demographic charecteristics that are close to those displayed by developed industrialised countries.

TFR
For instance, Kerala reports a total fertility rate (TFR) — a measure of the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her reperoductive lifetime — of 1.7. Demographers point out that a population that maintains a TFR of 3.8 over an extended period of time without a correspondingly high death or emigration rate would increase rapidly, whereas a population that maintained a TFR of 2.0 over a long time would decline (unless it had a large enough immigration).
The TFR for the total US population is at around the replacement level of about 2.1 children per woman. The average TFR in Europe has been estimated to be 1.5 children per woman. One study states that the lowest TFR recorded anywhere in the world in recorded history is for Xiangyang district of Jiamusi city, in Heilongjiang, China, which had a TFR of 0.41. Outside China, the lowest TFR ever recorded was 0.80 for Eastern Germany in 1994.
By going beyond the replacement fertility rate of 2.1 births per woman, Kerala is at the same level as most industrialised countries.

Before the demographic transition, societies typically experience high death rates matched by high birth rates, resulting in a relatively stable population size over time. Over time, improving living standards and public health measures bring down death rates, which is soon followed by a gradual drop in birth rates, which ultimately begin to match death rates.

By the year 2026, India is projected to have a population of 139.8 crore, while Kerala will have 3.7 crore. However, if the State can maintain its achievements, such as low infant mortality rate, high life expectancy and high female literacy, the population growth rate will remain among the lowest in the country.

Business Line, April 10th, 2011

Census 2011: population pegged at 1,210.2 million

India’s population has jumped to 1.21 billion, showing an increase by more than 181 million during the 2001-2011 decade, according to the provisional data of Census 2011 which was released on Thursday.

Though the country’s population is almost equal to the combined population of the U.S., Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan put together [1214.3 million], the silver lining is that 2001-2011 is the first decade with the exception of 1911-1921 which has actually added lesser population compared to the previous decade.

Of the total provisional population of 1210.2 million, the number of males was pegged at 623.7 million and the population of females stood at 586.5 million. The percentage growth in 2001-2011 was 17.64 – males 17.19 and females 18.12. India’s population accounts for world’s 17.5 per cent population.

The provisional data of Census 2011 was released by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India C. Chandramouli in the presence of Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai.
``Provisional population is arrived at by adding the population as reported by each enumerator and the final population data is likely to be released next year,’’ Dr. Chandramouli told reporters here.

Uttar Pradesh most populous state
Among the States and Union Territories, Uttar Pradesh is the most populous State with 199 million people followed by Maharashtra at 112 million people and Lakshadweep is the least populated at 64,429 persons. The combined population of U.P. and Maharashtra is greater than that of the U.S.

The percentage decadal growth rates of the six most populous States have declined during 2001-2011 as compared to 1991-2001. The graph of population growth in U.P. shows a decline from 25.85 per cent to 20.09 per cent, in Maharashtra from 22.73 per cent to 15.99 per cent, Bihar from 28.62 per cent to 25.07 per cent, West Bengal from 17.77 per cent to 13.93 per cent, Andhra Pradesh from 14.59 per cent to 11.10 per cent and Madhya Pradesh from 24.26 per cent to 20.30 per cent. ``This shows that we have added population but the growth has been less,’’ Dr. Chandramouli said.

Sex-ratio at national level increases
Overall sex ratio at the national level has increased by seven points to reach 940 as provisional data for Census 2011 showed as against 933 in Census 2001. Increase in sex ratio was observed in 29 States/Union Territories.

Kerala with 1084 has the highest sex ratio followed by Puducherry with 1038. Daman and Diu has the lowest sex ratio of 618. ``This is the highest sex ratio at the national level since Census 1971 and a shade lower than 1961. Three major States – Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Gujarat – have shown a decline in sex ratio as compared to Census 2001,’’ Dr. Chandramouli said. India’s skewed sex ratio due to female foeticide and the practice of selective sex determination has been a cause for concern. Sex ratio is the number of females per 1000 males.

Child sex ratio a concern
However, the areas of grave concern, Dr. Chanramouli said, remains the lowest ever child sex ratio of 914. The provisional data showed that the child sex ratio [0 to 6 years] came down to 914 females per 1000 males as against 927 in the Census 2001. It showed a continuing preference for male children over females in the last decade. Increasing trend in the child sex ratio was seen in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Mizoram and Andaman and Nicobar Island but in all the remaining 27 States / Union Territories, the child sex ratio showed decline over Census 2001. Whereas overall sex ratio has shown improvement since 1991, decline in child sex ratio has been unabated since 1961 Census. The total number of children in 0 to 6 year age group is now 158.8 million, less by five million since 2001.

Literacy rate has gone up from 64.83 per cent in 2001 to 74.04 per cent, showing an increase of 9.21 percentage points.

Source: The Hindu, 31st March 2011