Highest Populated State in India

State	Population	Area	Population Density
Uttar Pradesh	199,812,341	240,928 km²	828/km²
Maharashtra	112,372,972	307,713 km²	365/km²
Bihar	103,804,637	94,163 km²	1,102/km²
West Bengal	91,347,736	88,752 km²	1,029/km²
Madhya Pradesh	72,597,565	308,245 km²	236/km²
Tamil Nadu	72,138,958	130,058 km²	555/km²
Rajasthan	68,621,012	342,239 km²	201/km²
Karnataka	61,130,704	191,791 km²	319/km²
Gujarat	60,383,628	196,024 km²	308/km²
Andhra Pradesh	49,386,799	162,968 km²	303/km²

Highest Populous States in India in Detail

Uttar Pradesh – Highest Population State in India

• Uttar Pradesh is the highest populous state in India, with over 23.57 crores people in 2023, making up 17.95% of the country’s population.
• In 2011, it had 199,812,341 people, accounting for 16.51% of India’s population.
• Uttar Pradesh has a high population density, with 828 people per square kilometer, making it one of the highest densely populated states in India.
• The rural population in Uttar Pradesh constitutes 77.73% of the total population, while the urban population is 22.27%.
• The sex ratio in Uttar Pradesh is 912 females for every 1,000 males.
• The state experiences a high population growth rate, contributing significantly to India’s overall population.

Maharashtra – Second Highest Populated State in India

• Maharashtra is the second highest populous state in India, with 125 million people according to the 2011 Census.
• It’s located in western and central India and is the third highest populous region in the world.
• The capital is Mumbai, the most crowded city in India, and Nagpur is the winter capital.
• Maharashtra is divided into six parts and has 36 districts.
• The population density in Maharashtra is high, with 365 people per square kilometer, which is more than double the national average.
• There are 929 females for every 1,000 males in Maharashtra.
• More than half, 54.78%, of the population lives in rural areas.

Bihar

• Bihar is the third highest densely populated state in India, with a population of 104,099,452 as of the 2011 Census.
• The state has a high population growth rate of 25.6% from 2011 to 2023.
• Bihar is the highest densely populated state in India, with 1,106 people per square kilometer. Nearly 89% of its population lives in rural areas.
• Bihar has the highest percentage of people below 25 years of age in India, with almost 58% of its population falling in this age group.
• The state has a high fertility rate of 3.41 and a literacy rate of 63.82%.
• The majority of Bihar’s population practices Hinduism, with 82.7%, while 16.9% follow Islam.
• Most people in Bihar live in compact villages in cultivated areas. Major cities include Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, and others.
• Bihar has the highest population growth rate in India during the period from 2011 to 2023, at 21.76%.

West Bengal

• West Bengal is the fourth-highest populated state in India, with over 91 million people.
• The population density in West Bengal is 1,029 people per square kilometer, making it the fourth-highest populous state in India.
• The majority of the population in West Bengal are Bengalis, including Bengali Hindus, Bengali Muslims, Bengali Christians, and a few Bengali Buddhists. They make up about 86.22% of the state’s population, which is around 78.7 million people.
• The gender ratio in West Bengal is 947 females for every 1,000 males.
• The literacy rate in West Bengal is 77.08%, which is higher than the national average of 74.04%.
• West Bengal has diverse geographical features, including the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region, the Ganges delta, the Rarh region, and the coastal Sundarbans.

Madhya Pradesh

• Madhya Pradesh is the fifth highest population density state in India, with 72.6 million people in 2011.
• It’s the second largest state in India in terms of land area.
• There are 236 people per square kilometer in Madhya Pradesh.
• Most people in Madhya Pradesh live in rural areas (72.37%), while the rest live in cities (27.63%).
• The state’s per-person income (Gross State Domestic Product) ranks 26th in India.
• On the Human Development Index, Madhya Pradesh is ranked 33rd in India.
• On the Sustainable Development Goals Index, it is ranked 21st in India.
• Madhya Pradesh shares its borders with Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.
• There are 15.34 million tribal people in Madhya Pradesh, making up 21.1% of the total population.

Tamil Nadu

• Tamil Nadu is the sixth highest populated state in India, with around 72 million people as of the 2011 Census.
• The state is quite crowded, with 555 people living in each square kilometer. Almost half of the population lives in cities.
• Tamil Nadu is very urbanized and has a strong economy, including industries like automobiles, software, textiles, healthcare, and finance. The average income per person in the state is about ₹275,583 or US$3,500.
• In Tamil Nadu, there are slightly more women than men, with 996 females for every 1000 males, which is higher than the national average.
• The state’s population is expected to grow to 76.8 million by 2023 and 78 million by 2036.
• Tamil Nadu is the seventh highest populous state in India, contributing about 5.54% to the country’s total population.

Rajasthan

• Rajasthan is the 7th highest population density state in India.
• In 2011, it had over 68 million people.
• The state is divided into 33 districts and has 9 regions.
• Most people in Rajasthan live in rural areas, about 75%.
• Urban areas have about 25% of the state’s population.
• There are 201 people per square kilometer in Rajasthan.
• In 2011, there were 928 women for every 1000 men.
• The majority of the population in Rajasthan are native Rajasthani people.

Karnataka

• Karnataka is the 8th highest population state in India India, with over 61 million people according to the 2011 Census.
• The state has a lot of people living close together, with 319 people in every square kilometer.
• In Karnataka, almost 39% of the people live in cities.
• For every 1,000 males in Karnataka, there are 973 females.

Gujarat

• Gujarat is the ninth highest populated state in India, with about 60.4 million people in 2011.
• The state is quite crowded, with 308 people for every square kilometer.
• In Gujarat, around 42.6% of the people live in cities.
• There are 919 females for every 1000 males in the state.
• Gujarat’s population has grown by approximately 19.28% since the last census, showing a significant increase.

Andhra Pradesh

• Andhra Pradesh is the tenth highest population state in India, covering an area of 162,970 square kilometers.
• It has a population of 8.46 crores, making it the tenth-highest populous state in India, with around 49,577,103 people.
• Most of its people live in rural areas, and there are about 308 people per square kilometer.
• Andhra Pradesh is known for its rich culture and plays a significant role in India’s population statistics.

FAQs on Highest Populated State in India

What are the 10 highest populated states in India?

The ten most populated states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh. These states are crucial economic and cultural hubs, each contributing significantly to India's diversity and development.

Who is the powerful state of India?

Defining a 'powerful' state can vary based on criteria such as economic strength, political influence, or cultural impact. However, states like Maharashtra, due to its financial hub Mumbai, and Uttar Pradesh, because of its large population and political significance, are often considered among the powerful states in India.

Which state has the lowest population in India?

Sikkim holds the title for the least populated state in India. Nestled in the Himalayas, this state is known for its rich biodiversity, scenic landscapes, and a tranquil environment, differentiating it from the more populous states.

What is the rank of Madhya Pradesh (MP) in population?

Madhya Pradesh, often referred to as the heart of India, ranks fifth in terms of population among Indian states. It is known for its rich history, architectural grandeur, and vast forest reserves.

What is the rank of India in world population?

India is ranked second in the world in terms of population. It's a country of vast diversity and complexity, with a population that showcases a mosaic of cultures, languages, and traditions, making it a unique and vibrant nation on the global stage.