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Demographics of Bihar

Demographic data on the Indian state From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

According to the 2023 Bihar Caste Census, Bihar had a total population of 130,725,310, nearly 83% of it rural. It was also India's most densely populated state, with 1,388 persons per square kilometre. [1] 82% of Bihar's population practiced Hinduism, while 17.7% followed Islam.[2]

As of 2011, the sex ratio was 1112 females per 1000 males.[3] Almost 50% of Bihar's population was below 25 years age as of new report of 2026, which is yet again highest in India. At 17%, Bihar has one of the lowest urbanisation rate in India.[4]

Most of Bihar's population belongs to a collection of ethnic groups speaking indic languages, the most prominent ones being Bhojpuri, Maithili and Magahi. It also attracted Punjabi Hindu refugees during the Partition of British India in 1947.[5] Bihar has a total literacy rate of 70.70% (79.70% for males and 60.5 % 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.[6] As of 2026, Bihar has highest fertility rate of 2.7 in comparison to the other states of India but it had declined very rapidly in last 15 years. According to new NFHS - 6 report Population of people under 15 is 35.6 % of total population. [7]

Population

More information Age Group, Total ...
Population by age group (2001)[8]
[needs update]
Age GroupTotalMaleFemale
0–411,006,0725,623,2805,382,792
5–912,804,3026,705,2636,099,039
10–1411,063,7775,970,2015,093,576
15–197,190,1884,028,6433,161,545
20–246,323,1933,180,0633,143,130
25–295,908,3082,894,7063,013,602
30–345,549,7872,713,8712,835,916
35–395,077,9352,576,0892,501,846
40–444,153,2032,213,7701,939,433
45–493,461,6641,778,3681,683,296
50–542,711,0411,543,6201,167,421
55–592,069,940990,0111,079,929
60–642,103,9091,120,743983,166
65–691,354,937683,656671,281
70–741,029,921571,438458,483
75–79446,860233,961212,899
80+565,647312,207253,440
Age not stated177,825103,90573,920
All ages82,998,50943,243,79539,754,714
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Religion

Main article: Religion in Bihar
Religions in Bihar 2022
  1. Hinduism (82.0%)
  2. Islam (17.7%)
  3. Others (0.30%)
More information Religion, 2022 survey ...
Religion in Bihar
Religion2001[9]2011[10] 2022 survey[11]
Populat. (%) Populat. (%) Populat. (%)
Hinduism69,076,919 83.2286,078,686 82.69 107,100,000 81.99
Islam13,722,048 16.5317,557,809 16.87 23,100,000 17.70
Christianity53,137 0.06129,247 0.12 75,238 0.05
Buddhism18,818 0.0625,453 0.02 111,000 0.08
Sikhism20,780 0.0323,779 0.02 14,753 0.01
Jainism16,085 0.0218,914 0.02 12,523 0.009
Other52,905 0.0613,437 0.01 16,600 0.13
Not statedn/a[a] n/a252,127 0.24 2,146
Total82,998,509 100%104,099,452 100% 130,725,310 100%
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As per the 2022 Bihar Caste-Based Survey, Hinduism is practised by 81.99% and Islam is followed by 17.70%.[2]

Caste and ethnic groups

Main article: 2022 Bihar Caste-Based Survey

As per Bihar government’s 2022 Bihar Caste-Based Survey report, released on 2 October 2023, showed that extremely backward classes (EBCs) account for 36.01 percent of the 130.7 million population of the state.[12][13] BCs, EBCs together account for 63% of total population of Bihar.[14][15]

More information Caste Groups of Bihar, Caste Groups ...
Caste Groups of Bihar[16][17]
Caste GroupsPopulation[18] (%)
BC27.12%
EBC36.01%
Dalits (SCs)19.65%
Forward caste15.52%
Adivasis (STs)1.68%
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More information Caste[citation needed], Population ...
Caste[citation needed]PopulationPercentage
Yadav18,650,11914.2666%
Kushwaha (Koeri)5,506,1134.2120%
Kurmi3,762,9692.8785%
Brahmin4,781,2803.6575%
Teli3,677,4912.8131%
Mallah (Nishad)3,410,0932.6086%
Nonia2,498,4741.9112%
Kanu2,892,7612.2129%
Bania3,026,9122.3155%
Bhumihar3,750,8862.87%
Rajput4,510,7333.4505%
Dushadh6,943,0005.3111%
Musahar4,035,7873.0872%
Kayastha785,7710.6011%
Ravidas6,869,6645.2550%
Tanti2,228,3531.7%
Nai2,082,0481.59%
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  • As per, 2011 Census of India, Scheduled Castes constitute 16% of Bihar's 104 million population.[19] The census identified 21 of 23 Dalit sub-castes as Mahadalits.[20] 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).[21] Paswan caste was initially left out of the Mahadalit category.[22][23][24] Adivasis (Scheduled Tribes) constitute around 1.3% of Bihar population.[25][26] Tribals include Gond, Santhal and Tharu communities in Bihar.[27][28]
  • Extremely Backward Class (EBCs) are also sometimes referred to as Most Backward Class(MBCs). There are 130-odd EBC castes in Bihar.[29][30][31]

Languages

Main article: Languages of Bihar
See also: Maithili language, Bhojpuri language, Angika, Magahi language, Magadhi Prakrit, and Hindi in Bihar
Linguistic map of Bihar and Jharkhand detailed
Languages of Bihar (2011)[32]
  1. Hindi (25.5%)
  2. Bhojpuri (24.9%)
  3. Maithili (12.6%)
  4. Magahi (10.9%)
  5. Urdu (8.42%)
  6. Surjapuri (1.78%)
  7. Others (16.0%)

Hindi and Urdu are the official languages of the state.

Maithili language is the only language of Bihar which is one of the 22 Scheduled language of India.[33]

Bhojpuri, Magahi, and Surjapuri are counted under Hindi.[34] Proponents have called for Bhojpuri, Magahi, Bajjika and Angika to receive the same status.[35][36][37]

Education

Main articles: Education in Bihar and Literacy In Bihar
More information Level, Persons ...
Education in Bihar (2001)[38]
LevelPersonsMaleFemale
Literate without educational1,715,0491,109,731605,318
Below Primary7,890,3294,754,1373,136,192
Primary8,334,7095,130,9173,203,792
Middle4,390,2263,012,1511,378,075
Secondary4,751,5603,439,9181,311,642
Higher Secondary1,826,0931,385,282440,811
Technical Diploma24,98920,0884,901
Non-technical Diploma48,53240,4588,074
Graduate & above2,109,4151,737,651371,764
Unclassified18,67514,0434,632
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Bihar has a total literacy rate of 70.9%. Overall Male and Female literacy rate is 79.7% and 60.5% respectively.[39] 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. .[40] 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

More information Districts of Bihar, Population ...
Districtwise Demographics (2001)[41]
Districts of BiharPopulationGrowth rateSex ratioPopulation density
Total 2001Males 2001Females 20011981–911991–20011991200119912001
West Champaran3,043,0441,600,8531,442,19118.3030.40877901446582
East Champaran3,933,6362,072,3501,861,28625.4629.27883898767991
Sheohar514,288271,261243,02727.3436.168768968531,161
Sitamarhi2,669,8871,410,1491,259,73823.1332.588848939151,214
Madhubani3,570,6511,837,3611,733,29021.7626.089329438091,020
Supaul1,745,069908,855836,21423.4529.95904920557724
Araria2,124,8311,108,9241,015,90726.6931.84907916569751
Kishanganj1,294,063666,910627,15322.2031.50933940522687
Purnia2,540,7881,325,7941,214,99423.7635.23903916582787
Katihar2,389,5331,244,9431,144,59027.7730.91909919597782
Madhepura1,524,596796,272728,32422.1629.45885915659853
Saharsa1,506,418788,585717,83325.5433.03884910665885
Darbhanga3,285,4731,716,6401,568,83325.0430.859119141,1021,442
Muzaffarpur3,743,8361,941,4801,802,35625.3026.749049289311,180
Gopalganj2,149,3431,072,1511,077,19225.1226.119681,0058381,057
Siwan district2,708,8401,332,2181,376,62222.0424.781,0171,0339781,221
Saran3,251,4741,654,4281,597,04623.4426.379639659741,231
Vaishali2,712,3891,412,2761,300,11329.0826.399219211,0541,332
Samastipur3,413,4131,771,2491,642,16428.3525.639269279361,175
Begusarai2,342,9891,226,0571,116,93224.6129.118989119461,222
Khagaria1,276,677675,501601,17628.4429.32868890664859
Bhagalpur2,430,3311,294,1921,136,13920.6727.24864878743946
Banka1,608,778843,061765,71724.4424.47893908428533
Munger1,135,499604,662530,83717.7920.34856878665800
Lakhisarai801,173416,727384,44621.0823.94880923526652
Sheikhpura525,137273,468251,66919.8424.96896920610762
Nalanda2,368,3271,236,4671,131,86021.7318.648989158481,006
Patna4,709,8512,514,9492,194,90219.8430.178678731,1301,471
Bhojpur2,233,4151,175,3331,058,08220.2624.58904900725903
Buxar1,403,462738,239665,22318.6329.03884901670864
Kaimur1,284,575673,556611,01924.2030.64884907292382
Rohtas2,448,7621,282,6551,166,10721.7727.71894909498636
Jehanabad1,511,406783,960727,44619.4328.64919928749963
Aurangabad2,004,9601,035,757969,20324.4930.19915936466607
Gaya3,464,9831,789,2311,675,75223.9230.03922937536696
Nawada1,809,425928,638880,78723.7033.08936948545726
Jamui1,397,474728,812668,66221.9032.90903917339451
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Miscellaneous statistics

As of 2001, Bihar had 212,015 international migrants[42] and 1,619,031 inter-state migrants.[43]

See also

References

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