Least Populous States In India

India is the second most populous country in the world. However, not all states in India are densely populated. Diverse demography is observed throughout the Indian sub-continent. Reasons for such diversity is many-fold. These reasons are as much geographical as social and as much economic as political. Here is a list of top 10 least populous states of India based on the Census of India-2011.

1. Sikkim

Sikkim tops the list of India’s least populous state. As per the census date of 2011, Sikkim had a recorded population of 610,577 inhabitants. It is also one of India’s least densely populated state. The total population of Sikkim was only 0.05% of India’s total population as per the Census of India-2011.

2. Mizoram

This northeastern state of India has a population of 1,097,206 as per the 2011 census. The total population of Mizoram was nearly 0.09% of India’s total population as per the last census.

SEE ALSO: Most populous states in India

3. Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh is the third least populous state and with least population density of 17 people per sq. km. Area-wise, it is the largest of all north-eastern states of India. However, the Census of India- 2011 date reflects that it accommodates only 0.11% of the total Indian population, that is, nearly 1,383,727 people.

4. Goa

Goa was jointly a Union Territory along with Daman and Diu. However, the UT was bifurcated in the year 1987 and Goa was formally declared as the 25^th state of India. With approximately 3,702 sq. km geographical area, Goa accommodates 1,458,545 people as per the Census of India-2011. The total population of Goa was 0.12% of the total Indian population as per the 2011 census.

5. Nagaland

With the population of 1,978,502 as per the Census of 2011, Nagaland’s population constitute nearly 0.16% of the total population of India.

6. Manipur

The total population of Manipur in Census of India-2011 was 1,721,756. This north-eastern state of India accommodates nearly 0.2 % of the total Indian population as per the Census of India-2011.

7. Meghalaya

With a geographical area of approximately 22, 480 sq. km., the population of Meghalaya comprises of nearly 0.25% of the total Indian population as per the 2011 census. The total population as mentioned under the Census of India-2011 was 2,966,889.

8. Tripura

As per the Census of India-2011, Tripura’s population constitutes nearly 0.3% of India’s total population and the exact recorded number in that census was 3,673,917.

9. Himachal Pradesh

This northern state situated in western Himalayas is predominantly mountainous. This is one of the major reasons of its low population density. The total population of Himachal Pradesh as per the 2011 census was 6,864,602 which was nearly 0.57% of India’s total population as per the census data.

10. Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand is the tenth least populous state of India with the population of 10,086,292 people, i.e., nearly 0.83% of the total Indian population as per the 2011 census.