Population and Demographics of Rajasthan
Key facts
- Census 2011 remains the official base for Rajasthan district demographic rankings until the next census replaces it.
- Rajasthan Population (Census 2011) is 6,85,48,437, with about three-fourths rural and one-fourth urban.
- Rajasthan Population Density (Census 2011) combines a low state density of 200 persons per sq km with extreme district contrasts.
- Rajasthan Sex Ratio (Census 2011) and child sex ratio show a persistent gender-gap problem.
- Rajasthan Literacy Rate (Census 2011) is shaped by a large male-female difference.
Key Points at a Glance
- 1
Census 2011 remains the official base for Rajasthan district demographic rankings until the next census replaces it.
- 2
Rajasthan Population (Census 2011) is 6,85,48,437, with about three-fourths rural and one-fourth urban.
- 3
Rajasthan Population Density (Census 2011) combines a low state density of 200 persons per sq km with extreme district contrasts.
- 4
Rajasthan Sex Ratio (Census 2011) and child sex ratio show a persistent gender-gap problem.
- 5
Rajasthan Literacy Rate (Census 2011) is shaped by a large male-female difference.
- 6
Rajasthan Total Fertility Rate (NFHS-5 2019-21) reaches 2.0, changing the demographic transition story.
- 7
Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, religion, tribe and urbanization tables explain social geography as much as population size.
- 8
PLFS, NFHS and administrative reorganization update planning context, but they do not replace Census 2011 district baselines.
What is the Census 2011 population baseline for Rajasthan?
Rajasthan's Census 2011 population baseline is 6,85,48,437 persons, and that single base fixes the denominator for district ranking, sex ratio, literacy, social-group share, urban share and later planning comparisons. According to the Census 2011 Primary Census Abstract Chapter 1 for Rajasthan, the state recorded 6,85,48,437 persons in 2011.
Rajasthan Population (Census 2011) is the first number to fix because almost every district ranking, sex-ratio table, literacy sequence and social-group share still refers back to that base.
Census 2011 baseline
| Indicator | Census 2011 value |
|---|---|
| Persons in the state | 6,85,48,437 |
| Males | 3,55,50,997 |
| Females | 3,29,97,440 |
| Rural population | 5,15,00,352 |
| Urban population | 1,70,48,085 |
| Share of India's population in 2011 | roughly 5.66 percent |
| Share of India's area | 10.4 percent |
Settlement frame
- Rajasthan remained predominantly rural even while Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Bikaner, Ajmer and Udaipur formed major urban nodes.
- Population-area mismatch explains why a large state can be mid-ranked by population but sparse by settlement.
- Population distribution is therefore read with settlement area, not only headcount, because sparse Thar villages and dense eastern plains create very different service-delivery loads.
Old 33-district Census 2011 frame
| Rank / position | District |
|---|---|
| Most populous district | Jaipur |
| Next after Jaipur | Jodhpur and Alwar |
| Smallest by population | Jaisalmer |
Reorganisation and data use
- Rajasthan District Reorganisation (Demographic Impact) changes administrative mapping after Census 2011, but it does not retroactively change the old district data.
- New-district questions must therefore separate administrative lists from census baselines.
- Budget allocation, school mapping and health sub-centre planning need this distinction because a newly created district may inherit villages from two or three old census districts.
- District headquarters can be new, but the comparable population series remains old until an official census re-tabulation is released.
- The same base also fixes denominators for literacy, social-group share, urbanisation and work participation, so a wrong total population quietly corrupts several later percentages.
- It is also the denominator behind per-capita water, health and education planning across Rajasthan.
For an exam answer, the baseline should be stated before interpretation: first give the Census 2011 state total, then separate old census districts from later administrative changes, and only then move to density, literacy, sex ratio or social composition.
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PREDICTED Predicted RAS Questions
Based on PYQ trends and 2026 syllabus analysis
1 MCQ Which Census 2011 figure is the official baseline total population for Rajasthan?
Explanation
A is the total population of Rajasthan in the 2011 Primary Census Abstract. B is only the rural population, C is only the urban population, and D is the Scheduled Tribe population.
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