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Graduate Level intermediate Kerala Census Census 2011 Kerala Population Kerala Districts Kerala PSC
Kerala GK: Census 2011 — District-wise Population, Literacy, Sex Ratio, Density
Detailed Kerala Census 2011 data — district-wise population, sex ratio, literacy rate, density, growth rate, and urbanization statistics for Kerala PSC exams.
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— Detailed Kerala Census 2011 data — district-wise population, sex ratio, literacy rate, density, growth rate, and urbanization statistics for Kerala PSC exams.
#Kerala Census
#Census 2011
#Kerala Population
#Kerala Districts
#Kerala PSC
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Census data of Kerala is a high-frequency topic in Kerala PSC exams. India’s last census was conducted in 2011 (2021 census postponed due to COVID). This note covers all critical statistics with district-wise breakdown.
Kerala: Key Census 2011 Figures
| Parameter | Value | India Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 3,34,06,061 (3.34 crore) | 13th among states |
| Male Population | 1,60,27,412 | — |
| Female Population | 1,73,78,649 | — |
| Decadal Growth Rate (2001-2011) | 4.86% | Lowest among all states |
| Population Density | 860 per sq km | 3rd highest (after Bihar, WB) |
| Sex Ratio | 1,084 females per 1,000 males | 1st (highest in India) |
| Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years) | 964 | Below state sex ratio (concern) |
| Literacy Rate | 93.91% | 1st (highest in India) |
| Male Literacy | 96.02% | — |
| Female Literacy | 91.98% | — |
| Total Area | 38,863 sq km | 22nd |
| Number of Districts | 14 | — |
| Urban Population | 47.72% | — |
| Rural Population | 52.28% | — |
| SC Population | 9.10% | — |
| ST Population | 1.45% | — |
District-wise Population Data
| # | District | Population | Density (per sq km) | Sex Ratio | Literacy % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thiruvananthapuram | 33,07,284 | 1,509 | 1,088 | 92.66 |
| 2 | Kollam | 26,35,375 | 1,056 | 1,113 | 94.09 |
| 3 | Pathanamthitta | 11,97,412 | 453 | 1,132 | 96.55 |
| 4 | Alappuzha | 21,27,789 | 1,501 | 1,100 | 96.26 |
| 5 | Kottayam | 19,74,551 | 898 | 1,039 | 97.21 |
| 6 | Idukki | 11,08,974 | 254 | 1,006 | 92.20 |
| 7 | Ernakulam | 32,82,388 | 1,069 | 1,027 | 95.89 |
| 8 | Thrissur | 31,21,200 | 1,026 | 1,108 | 95.32 |
| 9 | Palakkad | 28,09,934 | 627 | 1,067 | 88.49 |
| 10 | Malappuram | 41,12,920 | 1,158 | 1,098 | 93.57 |
| 11 | Kozhikode | 30,86,293 | 1,318 | 1,098 | 95.24 |
| 12 | Wayanad | 8,17,420 | 384 | 1,035 | 89.03 |
| 13 | Kannur | 25,23,003 | 852 | 1,136 | 95.41 |
| 14 | Kasaragod | 13,07,375 | 657 | 1,080 | 90.09 |
District Superlatives
| Parameter | Highest | Lowest |
|---|---|---|
| Population | Malappuram (41.13 lakh) | Wayanad (8.17 lakh) |
| Area | Idukki (4,358 sq km) | Alappuzha (1,414 sq km) |
| Density | Thiruvananthapuram (1,509) | Idukki (254) |
| Sex Ratio | Kannur (1,136) | Idukki (1,006) |
| Literacy | Kottayam (97.21%) | Palakkad (88.49%) |
| Growth Rate | Malappuram (13.39%) | Pathanamthitta (-3.12% — NEGATIVE growth) |
| Urban population % | Ernakulam (68.07%) | Wayanad (3.87%) |
Historical Population Growth
| Census Year | Population (crore) | Decadal Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 1.35 | — |
| 1961 | 1.69 | 24.76% |
| 1971 | 2.13 | 26.29% |
| 1981 | 2.54 | 19.24% |
| 1991 | 2.91 | 14.32% |
| 2001 | 3.18 | 9.42% |
| 2011 | 3.34 | 4.86% |
Literacy: Kerala vs India
| Parameter | Kerala | India |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Literacy | 93.91% | 74.04% |
| Male Literacy | 96.02% | 82.14% |
| Female Literacy | 91.98% | 65.46% |
| Gender gap in literacy | 4.04% | 16.68% |
| Rank in literacy | 1st | — |
Kerala Literacy History
| Year | Literacy Rate | Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 47.18% | Already ahead of national average |
| 1961 | 55.08% | — |
| 1971 | 69.75% | — |
| 1981 | 78.85% | — |
| 1991 | 89.81% | First state to achieve “total literacy” (Ernakulam 1990) |
| 2001 | 90.86% | — |
| 2011 | 93.91% | Highest in India |
Sex Ratio Analysis
| Category | Kerala | India |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Sex Ratio | 1,084 | 943 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0-6) | 964 | 918 |
| Gap (child vs overall) | -120 | -25 |
| Kerala’s child sex ratio concern | Declining from 960 (2001) to 964 (slight improvement) |
District-wise sex ratio extremes:
- Highest: Kannur (1,136) — indicates high male out-migration
- Lowest: Idukki (1,006) — plantation labor attracts male workers
Religion-wise Population (Kerala 2011)
| Religion | Percentage | Population (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Hindu | 54.73% | 1.83 crore |
| Muslim | 26.56% | 0.89 crore |
| Christian | 18.38% | 0.61 crore |
| Others | 0.33% | — |
SC/ST Population
| Category | Percentage | Population | Major Communities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Castes | 9.10% | 30.4 lakh | Pulaya, Cheruman, Kuravan, Paraya |
| Scheduled Tribes | 1.45% | 4.84 lakh | Paniya, Kurichiya, Irula, Muthuvan, Kattunaikka |
| District with highest ST % | Wayanad (18.5%) | — | — |
| District with highest SC % | Palakkad (14.4%) | — | — |
Urbanization
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Urban population % | 47.72% |
| Rural population % | 52.28% |
| Most urbanized district | Ernakulam (68.07%) |
| Least urbanized district | Wayanad (3.87%) |
| Number of towns | 520 |
| Number of cities (1 lakh+) | 7 (Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Kollam, Kannur, Malappuram) |
| Largest city | Thiruvananthapuram |
Comparison: Kerala vs Other High-Performing States
| Parameter | Kerala | Goa | Mizoram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literacy | 93.91% | 87.40% | 91.58% |
| Sex Ratio | 1,084 | 973 | 976 |
| Growth Rate | 4.86% | 8.23% | 23.48% |
| Density | 860 | 394 | 52 |
PSC Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Kerala’s rank in literacy | 1st in India |
| Kerala’s rank in sex ratio | 1st in India |
| Kerala’s rank in density | 3rd (after Bihar, West Bengal) |
| Lowest growth rate state | Kerala (4.86%) |
| Only district with negative growth | Pathanamthitta (-3.12%) |
| First district to achieve 100% literacy | Ernakulam (1990) |
| Highest literacy district | Kottayam (97.21%) |
| Most populated district | Malappuram |
| Least populated district | Wayanad |
| Largest district by area | Idukki |
| Smallest district by area | Alappuzha |
| Kerala’s total area | 38,863 sq km |
| Percentage of India’s area | 1.18% |
| Percentage of India’s population | 2.76% |
Memory Aid: Kerala Census superlatives — “KMP-PIW” = Kottayam (literacy), Malappuram (population), Pathanamthitta (negative growth), Palakkad (lowest literacy), Idukki (largest area, lowest density), Wayanad (least population).
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