Population in Himachal Pradesh
The population of Himachal in 2001 stood at 6,077,900 as per the provisional results of the Census of India 2001. The population of Himachal Pradesh includes estimated population of entire Kinnaur district, where the population enumeration of Census of India, 2001 could not be conducted due to natural calamity.
In terms of population it holds the same position (twenty first) among States and Union territories as at the previous census.
The population of the State rose by 17.53% between 1991–2001. The sex ratio (i.e., the number of females per thousand miles) of population was recorded as 970, which has declined from 976 in the previous census.
Total literacy of the State rose to 77.13% from 63.94% in 1991. Himachal Pradesh has a Total Fertility Rate of 1.9, one of the lowest in India, and below the TFR, of 2.1, required to maintain a stable population.
The main communities are Brahmins, Gujjars, Rathis, Jats, Rajputs Gaddis, Ghirth(choudhary), Kanets, and Kolis.The Ghirth(choudhary)community is found in mainly distt.Kangra. Himachal also has a sizeable population of Tibetans Himachal Pradesh has the highest proportion of Hindu population in India (95%). Other religions that form a small percentage are Buddhism and Sikhism. The Lahaulis of Lahaul and Spiti region are mainly Buddhists. Sikhs mostly live in towns and cities. For example they form 10% of the total population in Una District adjoining the state of Punjab and 17 % in Shimla,the state capital. The Buddhists are mainly natives and tribals from Lahaul and Spiti,where they form majority of 60% and Kinnaur where they form 40%, however the bulk are refugees from Tibet.
The major spoken languages include Hindi, Punjabi, Mahasui, Kulluyi, Lahauli, Kinnauri, Chambyali, Sirmauri, Gojri (by Gujjars), Bilaspuri, Pahari, Dogri, and Kangri.
Total Population 6,077,900
- Males 3,087,940
- Females 2,989,960
Population Density 109
Sex Ratio 968
Rural Population 5,482,319
Urban Population 595,581
Scheduled Caste Population 1,502,171
Scheduled Tribe Population 244,587
The life expectancy at birth in Himachal Pradesh is 62.8 years (higher than the national average of 57.7 years) for the period 1986–1990. The Infant mortality rate stood at 62 in 1999 and crude birth rate has declined from 37.3 in 1971 to 22.6 in 1998, below the national average of 26.5 in 1998. The crude death rate was 7.7 in 1998. Himachal Pradesh's literacy rate grew by 34.65% between the period 1981 and 2001.
Languages of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in Himachal Pradesh are the Sunam language 558 (1998), Gahri language 4,000 (1997), Jangshung language 1,990 (1998), Kanashi language 1,400 (2002 Chauhan), Kinnauri language 48,778, Kinnauri Bhoti language 6,000 (1998), Chitkuli language 1,060 (1998), Pattani language 11,000 (1997), Shumcho language 2,174 (1998) and the Tukpa language 723 (1998).