Durango - Demographics

Demographics

Historical population
Year Pop. ±%
1895 296,979
1900 370,307 +24.7%
1910 483,175 +30.5%
1921 336,766 −30.3%
1930 404,364 +20.1%
1940 483,829 +19.7%
1950 629,874 +30.2%
1960 760,836 +20.8%
1970 939,208 +23.4%
1980 1,182,320 +25.9%
1990 1,349,378 +14.1%
1995 1,431,748 +6.1%
2000 1,448,661 +1.2%
2005 1,509,117 +4.2%
2010 1,632,934 +8.2%

According to the last census that took place in 2005, Durango, with just over a million and a half inhabitants, occupies the 24th position within the 32 federal entities regarding population, and reports an average growth rate so low that it would take more than 250 years to double its number of inhabitants.

At least 2% of the population over 5 years of age speak an indigenous language, 80% of which belong to the Tepehuan ethnic group, which is indigenous to the state. Other smaller indigenous groups include the Huichol and the Mexicaneros, the latter of an unknown descent and who speak a variety of Nahuatl. Roughly 20,000 German-speaking Mennonites reside in secluded communities throughout the semi-desertic region of the state.

90% of the state population are baptized Catholics which are mostly concentrated in the rural areas; the urban areas of the state contain significant religious minorities consisting of Protestants, Orthodox Christians, Ashkenazim Jews, Muslims and Buddhists.

Despite the low demographic density it contains, only 12 inhabitants per km2., 60% of the population is concentrated in only three of the 39 state municipalities: Durango, Gómez Palacio, and Lerdo. The rest live in small and disperse localities, for as much as 6,258 communities can be found in the state, 82% of which have fewer than 100 inhabitants.

Some 67% of the population lives in urban areas, below the 76% national average. Even so, the migration of people from the rural zones towards urban environments represents a serious issue for the government of Durango, because it implies satisfying a high demand for public services and utilities.

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