Thrissur District - Demographics

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Thrissur district has a population of 3,110,327, roughly equal to the nation of Mongolia or the US state of Iowa. This gives it a ranking of 113th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 1,026 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,660 /sq mi) . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 4.58%. Thrissur has a sex ratio of 1109 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 95.32%.

According to the 2001 India census, Thrissur District had a population of 2,975,440. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Thrissur has a literacy rate of 86%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 87%, and female literacy is 85%. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. Hindus, Christians and Muslims constitute the bulk of the population, with Hindus as the majority, with 60%, closely followed by Christians.

The Ezhavas are numerically the most dominant Hindu community of Thrissur followed by Dheevarars and Nairs. Ambalavasis and Tamil brahmins also form a percentage of the Hindu population. The Scheduled Castes, around 12% of the population of the district, also form a section among the Hindus of the district. The Catholics - both Syro Malabar and Latin, Jacobites and Chaldeans are the main sections of the Christian Community in the district. Catholics constitute 91% of the Christian population of the district spreading in 5 dioceses namely Thrissur (4,60,000), Irinjalakkuda (2,52,000) and Kottapuram (75,000). Jacobites and Chaldean Syrians constitute the rest.

Kunnamkulam, a small town in the northern part of the district is the center for the Jacobites. Jacobite church (40000 followers counting both factions together) has 2 diocese in the district, namely Kunnamkulam for Orthodox faction and Thrissur for Jacobite faction. Chaldean Syrians spread around Thrissur city with 25,000 followers. A church known as Thozhiyoor church has its own headquarters at Guruvayur with 7000 followers. Muslims live predominantly in the coastal belt of the district, from north Punnayoorkkulam to South Azhikode. They are dominant in Guruvayur and Chavakkad, in good in numbers Kodungalloor, Kaipamangalam and Nattika areas Sunnis are the major section in Muslim community.