Tripura - Demographics

Demographics

Tripura ranks second only to Assam as the most populous state in Northeast India. According to the provisional results of 2011 census of India, Tripura has a population of 3,671,032 with 1,871,867 males and 1,799,165 females. It constitutes 0.3% of India's population. The sex ratio of the state is 961 females per thousand males, higher than the national ratio 940. The density of population is 350 persons per square kilometre. The literacy rate of Tripura in 2011 was 87.75%, higher than the national average 74.04%.

In the 2001 census of India, Bengalis represented almost 69% of Tripura's population and the tribal population comprised 31%. The scheduled tribe (historically disadvantaged tribes recognised by the Constitution of India) population comprises 19 tribes and many subtribes with diverse languages and cultures. In 2001, the largest tribal group was the Kokborok-speaking Tripuris who had a population of 543,848 in 2001 census, representing 16.99% of the state population and 54.7% of the scheduled tribe population. The other major tribes in order of decreasing population were Reang (16.6% of the tribal population), Jamatia (7.5%), Chakma (6.5%), Halam (4.8%), Mog (3.1%), Munda, Kuki and Garo. Bengali is the most spoken language, due to the predominance of Bengali people in the state. Kokborok is a prominent language among the tribes. Several other languages such as Hindi, Mog, Oriya, Bishnupriya Manipuri, Manipuri, Halam, Garo and Chakma belonging to Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan families are spoken in the state.

Tripura ranked 18th in Human Development Index (HDI) among 35 states and union territories of India, according to 2006 estimate by India's Ministry of Women and Child Development; the HDI of Tripura was 0.663, better than the all-India HDI 0.605. According to 2001 census, Hinduism is the majority religion in the state, followed by 85.6% of the population. Muslims make up 7.9% of the population, Christians 3.2%, and Buddhists 3.1%. The Muslim percentage in the state gradually declined from 1971 due to heavy influx of Hindu populations from and the migration of Muslim population to Bangladesh. A majority of the tribes in the state are Hindu and practice Hindu religious rites. They believe in the existence of God in all the elements of nature as they are animistic. Mogs and Chakmas are the followers of Buddhism in Tripura. Christianity is chiefly followed by members of the Lushai, Kuki and Garo tribes.