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Bihar · Bihar GK · Economy and administration

Bihar: Population and administration

Hindi · हिंदी में पढ़ें

Shishya's note: drafted with AI only from the official documents listed below, then checked against them (every number, date and name). Figures are as those documents print them, for the year they name.

According to the Census of India 2011, Bihar had a population of 10,40,99,452, which was 8.60% of India's population, and a density of 1,106 per sq km, making it India's most densely-populated state. The state is administered through 9 divisions and 38 districts, with Patna as its capital.

Government and Administration

  • Capital: Patna; formation: 22 March 1912.
  • Legislature: bicameral; High Court: Patna High Court; official language: Hindi.
  • Governor: Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.); Chief Minister: Samrat Choudhary.
  • Deputy Chief Ministers: Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav.
  • Divisions: 9; districts: 38; sub-divisions: 101; CD blocks: 534.
  • Panchayats: 8,053; revenue villages: 45,858.
  • Towns: 199 (139 statutory, 60 non-statutory).
  • Police stations: 853 (813 civil, 40 railway); police districts: 40 civil, 4 railway.
  • Area: 94,163 km², of which 92,257.51 sq km rural and 1,095.49 sq km urban.

Population: 2011 and 2001

  • Population 2011: 10,40,99,452 (5,42,78,157 males, 4,98,21,295 females).
  • Population 2001: 8,29,98,509.
  • Population growth: 25.42% in 2011, against 28.43% in 2001.
  • Share of India's population: 8.60% in 2011, 8.07% in 2001.
  • Density: 1,106 per sq km in 2011, up from 881 in 2001.

Density and District Extremes (2011)

  • Highest density: Sheohar, 1,880 per sq km; Patna follows at 1,823.
  • Lowest density: Kaimur (Bhabua), 488 per sq km.
  • Most populous district: Patna, 58,38,465.
  • Least populous district: Sheikhpura, 6,36,342.
  • Decadal growth 2001-11 by district: Madhepura 31.12%, Kishanganj 30.40%, Araria 30.25%; Arwal 18.89%, Gopalganj 19.02%.

Urbanisation

  • Nearly 89% of Bihar's population lived in rural areas in 2011.
  • Urbanisation was 11.29%, the second lowest in India.

Sex Ratio (2011)

  • Sex ratio: 918 females per 1,000 males, against 919 in 2001.
  • Child sex ratio: 935, against 942 in 2001.
  • Highest sex ratio: Gopalganj, 1,021, the only district above 1,000 females per 1,000 males.
  • Other districts: Siwan 988, Saran 954, Kishanganj 950, Patna 897.
  • Low sex ratios: Munger 876, Bhagalpur 880, Khagaria 886.

Literacy (2011)

  • Literacy rate: 61.80%, up from 47.00% in 2001.
  • Male literacy: 71.20% (59.68% in 2001); female literacy: 51.50% (33.12% in 2001).
  • Literates: 5,25,04,553 persons (3,16,08,023 male, 2,08,96,530 female).
  • Highest literacy: Rohtas, 73.37% (male 82.88%, female 62.97%).
  • Lowest literacy: Purnia, 51.08%.
  • Patna district literacy: 70.68%; Rohtas, Bhojpur (70.47%), Munger (70.46%), Aurangabad (70.32%) and Buxar (70.14%) are also above 70%.
  • Below 53%: Purnia, Sitamarhi (52.05%), Katihar (52.24%) and Madhepura (52.25%).

Largest Cities (2011)

  • Patna: 20,46,652, the largest city.
  • Gaya: 4,70,839; Bhagalpur: 4,10,210; Muzaffarpur: 3,93,724.
  • Purnea: 3,10,817; Darbhanga: 3,06,089; Biharsharif (Nalanda): 2,97,268.
  • Arrah (Bhojpur): 2,61,430; Begusarai: 2,52,008; Katihar: 2,40,565.
  • Munger: 2,13,303; Chhapra (Saran): 2,12,955; Saharsa: 1,56,540; Hajipur (Vaishali): 1,47,688.

Official sources (read on the date shown)

  • Bihar State Profile — Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Bihar (state portal) · read 27 Oct 2026
  • Population of Bihar — Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Bihar (state portal) · read 27 Oct 2026
  • Literacy Rate of Bihar — Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Bihar (state portal) · read 27 Oct 2026
  • Sex Ratio of Bihar — Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Bihar (state portal) · read 27 Oct 2026
  • Important cities of Bihar — Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Bihar (state portal) · read 27 Oct 2026

Topic test: Population and administration

Shishya practice: 4 questions whose answers are in the note above — not questions from any past paper. Your first 2 answers need no account; then sign up free to finish. Nothing you pick is saved.

  1. Question 1 of 4

    According to the Census of India 2011, what was the population density of Bihar per sq km?

  2. Question 2 of 4

    Which district in Bihar recorded the highest population density in 2011?

  3. Question 3 of 4

    What is the literacy rate of Bihar as per the 2011 census?

  4. Question 4 of 4

    Which city is the largest in Bihar according to the 2011 census population figures?