Karnataka, with a total population of 61,100,000, is one of the major states in South India. Kannada is the official state language,[1] while other linguistic minorities in the state include Kodava, Konkani, Tulu and Urdu.[2] Karnataka is also at the forefront of population control measures, with the first two birth control clinics in history opening in 1930 in the Mandya district.[3]
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, the total population in Karnataka was 6.25 crores (an amount equating to 10 million), with 50.9% being males and 49.1% females. There was a decadal population increase of 17.3% between 1991 and 2001. As per the 2011 census, the population density is 319 per km², the sex ratio is 973 females to 1,000 males, and 38.67% of the people in Karnataka live in urban areas.
The literacy rate in Karnataka was 75.4% at the time of the 2001 census; the eight most-populous cities of the state, in-order from highest to lowest total population, were Bengaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mysuru, Belagavi, Kalburgi, Mangaluru, Davanagere and Ballari.[4] Bengaluru Urban and Belagavi are the most populous Districts, each of them having a population of more than three million. Gadaga, Chamarajanagara and Kodagu districts have a population of less than one million. Karnataka has one of the largest populations of Anglo-Indians in India. Seen below is a composite table of languages and religions of the state at the census of 2001.
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 84.0% of the population were Hindu, 13.00% Muslim, 1.80% Christian, 0.7% Jain, 0.2% Buddhist, <0.1% Sikhs, with the remaining percentage belonging to other religions. Karnataka is also the location of some tribes, such as the Nayaka, Soliga, and Yerava. The joint family system is prevalent in the rural areas of Karnataka; there are extreme cases, like the Narasinganavars, who reside in the Dharwad district, and are recognised as one of the largest undivided families in the world.
| Hinduism | 44,321,279 | 51,317,472 | |
| Islam | 6,463,127 | 7,893,065 | |
| Christianity | 1,009,164 | 1,142,647 | |
| Jainism | 412,659 | 440,280 | |
| Buddhism | 393,300 | 95,710 | |
| Sikhism | 15,326 | 28,773 | |
| Other | 115,460 | 11,263 | |
| Not stated | n/a | 166,087 | |
| Total | 52,850,562 | 61,095,297 |
| Hinduism | 83.86 | 84.00 | |
| Islam | 12.23 | 12.92 | |
| Christianity | 1.91 | 1.87 | |
| Jainism | 0.78 | 0.72 | |
| Buddhism | 0.74 | 0.16 | |
| Sikhism | 0.03 | 0.05 | |
| Other | 0.22 | 0.02 | |
| Not specified | n/a | 0.27 |
Just like other Ethnolinguistic groups in India, Kannada speaking people also form a number of distinct communities. The two single biggest communities numerically are the Lingayat and the Vokkaliga from North and South Karnataka respectively,[7] while Scheduled Castes make up the largest cohesive group of communities. There are also numerous OBC (other backward communities) including the former pastoralist community of Kuruba, Scheduled Tribes like the Boya/Valmiki, scheduled castes like Banjara and Adi Karnataka. Kannada Brahmins are divided into several communities.[8] [9] Although historically Jainism in Karnataka had dominant presence, Kannada Jains today form a small minority.[10] In Karnataka, 5 communities — Brahmin, Jain, Aryavaishya, Nagarthas and Modaliars — are outside the existing reservation matrix.
Government Census (2001)[11] Kannada 68.5 %, Urdu 10.5 %, Telugu 6.2 %,Tamil 3.2 %, Tulu 2.1 %, Hindi 2.6%, Konkani 1.0 %, Beary 1.3 %, other 4.1 %.[12]
| Population of districts of Karnataka as per 2001 census | ||
|---|---|---|
| District | Population | Decadal %age growth 1991 -> 2001 |
| 6,537,124 | 34.8 | |
| 1,881,514 | 12.2 | |
| 1,517,896 | 15.1 | |
| 1,790,952 | 14.8 | |
| 2,536,069 | 13.8 | |
| 1,642,545 | 12.9 | |
| 2,584,711 | 11.9 | |
| 1,651,892 | 18.8 | |
| 4,214,505 | 17.4 | |
| 1,806,918 | 17.6 | |
| 1,604,253 | 16.7 | |
| 971,835 | 13.1 | |
| 1,439,116 | 13.3 | |
| 1,353,644 | 10.9 | |
| 2,027,140 | 22.3 | |
| 1,502,373 | 19.6 | |
| 3,130,922 | 21.0 | |
| 1,196,089 | 24.6 | |
| 1,669,762 | 21.9 | |
| 965,462 | 9.2 | |
| 1,140,905 | 12.0 | |
| 1,897,730 | 14.5 | |
| 1,721,669 | 9.7 | |
| 548,561 | 11.6 | |
| 1,763,705 | 7.1 | |
| 2,641,027 | 15.0 | |
| 1,112,243 | 6.9 | |
Official Census Portal of Mysore District https://web.archive.org/web/20110209212413/http://mysorecensus2011.com/