Bangalore - Demographics

Demographics

With an estimated population of 8.5 million in 2011, Bangalore is the third most populous city in India and the 18th most populous city in the world. Bangalore was the fastest-growing Indian metropolis after New Delhi between 1991–2001, with a growth rate of 38% during the decade. Residents of Bangalore are referred to as Bangaloreans in English and Bengaloorinavaru in Kannada.

The cosmopolitan nature of the city has resulted in the migration of people from other states to Bangalore, which has in recent years given rise to tensions between immigrants and locals. Scheduled Castes and Tribes account for 14.3% of the city's population. Kannada is the main and widely spoken language in Bangalore, while English, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil are also spoken and understood. A good number of Konkani speakers have settled in Bangalore since last century from Canara districts of Karnataka and Goa. Similarly, Marathi is spoken by a significant minority of the society.

According to the 2001 census of India, 79.4% of Bangalore's population is Hindu, roughly the same as the national average. Muslims comprise 13.4% of the population, which again is roughly the same as the national average, while Christians and Jains account for 5.8% and 1.1% of the population, respectively, double that of their national averages. Anglo-Indians also form a substantial group within the city. Women make up 47% of Bangalore's population. The city has a literacy rate of 89%. Roughly 10% of Bangalore's population lives in slums—a relatively low proportion when compared to other cities in the developing world such as Mumbai (50%) and Nairobi (60%). The 2008 National Crime Records Bureau statistics indicate that Bangalore accounts for 8.5% of the total crimes reported from 35 major cities in India.