Bihar - Demographics

Demographics

Bihar was the third most populated state of India with total population of 82,998,509 (43,243,795 male and 39,754,714 female). Nearly 85% of Bihar's population lived in rural areas. Almost 58% of Biharis were below 25 years age, which is the highest in India. The density was 881. The sex ratio was 919 females per 1000 males. Mostly, Biharis belong to Indo-Aryan, Indo-Scythian and Indo-Hephthalites stock, who shares common genetic lineage with Central Asian and Eurasian population along with few Mongolo-Dravidian and Austro-Asiatic people mostly in Chhotanagpur Plateau (now part of Jharkhand). Since ancient times, Bihar has attracted migrants and settlers including Bengalis, Turks from Central Asia, Persians, Afghans and Punjabi Hindu refugees during the Partition of British India in 1947. Bihar has a total literacy rate of 63.82% (75.7% for males and 55.1% for females). As of 2011 census, the density has surpassed 1,000 per square kilometer, India's densest state, but is still lower than West Java or Banten of Indonesia.