The people of Odisha and where they live
Human geography studies people in their places: how many there are, where they settle, how they make a living and how well they live. Odisha’s population is shaped by its land, with crowded, fertile deltas on the coast and thinly settled forested hills in the interior that are home to many of its tribal communities. This section looks at the state’s population, its villages and cities, and the uneven pattern of human development across its districts.
How the topics connect
Start with the population itself, then see where it lives and finally how well it lives.
Topics in this section
Each topic page explains the subject in full, with tables, maps and district-level figures.
DemographyPopulation and its composition
How many people live in Odisha, where they are concentrated, and how the population is changing.
- About 4.2 crore people at the 2011 Census
- Dense coastal districts; thinly peopled hills and plateaus
- Large Scheduled Tribe (22.8%) and Scheduled Caste (17.1%) populations
Human SettlementsVillages, towns and cities
Where and how people live, from small tribal hamlets in the hills to the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
- About five in six people live in villages
- Settlement patterns follow rivers, deltas and the coast
- Main urban centres: Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Berhampur, Sambalpur
Human DevelopmentHealth, education and income
How well people live, measured through health, education and living standards, and how this varies between districts.
- Literacy rose to about 73% at the 2011 Census
- Coastal districts generally score higher than the southern and western interior
- Poverty reduction and the KBK region are key themes
Peoples and culturesDiversity of the state
Odisha is home to a remarkable diversity of communities, languages and ways of life.
- 62 Scheduled Tribe communities, including 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
- Odia is the main language; many tribal languages are also spoken
- Tribal populations are concentrated in the north and south-west
Key population facts (Census 2011)
A quick reference for revision. The 2011 Census is the latest full census available.
| Total population | 4,19,74,218 (about 3.5% of India) |
|---|---|
| Decadal growth, 2001–2011 | About 14% |
| Density | 270 persons per sq km |
| Sex ratio | 979 females per 1,000 males |
| Literacy rate | 72.87% |
| Urban population | About 16.7% |
| Scheduled Tribes | 22.85% of the population |
| Scheduled Castes | 17.13% of the population |
| Most populous district | Ganjam |
| Largest city | Bhubaneswar (capital) |
Patterns to remember
Most questions on Odisha’s human geography test these contrasts.
Coast vs. interior
Dense, literate, mostly non-tribal deltas against sparse, largely tribal, forested hills and plateaus.
Rural majority
Odisha is among the less urbanised states of India; most people live in villages.
Tribal belts
Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh and Kendujhar in the north; Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangapur and Rayagada in the south-west.
Uneven development
Large gaps between coastal and interior districts in literacy, health and income.
Continue to Political Geography
See how Odisha is divided into districts and constituencies for administration and representation.
Note: Population figures are from the Census of India 2011, the latest full census. Newer estimates from surveys and projections are given on the topic pages where available. Spotted an error? Let us know.