Ratnagiri district overview
The Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra had a population of about 16.15 lakh in 2011 and it is expected to grow steadily to reach a population of around 19.58 lakh by 2036. It has an area of 8,208 sq km and population density of 197 persons per sq km. The sex ratio is close to 1122 females per 1000 males and the literacy rate is around 82.18. The child sex ratio is 937 girls per 1000 boys. The major religion is Hindu with about 80.94% and Marathi is the main language spoken by large share of people. The district population is about 16.33% urban and 83.67% rural, and villages account for most of the total population. There are a total of about 3.97 lakh households in the district.
Quick Overview of District Census 2021
| Indicator | Value (2011) |
| Total population 2011 | 16,15,069 |
| Male population 2011 | 7,61,121 |
| Female population 2011 | 8,53,948 |
| Sex ratio 2011 | 1122 |
| Child sex ratio 0–6 | 937 |
| Average literacy 2011 | 82.18% |
| Male literacy 2011 | 90.93% |
| Female literacy 2011 | 74.53% |
| Area (sq km) | 8,208 |
| Population density (2011) | 197 per sq km |
Population and projections up to 2036
| Year | Estimated population | Growth since 2011 |
| 2011 | 16,15,069 | – |
| 2026 | 18,53,171 | 14.74% |
| 2027 | 18,65,008 | 15.48% |
| 2028 | 18,76,844 | 16.21% |
| 2029 | 18,88,667 | 16.94% |
| 2030 | 19,00,503 | 17.67% |
| 2031 | 19,10,941 | 18.32% |
| 2032 | 19,20,407 | 18.91% |
| 2033 | 19,29,873 | 19.49% |
| 2034 | 19,39,325 | 20.08% |
| 2035 | 19,48,792 | 20.66% |
| 2036 | 19,58,244 | 21.25% |
Sex ratio and child population
| Category | Value |
| Total sex ratio (females/1000 males) | 1122 |
| Urban sex ratio | 1015 |
| Rural sex ratio | 1145 |
| Child sex ratio 0–6 | 937 |
| Urban child sex ratio 0–6 | 932 |
| Rural child sex ratio 0–6 | 937 |
| Total child population 0–6 | 1,55,560 |
| Male child 0–6 | 80,333 |
| Female child 0–6 | 75,227 |
| Child share of total population | 9.63% |
- Sex ratio in Ratnagiri is much better than national average
- Rural gender balance is very strong with over 1140 females per 1000 males
- Child population share has reduced since 2001
Literacy and education levels
| Category | Average literacy | Male literacy | Female literacy |
| Total population | 82.18% | 90.93% | 74.53% |
| Urban areas | 92.75% | 95.41% | 90.16% |
| Rural areas | 80.13% | 89.99% | 71.68% |
| Religion | Average literacy | Male literacy | Female literacy |
| Hindu | 80.94% | 90.32% | 72.73% |
| Muslim | 91.19% | 94.82% | 88.05% |
| Buddhist | 81.51% | 91.50% | 72.76% |
| Jain | 95.05% | 97.49% | 92.54% |
- Literacy in Ratnagiri is above national average
- Male literacy is higher than female literacy but gap is moderate
- Urban areas are much more educated than rural areas
Religion and literacy by religion
| Religion | Population | Percentage of total |
| Hindu | 13,07,211 | 80.94% |
| Muslim | 1,87,197 | 11.59% |
| Buddhist | 1,13,467 | 7.03% |
| Jain | 3,347 | 0.21% |
| Christian | 1,990 | 0.12% |
| Religion not stated | 1,532 | 0.09% |
| Sikh | 230 | 0.01% |
| Other religions and persuasions | 95 | 0.01% |
| Religion | Sex ratio |
| Hindu | 1122 |
| Muslim | 1131 |
| Buddhist | 1128 |
| Jain | 948 |
Caste (SC/ST) data
| Caste group | Population | Share of total | Sex ratio |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) | 66,948 | 4.15% | 1095 |
| SC male | 31,967 | – | – |
| SC female | 34,981 | – | – |
| Caste group | Population | Share of total | Sex ratio |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) | 20,374 | 1.26% | 959 |
| ST male | 10,402 | – | – |
| ST female | 9,972 | – | – |
- SC families form about 4% of total population
- ST share is smaller but still present in Ratnagiri
- Both SC and ST groups have strong sex ratio above 950
Urban–rural population and households
| Region | Population | Share of total |
| Urban population | 2,63,723 | 16.33% |
| Rural population | 13,51,346 | 83.67% |
| Region | Male | Female | Sex ratio |
| Urban | 1,30,908 | 1,32,815 | 1015 |
| Rural | 6,30,213 | 7,21,133 | 1145 |
| Indicator | Value |
| Total area (sq km) | 8,208 |
| Population density | 197 per sq km |
| Total households | 3,97,115 |
| Total towns | 16 |
| Total villages | 1,537 |
| Houseless families | 1,160 |
| Houseless population | 4,351 |
- Most people still live in rural Ratnagiri
- Only about one in six live in urban areas
- A very small number of families live without roof
Workforce and employment profile
| Indicator | Value |
| Total workers | 7,14,076 |
| Male workers | 4,07,008 |
| Female workers | 3,07,068 |
| Workers as % of total population | 44.21% |
- Nearly half of people are working in some job
- Male workers are more than female workers
- Many families depend on agriculture, fishing and small trade
Historic census growth 1901–2011
| Census year | Population | Variation % |
| 1901 | 8,71,866 | 0.00% |
| 1911 | 8,94,000 |
| 2.55% |
| 1921 | 8,60,000 | –3.76% |
| 1931 | 9,13,000 | 6.13% |
| 1941 | 9,27,000 | 1.53% |
| 1951 | 9,52,000 | 2.70% |
| 1961 | 10,70,000 | 12.30% |
| 1971 | 12,38,000 | 15.67% |
| 1981 | 13,99,000 | 13.03% |
| 1991 | 15,10,000 | 7.96% |
| 2001 | 15,87,000 | 5.10% |
| 2011 | 16,15,069 | 1.77% |
- Population has grown slowly but steadily in last hundred years
- 1961–1991 period shows moderate growth decades
- Growth has slowed after 2001 compared with earlier years
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: What is the total population of Ratnagiri district in 2026? Answer: About 18.53 lakh.
- Question: What is the literacy rate of Ratnagiri district in 2011? Answer: Around 82.18%.
- Question: What is the sex ratio in Ratnagiri district? Answer: About 1122 females per 1000 males.
- Question: Which religion has the largest share in Ratnagiri district? Answer: Hindu with about 80.94%.
- Question: What is the rural–urban split in Ratnagiri district? Answer: About 84% rural and 16% urban.