The Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu had a population of about 24.06 lakh in 2011 and it is expected to grow slowly to touch around 26.5 lakh by the late 2020s. It has an area of about 3,476 sq km and a population density close to 691 persons per sq km. The sex ratio is around 1,031 females for every 1,000 males and the overall literacy rate is nearly 82.72 percent. The child sex ratio stands close to 947 girls for every 1,000 boys in the 0-6 age group. Hindu religion has the largest share of population, with Muslims and Christians forming smaller but visible groups, and Tamil is the main language spoken across the delta villages and temple towns. Most people live in rural areas fed by the Cauvery river system while a smaller share lives in urban centres like Thanjavur town and nearby municipalities. There are about 6 lakh households spread across the fertile paddy fields, river islands and small market towns of Thanjavur district.
Quick Overview of District Census 2011
| Item |
Figure |
| District Name |
Thanjavur |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Census Year |
2011 |
| Total Population |
2,405,890 |
| Male Population |
1,184,590 |
| Female Population |
1,221,300 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
1,031 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years) |
947 |
| Total Area (sq km) |
3,476 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
691 |
| Average Literacy Rate |
82.72 % |
| Male Literacy Rate |
89.06 % |
| Female Literacy Rate |
76.61 % |
| Urban Population Share (approx) |
35 % |
| Rural Population Share (approx) |
65 % |
| Total Households (approx) |
about 600,000 |
Historic Census Data and Population Projections
Population from 1901 to 2011 (District in 2011 limits)
| Census Year |
Population |
| 1901 |
1,868,000 (approx) |
| 1911 |
1,930,000 (approx) |
| 1921 |
1,950,000 (approx) |
| 1931 |
2,020,000 (approx) |
| 1941 |
2,120,000 (approx) |
| 1951 |
2,170,000 (approx) |
| 1961 |
2,200,000 (approx) |
| 1971 |
2,280,000 (approx) |
| 1981 |
2,340,000 (approx) |
| 1991 |
2,053,700 |
| 2001 |
2,216,138 |
| 2011 |
2,405,890 |
Key Census Indicators 2001 and 2011
| Indicator |
2001 |
2011 |
| Actual Population |
2,216,138 |
2,405,890 |
| Population Growth (%) |
7.90 |
8.56 |
| Area (sq km) |
3,476 |
3,476 |
| Density (persons per sq km) |
638 |
691 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
1,023 |
1,031 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years) |
960 |
947 |
| Average Literacy (%) |
75.45 (approx) |
82.72 |
| Male Literacy (%) |
83.40 (approx) |
89.06 |
| Female Literacy (%) |
67.70 (approx) |
76.61 |
| Total Child Population 0-6 |
around 270,000 |
around 262,000 |
| Child Share in Population (%) |
12.20 (approx) |
10.90 (approx) |
Population Projections up to 2031 (Approx District Projection)
| Year |
Projected Population (approx) |
| 2021 |
about 2,550,000 |
| 2024 |
about 2,600,000 |
| 2026 |
about 2,650,000 |
| 2028 |
about 2,690,000 |
| 2030 |
about 2,720,000 |
| 2031 |
about 2,730,000 |
Population, Child Population and Sex Ratio
Basic Population Structure 2011
| Category |
Male |
Female |
| Total Population |
1,184,590 |
1,221,300 |
| Child Population 0-6 years (approx) |
about 135,000 |
about 127,000 |
| Total Child Population 0-6 (approx) |
about 262,000 |
| Child Share in Total Population (%) |
about 10.9 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
1,031 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years) |
947 |
Urban and Rural Child Data (Trend)
| Area Type |
Child Population 0-6 (approx) |
Child Sex Ratio (trend) |
| Urban |
around 90,000 |
slightly lower than rural |
| Rural |
around 172,000 |
slightly higher than urban |
Literacy Rate, Male Literacy and Female Literacy
Overall and Gender Wise Literacy
| Indicator |
Rate (%) |
| Average Literacy |
82.72 |
| Male Literacy |
89.06 |
| Female Literacy |
76.61 |
Urban and Rural Literacy Pattern (Indicative)
| Area Type |
Average Literacy (trend) |
Male Literacy (trend) |
Female Literacy (trend) |
| Total |
82.72 |
high |
lower than male |
| Urban |
higher than district average |
very high |
high |
| Rural |
slightly lower than total |
good |
clearly lower than male |
Religion and Caste (SC / ST)
Religion Wise Population 2011 (District Pattern)
| Religion |
Population Trend |
Share (approx) |
| Hindu |
clear majority across taluks |
around 87–88 % |
| Muslim |
present in towns and some villages |
around 5–6 % |
| Christian |
visible in coastal and delta pockets |
around 4–5 % |
| Other religions / not stated |
very small share |
under 2 % |
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Population (District)
| Group |
Population (approx) |
Share in District (approx %) |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
large population across delta villages |
around 18–19 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
very small and scattered |
less than 1 |
SC and ST Population by Gender (Pattern)
| Group |
Male Population (trend) |
Female Population (trend) |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
near equal to SC female |
slightly higher due to better sex ratio |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
very small |
very small |
Urban and Rural Population, Density and Households
Urban Rural Split 2011 (Approx)
| Area Type |
Population (approx) |
Share of Total (approx %) |
| Urban |
about 8.4 lakh |
around 35 |
| Rural |
about 15.6 lakh |
around 65 |
Urban and Rural Detailed Profile (Trend)
| Description |
Rural |
Urban |
| Main Work Type |
paddy farming, allied activities |
trade, services, small industry |
| Population Share |
about two third |
about one third |
| Average Literacy |
lower than urban |
above district average |
| Child Sex Ratio |
slightly higher |
slightly lower |
Area, Density and Households (District)
| Item |
Figure |
| Total Area (sq km) |
3,476 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
691 |
| Total Households (approx) |
about 600,000 |
| Total Villages |
789 |
| Tehsils / Taluks |
8 |
Workforce and Economic Profile
Workers by Category (Pattern from Delta District)
| Work Category |
Observation in Thanjavur |
| Main Workers |
large in agriculture and services |
| Marginal Workers |
seasonal farm and allied work |
| Cultivators |
strong group in delta villages |
| Agricultural Labourers |
very large share of workers |
| Household Industry Workers |
small share in crafts and home units |
| Other Workers |
in trade, education, tourism and services |
Worker Profile Overview (Trend)
| Category |
Observation |
| Male Workers |
more in non farm and skilled jobs |
| Female Workers |
many in farm labour and informal sector |
| Rural Workers |
dominate in agriculture and allied work |
| Urban Workers |
more in trade, service, temple related work |
Administrative Divisions and Taluks
Taluks / Tehsils in Thanjavur District
| Taluk / Tehsil |
Remarks |
| Thanjavur |
district HQ and main urban taluk |
| Papanasam |
delta taluk with many canals |
| Kumbakonam |
temple town and trade centre |
| Orathanadu |
rural taluk with paddy fields |
| Pattukkottai |
coastal and agricultural belt |
| Peravurani |
coastal taluk with fishing villages |
| Thiruvaiyaru |
river side taluk known for music heritage |
| Thiruvidaimarudur |
temple and rural mix taluk |
Key Administrative Units and Connectivity
| Administrative Item |
Details |
| District Headquarters |
Thanjavur |
| Total Taluks |
8 |
| Total Villages |
789 |
| Nearest Major Railway Junction |
Thanjavur Junction |
| Nearest Major Airport |
Tiruchirappalli International Airport |
Cities, Towns and Urban Centres
Main Urban Centres in Thanjavur District
| Urban Centre |
Population 2011 |
| Thanjavur Municipality (city) |
222,943 |
| Thanjavur Urban Agglomeration |
291,067 |
| Kumbakonam |
about 140,000 (approx) |
| Pattukkottai |
about 67,000 (approx) |
| Papanasam |
about 28,000 (approx) |
| Orathanadu |
about 20,000 (approx) |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the total population of Thanjavur district? It is 24.06 lakh as per 2011 census.
- How much of Thanjavur population lives in rural areas? Around two third of people live in villages.
- What is the literacy rate in Thanjavur district? The literacy rate is about 82.72 percent.
- What is the sex ratio in Thanjavur district? There are about 1,031 women for every 1,000 men.
- What is the population density of Thanjavur district? It is about 691 persons per square kilometre.