Virudhunagar district in Tamil Nadu had a population of about 19.42 lakh in 2011 and, based on recent projections, it is expected to move towards nearly 21.8 lakh by 2026. It covers about 4,241 sq km of area with a population density close to 458 persons per sq km. The overall sex ratio stands at around 1,007–1,008 females for every 1,000 males and the average literacy rate is roughly 80.15 percent. The child sex ratio in the 0–6 years group is near 955–956 girls for every 1,000 boys, and children form just a little over 10 percent of the total population. Hinduism is followed by nearly 94 percent of residents, with small but visible Christian and Muslim communities, and Tamil is the main language spoken along with some Telugu and Kannada. The population is almost evenly split between rural and urban regions, with slightly higher share in towns led by Sivakasi, Rajapalayam and Virudhunagar. There are about 5.38 lakh households in the district, including a very small number of houseless families.
Quick Overview of District Census 2011
| Item |
Figure |
| District Name |
Virudhunagar |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Census Year |
2011 |
| Total Population |
1,942,288 |
| Male Population |
967,709 |
| Female Population |
974,579 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
1,007–1,008 |
| Child Population 0–6 years |
197,134 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
955–956 |
| Total Area (sq km) |
4,241 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
458 |
| Average Literacy Rate |
80.15 % |
| Male Literacy Rate |
87.71 % |
| Female Literacy Rate |
72.69 % |
| Urban Population Share |
50.47 % |
| Rural Population Share |
49.53 % |
| Total Households |
537,748 |
| Houseless Families |
239 |
| Houseless Population |
637 |
Historic Census Data and Population Projections
Population from 1901 to 2011
| Census Year |
Population |
| 1901 |
584,278 |
| 1911 |
654,862 |
| 1921 |
691,149 |
| 1931 |
739,064 |
| 1941 |
768,137 |
| 1951 |
859,840 |
| 1961 |
972,288 |
| 1971 |
1,151,449 |
| 1981 |
1,340,907 |
| 1991 |
1,565,037 |
| 2001 |
1,751,301 |
| 2011 |
1,942,288 |
Key Census Indicators 2001 and 2011
| Indicator |
2001 |
2011 |
| Actual Population |
1,751,301 |
1,942,288 |
| Population (in lakh) |
17.51 |
19.42 |
| Population Growth (%) |
11.90 |
10.91 |
| Area (sq km) |
4,283 |
4,241 |
| Density (persons per sq km) |
409 |
458 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
1,012 |
1,007 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
958 |
955 |
| Average Literacy (%) |
73.70 |
80.15 |
| Male Literacy (%) |
83.96 |
87.71 |
| Female Literacy (%) |
63.64 |
72.69 |
| Total Child Population 0–6 |
209,147 |
197,134 |
| Child Share in Population (%) |
11.94 |
10.15 |
Population Projections up to 2031
| Year |
Projected Population |
| 2011 |
1,942,288 |
| 2021 |
2,120,000 |
| 2024 |
2,160,000 |
| 2025 |
2,170,000 |
| 2026 |
2,180,000 |
| 2029 |
2,200,000 |
| 2030 |
2,200,000 |
| 2031 |
2,210,000 |
Population, Child Population and Sex Ratio
Basic Population Structure 2011
| Category |
Male |
Female |
| Total Population |
967,709 |
974,579 |
| Child Population 0–6 years |
100,827 |
96,307 |
| Total Child Population 0–6 |
197,134 |
| Child Share in Total Population (%) |
10.15 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
1,007–1,008 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
955–956 |
Urban and Rural Child Data 2011
| Area Type |
Child Population 0–6 |
Child Sex Ratio |
| Urban |
95,884 |
960 |
| Rural |
101,250 |
951 |
Literacy Rate, Male Literacy and Female Literacy
Overall and Gender Wise Literacy
| Indicator |
Rate (%) |
| Average Literacy |
80.15 |
| Male Literacy |
87.71 |
| Female Literacy |
72.69 |
Urban and Rural Literacy Pattern
| Area Type |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Total |
80.15 |
87.71 |
72.69 |
| Urban |
84.31 |
90.47 |
78.25 |
| Rural |
75.88 |
84.90 |
66.95 |
Literacy by Religion
| Religion |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Hindu |
79.65 |
87.39 |
72.00 |
| Christian |
87.85 |
92.67 |
83.34 |
| Muslim |
88.10 |
92.99 |
83.21 |
| Religion not stated |
82.77 |
90.09 |
76.22 |
Religion and Caste (SC / ST)
Religion Wise Population 2011
| Religion |
Population |
Percentage |
| Hindu |
1,822,626 |
93.84 % |
| Christian |
67,405 |
3.47 % |
| Muslim |
47,838 |
2.46 % |
| Sikh |
245 |
0.01 % |
| Jain |
98 |
0.01 % |
| Buddhist |
87 |
0.00 % |
| Other religions |
75 |
0.00 % |
| Religion not stated |
3,914 |
0.20 % |
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Population
| Group |
Population |
Share in District (%) |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
399,831 |
20.59 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
2,294 |
0.12 |
SC and ST Population by Gender
| Group |
Male Population |
Female Population |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
198,704 |
201,127 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
1,182 |
1,112 |
Urban and Rural Population, Density and Households
Urban–Rural Split 2011
| Area Type |
Population |
Share of Total (%) |
| Urban |
980,226 |
50.47 |
| Rural |
962,062 |
49.53 |
Urban and Rural Detailed Profile
| Description |
Rural |
Urban |
| Total Population |
962,062 |
980,226 |
| Male Population |
480,360 |
487,349 |
| Female Population |
481,702 |
492,877 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
1,003 |
1,011–1,012 |
| Child Population 0–6 |
101,250 |
95,884 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
951 |
960 |
| Average Literacy (%) |
75.88 |
84.31 |
| Male Literacy (%) |
84.90 |
90.47 |
| Female Literacy (%) |
66.95 |
78.25 |
Area, Density and Households
| Item |
Figure |
| Total Area (sq km) |
4,241 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
458 |
| Total Households |
537,748 |
| Total Towns |
44 |
| Total Villages |
570 |
Workforce and Economic Profile
Workers by Category (District)
| Work Category |
Number of Workers |
| Total Workers |
950,158 |
| Main Cultivators |
52,361 |
| Main Agricultural Labourers |
168,174 |
| Household Industry Workers (main) |
30,292 |
| Other Main Workers |
603,239 |
| Marginal Workers (total) |
96,092 |
| Marginal Cultivators |
4,792 |
| Marginal Agricultural Labourers |
40,528 |
| Marginal Household Industry Workers |
5,006 |
| Other Marginal Workers |
45,766 |
Worker Profile Overview
| Category |
Observation |
| Male Workers |
about 5.79 lakh, higher share in almost all sectors |
| Female Workers |
about 3.71 lakh, many in agriculture, fireworks, printing and informal work |
| Rural Workers |
more in farming and allied activities |
| Urban Workers |
large presence in fireworks, match, printing, trade and services (mainly Sivakasi side) |
Administrative Divisions and Taluks
Revenue Divisions and Taluks
| Revenue Division |
Taluks |
| Sivakasi |
Sivakasi, Vembakottai, Sattur (overlapping in admin setup) |
| Sattur |
Sattur, Rajapalayam belt (as per revised structures) |
| Aruppukottai |
Virudhunagar, Aruppukkottai, Tiruchuli, Kariapatti (administrative grouping) |
Taluks and Key Administrative Units
| Administrative Item |
Details |
| District Headquarters |
Virudhunagar |
| Taluks (2011 pattern) |
Aruppukkottai, Kariapatti, Rajapalayam, Sattur, Sivakasi, Srivilliputhur, Tiruchuli, Virudhunagar, Vembakottai, Watrap |
| Total Taluks |
10 |
| Total Revenue Villages |
around 600 |
| Town Panchayats |
Seithur, Vathirairuppu, Chettiarpatti, Kariapatti, Mamsapuram, Sundarapandiam, Mallankinaru, S. Kodikulam, W. Pudupatti and others |
Cities, Towns and Urban Centres
Main Urban Centres 2011
| Urban Centre |
Type |
Population 2011 |
| Sivakasi Urban Agglomeration |
Urban Agglomeration |
234,704 |
| Rajapalayam |
Municipality |
130,442 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the total population of Virudhunagar district? It is about 19.42 lakh as per the 2011 census.
- How is the population split between rural and urban areas? Roughly half live in villages and the other half in towns and cities.
- What is the literacy rate in Virudhunagar district? The overall literacy rate is close to 80.15 percent.
- What are the SC and ST shares in Virudhunagar? Scheduled Castes form about 20.59 percent and Scheduled Tribes about 0.12 percent of the population.
- What is the population density of Virudhunagar district? It is around 458 persons per square kilometre.