Page 34 - economic review

MACRO ECONOMIC PROFILE6

Age Group Distribution

1.10 Around 64.1 per cent of population is in the working age group of 15-59. The remaining 36 per
cent of the total population is the dependant group. Among this 12.6 per cent are old dependants and
23.3 per cent are young dependants (Fig 1.3)

Fig 1.3
Percentage Share of Population in different Age Groups- Kerala 2011

Source: Census of India 2011

Section 2
Urbanisation in Kerala

1.11 The Urban Sector of Kerala consists of 5 Municipal Corporations and 60 Municipalities. As per
2011 Census the Urban population of the state is 1.59 crore which is 47.72% of the total population.
The history of population growth in Kerala shows that the growth rate of urban population has
always been greater than that of the total population. Kerala has undergone the highest level of
urbanization in its history during 2001-2011 with a percent increase of 83.82 over the previous
decade. Kerala was positioned in the 19th rank in the level of urbanisation among the states of India
as per the 2001 Census. But in 2011 Census data, Kerala was ranked 9th. The urban content of
population of Kerala has reached to 47.72% in 2011 from 13.48% in 1961. Ernakulam (68.1%) is the
most urbanised district of Kerala and Wayanad (3.9%) is the least urbanised district. Details of urban
and rural population in Kerala are given in Appendix 1.3.

1.12 The trend of urbanisation in Kerala shows marked peculiarities. Generally, increase in the rate
of urban population is the result of over concentration of population in the existing cities especially in
metropolitan cities. But in Kerala, the main reason for the growth of urban population is the increase
in the number of urban areas and also urbanization of the peripheral areas of the existing major
urban centres. The Urbanization in Kerala is not limited to the designated cities and towns. Barring
a few Panchayaths in the Hilly tracks and a few isolated areas here and there, the entire state depicts
the picture of an urban – rural continuum. It is very difficult to demarcate the urban and rural areas
in the state since the features in rural and urban areas are almost alike.

1.13 In Kerala the population has settled all along the transportation routes in non- nucleated
settlements with the conjuration points wherever community facilities such as schools, administration

Kerala State Planning Board