Incidentally, Meghalaya has the highest fertility rate in the country, as per the latest census report for the state released by deputy chief minister Rowell Lyngdoh here today.
The sex ratio in East Khasi HIlls district and Jaintia Hills is above the state average and in the remaining districts, it is below, director of Census Operations, Meghalaya K L Tariang said today. The latest census has revealed that the population of the state now stands at 2,964,007 including 1492668 females and 1471339 females with a decadal growth rate of 27.82 per cent.
Sex ratio in Meghalaya was either higher or equal to male per thousand. From 1931, it had been slowing down until it started rising progressively from 1971 till it reached 986 in 2011.''
By and large, Meghalaya has not been a gender critical state during the last 11 decades, the report noted. Highest density of population is in East Khasi Hills district with 292 persons per square kilometre and the list in West Khasi Hills with only 73 persons per square kilometre. Only East Khasi Hills and West Garo Hills districts have a density of population above the state average.
In the remaining districts, the density is below the state average and in South Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills, it is in two digits only.
The literacy rate has touched 75.48 per cent from 62.56 per cent in 2001. Male literacy jumped to 77.17 per cent in 2011 from 65.43 per cent in 2001 and that of female has climbed to 73.78 per cent from 59.61 per cent.