Andhra Pradesh retained its fifth rank in population as per the provisional population figures released here on Thursday. Continuing its declining trend in population growth, state's population stood at 8,46,65,533, registering a decadal growth rate of 11.10 per cent in 2011 census compared to the 14.9 decadal growth in 2001 census. The population includes 4,25,09,881 males and 4,21,55,652 females. The state Census director, Ms Y.V. Anuradha, released the provisional population figures of census 2011 here on Thursday.

Though enumerated separately, for the time being, figures of the third gender have been included in male population. Child population in 0-6 age group, which accounted for 13.35 per cent of total population in the last census, dropped to 10.2 per cent in 2011 census showing effective implementation of family planning. Andhra Pradesh has made progress in literacy rate which went up to 67.77 per cent from 60.47 per cent in 2001. Overall literacy rate of males went up from 70.32 per cent to 75.56 and female literacy rate rose to 59.74 per cent from 50.43. Hyderabad district recorded the highest literacy rate of 80.96 per cent followed by Ranga Reddy with 78.05 and Mahbubnagar district with 56.06 per cent.

The state registered an increase in sex ratio which went up from 978 to 992. Nizamabad district tops the state with 1,038 females for every 1,000 male population, followed by Vizianagaram with 1,016 and Srikakulam 1,014 and Khammam 1,010. Hyderabad district registered the lowest sex ratio of 943 followed by Ranga Reddy districts 955. Ranga Reddy district registered highest decadal growth of 48.15 per cent followed by Mahbubnagar district with 15.03 per cent. West Godavari district registered lowest growth rate of 3.45 per cent followed by Vizianagaram and Hyderabad with 4.16 and 4.71 per cent respectively.

The state recorded a density of 308 persons per sq km compared to 277 in 2001 census. Hyderabad district registered the highest density with 18,480 persons per sq km followed by Ranga Reddy and Krishna districts with 707 and 519 respectively. Adilabad district is the most thinly populated district with the density of 170 persons per sq km. On complaints by some people of being left out during Census, Ms Anuradha said: "It is a gigantic exercise and gaps are bound to happen. The complaints were mostly in urban areas, that too in Hyderabad, and the figures didn't show any abnormal trend."