# Puducherry – Districts List, Cities, Population & Literacy (Census 2011) > Source: https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/ Union territory · India # Puducherry Puducherry is a union territory of India with its capital at Pondicherry. At the 2011 Census it was home to **1,247,953 people** — 0.1% of India and 29th of 36 states and union territories — in 4 districts, 10 towns and 90 villages. 68% lived in towns, and literacy was 85.8% (above the national 73.0%). - 1,247,953people (2011) - 4districts (2011) - 10towns - 85.8%literacy ## Who lives in Puducherry? Puducherry had **1,247,953 people** at the 2011 Census — 0.1% of India's population and 29th of 36 states and union territories by population. There were 1,037 women for every 1,000 men (above the India figure of 943; 2nd of 36 states and union territories). Among children under 7 the ratio was 967 girls per 1,000 boys (the India figure is 918). An average household had 4.1 people, against 4.9 across India. ## How literate is Puducherry? 85.8% of people aged 7 and over could read and write in 2011 (above India's 73.0%), 9th of 36 states and union territories. Men were at 91.3% and women at 80.7% — a gap of 10.6 points (it is 16.2 points across India). Among its districts, literacy is highest in [Mahe](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/mahe/) (97.9%) and lowest in [Yanam](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/yanam/) (79.5%). Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## What do people in Puducherry do for a living? 35.7% of people worked in 2011 (women: 17.6%). Of all workers, 2% farmed their own land, 11% were farm labourers, 1% worked in household industry and 75% in other work such as services, trade and factories; 10% were marginal workers with less than six months' work. Farming employs 14% of workers here, against 38% across India. The most farm-dependent of its districts is [Yanam](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/yanam/) (19% of workers in farming) and the least is [Mahe](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/mahe/) (1% of workers in farming). ********** **■** Cultivators 2 (2%) · **■** Farm labourers 11 (11%) · **■** Household industry 1 (1%) · **■** Other work 75 (75%) · **■** Marginal 10 (10%) Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Cities and towns of Puducherry 68.3% of people lived in towns and cities (above India's 31.1%), 4th of 36 states and union territories. The Census counted 10 towns: 6 statutory towns with a municipality and 4 census towns — places urban in character but still governed as villages. 2 cities have 1 lakh (100,000) people or more. The largest is [Ozhukarai](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/puducherry/ozhukarai-taluk/ozhukarai/) with 300,104 people, home to 35% of the urban population. Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Villages of Puducherry Puducherry had 90 census villages, 90 of them inhabited. The average inhabited village had 4,391 people; 29 villages had 5,000 people or more. The largest: [Mannadipet](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/puducherry/villianur-taluk/mannadipet/) (11,176), [Bahour](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/puducherry/bahour-taluk/bahour/) (10,927), [Kirumampakkam](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/puducherry/bahour-taluk/kirumampakkam/) (10,133), [Kottucherry](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/karaikal/karaikal-taluk/kottucherry/) (9,711) and [Thirubuvanai](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/puducherry/villianur-taluk/thirubuvanai/) (9,374). Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Where is Puducherry, and what is it like? The capital is Pondicherry. It covers 492 km², so in 2011 there were about 2,536 people per km². It borders [Andhra Pradesh](https://wherepedia.org/india/andhra-pradesh/), [Kerala](https://wherepedia.org/india/kerala/) and [Tamil Nadu](https://wherepedia.org/india/tamil-nadu/). Official languages: English, French, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. Source: [Wikidata (CC0) — capital, area, languages, neighbours; retrieved 2026-10-29](https://www.wikidata.org/). ### Weather and best time to visit At Pondicherry, the hottest month is May (average 31 °C), the coldest Jan (25 °C), and the wettest Nov (273 mm of rain). The most comfortable months are **January to February**. - Jan - Feb - Mar - Apr - May - Jun - Jul - Aug - Sep - Oct - Nov - Dec Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/). ## Pondicherry (today's Puducherry) in history The 11th edition of the *Encyclopaedia Britannica* (1911) described Pondicherry (today's Puducherry) as follows. Its wording reflects its time; spellings are as printed. > PONDICHERRY, the capital of the French possessions in India, situated on the Coromandel or western coast, 122 m. by rail S. of Madras. The territory, which is entirely surrounded by the British district of South Arcot, has an area of 115 sq. m. with a population (1901) of 174,456. The chief crops are dry grains, rice, earth-nuts and a little indigo. The territory is traversed by a branch of the South Indian railway from Villapuram. The town has a population of 27,448. It is well laid out with fine public buildings; the water-supply is derived from artesian wells. It has an open roadstead, with a small iron pier. The port is visited yearly by 500 vessels, and has trade of the value of about some £1,300,000. The principal imports are areca-nuts, wines and liqueurs, and the chief exports groundnuts, oil, cotton fabrics and rice. Of the export trade more than one-half is with France, but of the import trade only one-fourth. The weaving of various fabrics forms the principal industry. Pondicherry was founded, in 1683 by Francois Martin, on the site of a village given him by the governor of Gingee. In 1693 the Dutch took Pondicherry, but restored it, with the fortifications greatly improved, in 1697, at the peace of Ryswick. In 1748 Admiral Boscawen laid siege to it without success, but in 1761 it was taken by Colonel Coote from Lally. In 1763 it Was restored to the French. In 1778 it was again taken by Sir Hector Munro, and its fortifications destroyed. In 1783 it was retransferred to the French, and in 1793 recaptured by the English. The treaty of Amiens in 1802 restored it to the French, but it was retaken in 1803. In 1816 it was finally restored to the French. Source: [Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition (1911) — public domain; transcription via Wikisource](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica). Boundaries in 1901 may differ from today's; sentences describing castes or communities are omitted. ## Population of Puducherry compared with India ■ Puducherry · ■ India Literacy (age 7+) ****85.8%** **73.0% Sex ratio (F per 1,000 M) ****1037** **943 Child sex ratio (0–6) ****967** **918 Working population ****35.7%** **39.8% Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Districts of Puducherry District People Sub-districts Towns Literacy [Puducherry](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/puducherry/) 950,289 4 6 85.4% [Karaikal](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/karaikal/) 200,222 2 2 87.1% [Yanam](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/yanam/) 55,626 1 1 79.5% [Mahe](https://wherepedia.org/india/puducherry/mahe/) 41,816 1 1 97.9% Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). Boundaries and names as at the 2011 Census; districts created since then are not shown separately. ## Largest cities and towns in Puducherry - Ozhukarai · 300,104 - Puducherry · 244,377 - Karaikal · 86,838 - Yanam · 55,626 - Mahe · 41,816 - Villianur · 34,383 - Kurumbapet · 32,871 - Ariankuppam · 29,808 - Manavely · 15,666 - Thirumalairayanpattinam · 11,264 ## Quick answers - What is the capital of Puducherry?Pondicherry - What is the area of Puducherry?492 km² - Which states border Puducherry?Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu - What language is spoken in Puducherry?English, French, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu (official) - When is the best time to visit Puducherry?January to February - What is the literacy rate of Puducherry?85.8% (Census 2011) - What is the sex ratio of Puducherry?1,037 women per 1,000 men (Census 2011) - How many districts are in Puducherry?4 (Census 2011) - What is the population of Puducherry?1,247,953 (Census 2011) - Which is the most populous district of Puducherry?Puducherry - Which is the largest city in Puducherry?Ozhukarai