Districts of India, State Wise Number of Districts, Population

India comprises 28 states and 8 Union Territories which further subdivided into multiple districts. These Districts of India are the administrative divisions, facilitating governance, public administration, and the execution of government initiatives. The district is administered by a District Collector or District Magistrate. As of 2025, India has nearly 800 districts spread across its 28 states and 8 Union Territories. The number of districts has steadily increased over time due to administrative reorganization and population growth

What are Districts?

In India, a district serves as the administrative body within a state or Union Territory which is governed by a District Magistrate (DM) or District Collector who operates as a semi-autonomous body, overseeing the implementation of government policies, maintaining law and order, managing revenue collection, and developmental initiatives. To make the administration process smoother, districts are further divided into talukas, tehsils, or subdivisions.

Current Number of Districts in India

By the records of 2024, there are 800 Districts of India, with a latest update of 787 Districts of India, from which Uttar Pradesh has 75 districts, Rajasthan includes 50 districts, and Tamil Nadu with 38 districts.

• Total number of districts: Around 800
• Source for data: Government of India’s Local Government Directory 
• Key states with high district count: Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu

‹ ›

List of Districts of India State Wise

Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of districts in India, with a total population of 199,812,341. In contrast, Goa has the fewest districts, with just two, and a population of 1,458,545.

List of Districts in Union Territory

Jammu and Kashmir has the highest number of districts among Union Territories, with a total of 20 and a population of 12,258,093. On the other hand, Lakshadweep has the fewest, comprising just one district with a population of 64,473.

Largest and Smallest District in India

1. Largest district: Kutch, Gujarat, with an area of 45,652 km2
2. Smallest district: Mahé, Puducherry, with an area of 8.69 km2
3. Most populated district: North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, with a population of 10,082,852
4. Least populated district: Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, with a population of 8,004

Largest District in India

Kachchh district in Gujarat is the Largest District in India. It shares its northern and northwestern borders with Pakistan and its northeastern boundary with Rajasthan. Covering an area of 45,674 square kilometers, it accounts for 23.27% of Gujarat’s total geographical area.

Smallest District in India

Mahe is one of the four districts of the Union Territory of Puducherry, covering the entire Mahe region. It holds the distinction of being the smallest district in India by area. Completely surrounded by the North Malabar region of Kerala, Mahe stands as an enclave within the state.

Most Populated District in India

As per the Census 2011, Thane district in Maharashtra was the most populated District in India, with a population of 11,060,148. On the other hand, Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh had the lowest population, with just 8,004 population. The most populous states in the country include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar. Below is a list of the top 10 Most Populated District in India as of December 19, 2023, based on provisional population estimates for Q2 FY 2023-24.