Status of tribal population in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is the state in central India and is the second largest state in the country by area. With over 75 million inhabitants, it is the sixth largest state in India by population. According to the 2011 figures, the recorded forest area of the state is 94,689 km² (36,560 sq mi) constituting 30.72% of the geographical area of the state. The state is home to a large tribal population, which has been largely cut-off from the mainstream development. This makes MP one of the least developed states in India, with an HDI value of 0.375 (2011), which is below the national average. The population of Madhya Pradesh is a medley of a number of ethnic groups and tribes, castes and communities, including the indigenous tribals and relatively more recent migrants from other states. The scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes constitute a significant portion of the population of the State. According to the 2001 census, the population of the tribals in Madhya Pradesh was 12.2.33 million, constituting 20.27% of the total population. There were 46 recognized Scheduled Tribes and three of them have been identified as "Special Primitive Tribal Groups" in the State. Dhar,  Jhabua  districts have more than 50 percent tribal population.

Source: Cencus 2011