to the 2011 census Nadia district has a population of 5,167,600, roughly equal to the US state of Colorado. This gives it a ranking of 18th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 12.24%. Nadia has a sex ratio of 947 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 75.58%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 29.93% and 2.72% of the population respectively. Bengali is the predominant language, spoken by 98.02% of the population. Religion As per the 2011 Census, Hinduism is the majority religion of the district, followed by 72.15% of the population. Hinduism became majority in the district after Independence, when Nadia became the destination for millions of refugees from East Pakistan, and from Bangladesh after 1971. Over 90% of Muslims live in rural areas. Muslims are majority in Karimpur II (60.38%), Kaliganj (58.51%), Nakashipara (53.06%), and Chapra (59.72%) CD blocks. Muslims are a significant minority in Tehatta II (49.89%), Krishnanagar II (42.84%), and Nabadwip (38.20%). Flora and fauna In 1980, Nadia district became home to the Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary, which has an area of . Education University Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya Kalyani University Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalyani National Institute of Biomedical Genomics College Tehatta Government College, Tehatta Kaliganj Government College, Debagram Karimpur Pannadevi College, Karimpur Srikrishna College, Bagula Sudhiranjan Lahiri Mahavidyalaya, Majhdia Santipur College, Santipur Indian Institute of Handloom Technology, Fulia Industrial Training Institute, Fulia Ranaghat College, Ranaghat Ranaghat Government Polytechnic, Ranaghat Nabadwip Vidyasagar College, Nabadwip Krishnagar Government College, Krishnanagar Krishnagar Women's College, Krishnanagar Haringhata Mahavidyalaya, Haringhata Dwijendralal College, Krishnanagar Dr. B.R. Ambedkar College, Betai Chakdaha College, Chakdaha Plassey College, Plassey Pritilata Waddedar Mahavidyalaya, Panikhali Bipradas Pal Chowdhury Institute of Technology, Krishnanagar Asannagar Madan Mohan Tarkalankar College, Asannagar Bethuadahari College, Bethuadahri Chapra Bangaljhi Mahavidyalaya, Chapra Chapra Government College, Chapra Muragacha Government College, Muragachha Kalyani Mahavidyalaya, Kalyani Kalyani Government Engineering College, Kalyani College of Medicine & JNM Hospital, Kalyani Private College JIS College of Engineering, Kalyani Ideal Institute of Engineering, Kalyani Transport Rail Nabadwip Dham is 65 km from Bandel, 105 km from Howrah and 112 km from Sealdah on the Bandel-Katwa-Azimganj (B.A.K Loop Line) section of Eastern Railway. It has