Quick facts
Varanasi overview
Varanasi (orange) and the other large cities of India
Varanasi lies in Uttar Pradesh in India at 25.32°N, 83.01°E, about 86 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Kolkata (UTC+5:30).
It is smaller than Aurangabad (1,175,116) and larger than Amritsar (1,159,227). The largest city in India is Mumbai with 12,691,836 people.
The nearest large city is Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar, about 12 km away, followed by Mirzāpur (49 km).
India as a whole has a live population of 1,480,417,619 (+0.9% a year) and ranks #1 of 238 countries — see the India population page for the full statistics and the India atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Varanasi
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar Uttar Pradesh | 12 km | 109,650 |
| Mirzāpur Uttar Pradesh | 49 km | 220,029 |
| Gyānpur Uttar Pradesh | 55 km | 200,000 |
| Jaunpur Uttar Pradesh | 58 km | 169,572 |
| Ghazīpur Uttar Pradesh | 65 km | 103,095 |
| Azamgarh Uttar Pradesh | 85 km | 116,644 |
| Mau Uttar Pradesh | 89 km | 246,050 |
| Buxar Bihar | 102 km | 102,861 |
Largest cities in India
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Varanasi?
Varanasi has about 1,164,404 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Varanasi the capital of India?
No — Varanasi is the 41st largest city of India.
How big is Varanasi compared with the rest of India?
Its 1,164,404 residents are 0.1% of the 1,480,417,619 people living in India today. Mumbai is larger with 12,691,836 people.
Where is Varanasi?
In Uttar Pradesh, India, at latitude 25.32 and longitude 83.01, 86 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar (12 km), Mirzāpur (49 km), Gyānpur (55 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Varanasi Population 2026 — India. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/india/varanasi/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/india/varanasi/">Varanasi Population 2026 — India</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.