The estimated population of the political region of South India, comprising Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu is over 233 million. South India is home to diverse ethnic, linguistic and religious groups. The largest ethnic groups in South India include the Telugus, Kannadigas, Malayalis, Tamils and the Konkanis. Numerically Telugu speaking population is the largest entity. Around 83% of South Indians follow Hinduism. Of the rest, around 11% follow Islam while Christians constitute around 5% of the population. South India has one of the largest Christian populations in India.

They consists of those who follow the Latin rite, the Indian Orthodox Church, Syrian Jacobite Church, Protestant churches and those belonging to the Syro-Malabar Church and the Marthoma Church. Jains, Buddhists and Jews together form less than 1% of the population of South India.

The average literacy rate of South India is approximately 73%, considerably higher than the Indian national average of 60%. Kerala leads the nation with a literacy rate of 91%. The sex ratio in South India is fairly equable at 997; Kerala is the only state in India with a sex ratio higher than 1000. The population density of the region is approximately 463. Scheduled Castes and Tribes form 18% of the population of the region. Agriculture is the major employer in the region — 47.5% of the population is involved in agrarian activities. About 60% of the population lives in permanent housing structures. 47.8% of South India has access to tap water. Wells and springs are other major forms of water supply. The predominant form of transport is the bicycle, which constitutes 31% of the various modes of transport in South India. Television access in the region is 36.7% with the state-run Doordarshan and its various regional stations freely available.