A clutch of Maha cities account for majority of urban populace

Five urban agglomerations in Maharashtra, including Mumbai and Vasai-Virar city, have population of over one million each and they account for 26.6 per cent of the population in the rapidly urbanising state.

Greater Mumbai (including its nearby areas like Mira Bhayander, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, Navi Mumbai, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur), along with Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad and Vasai-Virar - also account for 58.9 per cent of the urban population of Maharashtra, according to the economic survey tabled in the ongoing Budget session of the state legislature.

These areas have high literacy rate, it said.

Census 2011 showed that 45.2 per cent of the state's population lives in urban areas as against 31.2 per cent at the all-India level. The corresponding figures for 2001 were 42.4 per cent and 27.8 per cent, respectively.

During the decade, the urban population in the state has increased by 98 lakh. Rural areas constitute 54.8 per cent of the population as against 68.8 per cent at the national level. The corresponding figures for 2001 were 57.6 per cent and 72.2 per cent, respectively.

During the decade, the rural population has increased by 57 lakh. The population density in the state is 365 persons per sq km as against 315 in the 2001 census. Mumbai City and suburban districts top in population density with 20,925 and 20,038 persons per sq km, respectively.

In Thane, the population density is 1,157 persons per sq km whereas in Pune it is 603 and Kolhapur 504. Gadchiroli has the lowest population density (74) followed by Sindhudurg (163), Chandrapur (192) and Ratnagiri (196). As far as decadal growth of population is concerned, the state witnessed 16 per cent growth which is the lowest since 1941.