Census Year | No. of Towns | Total Population | Decadal Growth Rate (Total) | Urban Population | Decadal Growth Rate (Urban) | Percent Urban |
1901 | 166 | 9,094,748 | - | 2,030,738 | - | 22.33 |
1911 | 155 | 9,803,587 | 7.8 | 1,886,775 | −7.1 | 19.25 |
1921 | 166 | 10,174,989 | 3.8 | 2,050,339 | 8.7 | 20.15 |
1931 | 172 | 11,489,828 | 12.9 | 2,355,009 | 14.9 | 20.50 |
1941 | 191 | 13,701,551 | 19.2 | 3,259,955 | 38.4 | 23.79 |
1951 | 24f | 16,262,657 | 18.7 | 4,427,896 | 35.8 | 27.23 |
1961 | 181 | 20,633,350 | 26.9 | 5,316,624 | 20.1 | 25.77 |
1971 | 216 | 26,697,475 | 29.4 | 7,496,500 | 41.0 | 28.08 |
1981 | 255 | 34,085,799 | 27.7 | 10,601,653 | 41.4 | 31.10 |
1991 | 264 | 41,309,582 | 21.2 | 14,246,061 | 34.4 | 34.49 |
2001 | 242 | 48,387270* | 17.1 | 18,227,051* | 27.9 | 37.67* |