In 1991 Greater Mumbai had a population of 9,925,891. This figure was more than twice the size of the 1961 population. Growth in Mumbai proper has declined since the 1950s because of the already high levels of congestion there. In response, there has been a consistently higher growth of population in the outer ring of the metropolis. Part of the reason for this population growth is migrants. Mumbai attracts a large number of migrants not only from within the state of Maharashtra but also from many other parts of India. Often these new migrants are single males.
Mumbai is one of the most diversified cities in India. In 1991 Hindus made up 69 percent of the population, Muslims 14 percent, Sikhs 7 percent, Christians 6 percent, Jains 4 percent, and Buddhists 4 percent. Except for Hindus, all other religious groups have a higher percentage share of total population in Mumbai than in India as a whole. Parsis are a small but significant group and have a higher concentration in Mumbai than any other place in the world. Many leading businesspeople, scholars, and philanthropists belong to Mumbai Parsi families. Several different languages are spoken in Greater Mumbai. English is the language of the elite. In 1991 Marathi, the state language of Maharashtra, was spoken by 42 percent of the population, Gujarati by 18 percent, Urdu by 11 percent, Hindi by 10 percent, Tamil by 3 percent, Sindhi by 3 percent, and Punjabi by 2 percent.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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