Why has Mumbai’s population grown so rapidly since the 1940s?

Mumbai’s rapid population growth since the 1940s is primarily attributed to a significant influx of people arriving in the city in search of employment. While the city’s natural birth rate has remained relatively low due to the implementation of family-planning programs, the consistent migration of individuals seeking economic opportunities has driven the population to increase nearly 10-fold over the last 50 years, exceeding 16 million by the early 21st century.1

As India’s financial and commercial hub, Mumbai has long served as a major center for industry. While the city was historically defined by its cotton textile industry, it has since developed a highly diversified manufacturing sector—including metals, chemicals, and automobiles—and a robust information technology (IT) industry. This ongoing economic evolution continues to attract a diverse workforce from across the country and the world, sustaining the city's status as a cosmopolitan center.2341