1881: This was a Province under a Chief Commissioner, or Local Administration, situated in the center of the peninsula, and comprising a large portion of the broad belt of hill and plateau country which separates the plains of Hindustan from the Deccan. The following data is based on the 1881 census, except where noted otherwise.
| Name | Area (km2) | Villages | Revenue (Rs) | Population | Dynasty | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamra | 5,148.92 | 632 | — | 81,286 | Gangabansi – Chauhan | transferred to Bengal Presidency in 1905 |
| Bastar | 33,830.58 | 2,204 | — | 196,248 | Bhanja | — |
| Chhuikadan | 450.64 | 109 | — | 32,979 | Bairagi | also known as Kondka |
| Kalahandi | 9,699.55 | 2,461 | — | 224,548 | Nagabansi | aka Karond; transferred to Bengal Presidency 1905 |
| Kanker | 1,655.01 | 436 | — | 63,610 | Chandra | — |
| Kawardha | 2,297.33 | 389 | — | 86,362 | Raj Gond | — |
| Khairagarh | 2,434.60 | 512 | — | 166,138 | Naagvanshi | — |
| Makrai | 556.85 | 59 | — | 16,764 | Raj Gond | — |
| Nandgaon | 2,343.95 | 541 | — | 164,339 | Bairagi | — |
| Patna | 6,213.41 | 1,591 | — | 257,959 | Gangabansi – Chauhan | transferred to Bengal Presidency in 1905 |
| Raigarh | 3,848.74 | 685 | — | 128,943 | Raj Gond | — |
| Rairakhol | 2,157.47 | 199 | — | 17,750 | Rathore | transferred to Bengal Presidency in 1905 |
| Sakti | 297.85 | 117 | — | 22,819 | Raj Gond | — |
| Sarangarh | 1,398.60 | 438 | — | 71,274 | Raj Gond | — |
| Sonepur | 2,346.54 | 869 | — | 178,701 | Chauhan | transferred to Bengal Presidency in 1905 |
| Totals | 74,680.06 | 11,242 | — | 1,709,720 |
1901: The area is 293,397.79 km2, of which 212,620.87 km2 was British territory and the remainder held by Feudatory chiefs. Since October 1st, 1903, Berar has been administered by the Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces. But except where the contrary is expressly stated, this article treats of the Central Provinces without Berar. In 1905, the greater part of Sambalpur District, together with the five feudatory states of Bamra, Rairakhol, Sonepur, Patna, and Kalahandi, was transferred to Bengal, while the five feudatory states of Chang Bhakar, Korea, Surguja, Udaipur, and Jashpur were transferred from Bengal to the Central Provinces. The statistics of area and population have been altered to show the effect of these transfers, but the other statistics contained in this article are for the area of the Central Provinces as it stood in 1903-4 before the transfers.
| Name | Area (km2) | Villages | Revenue (Rs) | Population | Dynasty | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bastar | 33,830.58 | 2,525 | — | 306,501 | Bhanja | — |
| Changbhakar | 2,341.36 | 117 | — | 19,548 | Chauhan | transferred from Bengal Presidency in 1905 |
| Chhuikadan | 398.86 | 107 | — | 26,368 | Bairagi | also known as Kondka |
| Jashpur | 5,045.32 | 566 | — | 132,114 | Chauhan | transferred from Bengal Presidency in 1905 |
| Kanker | 3,701.11 | 444 | — | 103,536 | Chauhan | — |
| Kawardha | 2,066.82 | 346 | — | 57,474 | Raj Gond | — |
| Khairagarh | 2,411.29 | 498 | — | 137,554 | Naagvanshi | — |
| Korea | 4,224.29 | 250 | — | 35,113 | Chauhan | transferred from Bengal Presidency in 1905 |
| Makrai | 401.45 | 64 | — | 13,035 | Raj Gond | — |
| Nandgaon | 2,255.89 | 516 | — | 126,365 | Bairagi | — |
| Raigarh | 3,848.74 | 722 | — | 174,929 | Raj Gond | — |
| Sakti | 357.42 | 122 | — | 22,301 | Raj Gond | — |
| Sarangarh | 1,398.60 | 456 | — | 79,900 | Raj Gond | — |
| Surguja | 15,770.51 | 1,372 | — | 351,011 | Raksel | transferred from Bengal Presidency in 1905 |
| Udaipur | 2,724.68 | 196 | — | 45,391 | Raksel | transferred from Bengal Presidency in 1905 |
| Totals | 80,776.92 | 8,301 | — | 1,631,140 |