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Mumbai

geography Maturity 7-9 Vital Level 3 Next article →

Mumbai is a huge and busy city in India.

Mumbai 03-2016 30 Gateway of India
Mumbai 03-2016 30 Gateway of India

It sits on the Konkan coast along the west side of the country. The city is right next to the Arabian Sea.

Bandra Worli Sea-Link (cropped)
Bandra Worli Sea-Link (cropped)

Mumbai is the capital of the state of Maharashtra. It is also the financial capital of all of India. About 12.5 million people live in the city itself. The wider metropolitan area holds over 23 million people. This makes it one of the most crowded places on Earth.

Long ago, the area was not one big piece of land. It was made of seven separate islands.

Hajiali
Hajiali

These islands were home to the Koli people, who are a community of fishers. To make the city, people had to join the islands together. They used a project called the Hornby Vellard to reclaim land from the sea. This work helped turn the islands into a major seaport. By 1845, the reclamation project was finished. This changed the shape of the land forever.

Many different groups have ruled these islands over time. The Portuguese Empire held control for a while. Then, the islands became part of England in 1661. This happened because of a marriage between Charles II and Catherine of Braganza. The English East India Company also managed the area. Later, the city became a key part of the Indian independence movement. After India became independent in 1947, the city's status changed again. In 1960, the state of Maharashtra was created with Mumbai as its capital.

Today, Mumbai is a world leader in money and business.

Lodha Altamount - An epitome of luxury
Lodha Altamount - An epitome of luxury

It is home to the Bombay Stock Exchange on Dalal Street. The city handles 70% of all maritime trade in India. It also manages 70% of the nation's capital transactions. Mumbai is also famous for its movies. People call this film industry Bollywood.

Mumbai 03-2016 41 Bombay High Court
Mumbai 03-2016 41 Bombay High Court

It is the second-largest film industry in the world after Hollywood. Many people move here from all over India to find work.

There are many interesting things to see and learn about here. You can visit the ancient Elephanta Caves to see old carvings.

You can also see the beautiful Haji Ali Dargah.

Hajiali
Hajiali

The city has a skyline filled with tall towers.

Ikea mumbai backside
Ikea mumbai backside

Some people still use the old name, Bombay. However, the government officially changed the name to Mumbai in 1995. This change helped honor the local Marathi language and culture.

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