Capital of Maharashtra, India
About Mumbai
Mumbai, also known as Bombay, is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India, with an estimated population of 12.5 million (1.25 crore). Mumbai is the centre of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, which is among the most populous metropolitan areas in the world with a population of over 23 million. Mumbai lies on the Konkan coast on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour. In 2008, Mumbai was named an alpha world city. Mumbai has the highest number of billionaires of any city in Asia.
Etymology
The name Mumbai (Marathi: मुंबई) originated from Mumbā or Mahā-Ambā—the name of the patron Hindu goddess (Kula Devata) Mumbadevi of the native Koli community—and from ā'ī, meaning "mother" in Marathi. By some accounts, the Koli community of Kathiawar and Central Gujarat introduced their deity Mumba from Kathiawar, where her worship continues to this day. However, other sources disagree. The oldest known names for the city are Kakamuchee and Galajunkja; these are sometimes still used. Portuguese writer Gaspar Correia recorded the name "Bombaim" after 1512 in his Lendas da Índia (Legends of India). Some Anglophone authors have suggested this came from a supposed Galician–Portuguese phrase bom baim, "good little bay", with no scientific basis. …
History
Mumbai is built on what was once an archipelago of seven islands: Isle of Bombay, Parel, Mazagaon, Mahim, Colaba, Worli, and Old Woman's Island (also known as Little Colaba). Pleistocene sediments found along the coast near Kandivali suggest that the islands were inhabited since the South Asian Stone Age. In the 3rd century BCE, the islands formed part of the Maurya Empire, ruled by the emperor Ashoka. The islands were perhaps occupied by the Koli fishing community during the beginning of the Common Era. The Kanheri Caves in Borivali were excavated in the first century CE, and served as a centre of Buddhism in Western India. The Mahakali Caves in Andheri were cut out between the 1st century BCE and the 6th century CE. Greek geographer Ptolemy referred to the islands as Heptanesia (Ancient Greek: A cluster of seven islands) in 150 CE. …
Geography
Mumbai is spread over an area of 603 km2 (233 sq mi), and is divided into two districts–Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban. The suburban district occupies 446 km2 (172 sq mi) and is divided into three tehsils–Andheri, Borivali, and Kurla. The city district-region located to the south is referred to as South Mumbai or "Island City", and occupies an area of 157 km2 (61 sq mi). The Mumbai Metropolitan Region includes portions of Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts in addition to Greater Mumbai, and covers an area of 4,355 km2 (1,681 sq mi). Mumbai is on a narrow peninsula located on the Salsette Island, which is bound by the Arabian Sea to the west, Thane Creek to the east, and Vasai Creek to the north. It lies at the mouth of the Ulhas River on the western coast of India, in the Konkan region. It shares the Salsette Island, with the Thane district. …
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