Mumbai - the City of Dreams free essay sample

Mumbai (play /m? m? ba? /; Marathi: , Mumbai, IPA: [mumb?. i] ( listen)), formerly known as Bombay (/b? m? be? /) in English due to British colonial/imperialist renaming policies, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the sixth most populous city in the world, with a population of approximately 20. 5 million. Along with the neighbouring urban areas, including the cities of Navi Mumbai and Thane, it is one of the most populous urban regions in the world. 2] Mumbai lies on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour. As of 2009, Mumbai was named an Alpha world city. [3] Mumbai is also the richest city in India,[4] and has the highest GDP of any city in South, West or Central Asia. The seven islands that came to constitute Mumbai were home to communities of fishing colonies. For centuries, the islands came under the control of successive indigenous empires before being ceded to the Portuguese and subsequently to the Bri tish East India Company. We will write a custom essay sample on Mumbai the City of Dreams or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page During the mid-18th century, Mumbai was reshaped by the British with large-scale civil engineering projects,[5] and emerged as a significant trading town. Economic and educational development characterised the city during the 19th century. It became a strong base for the Indian independence movement during the early 20th century. When India became independent in 1947, the city was incorporated into Bombay State. In 1960, following the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, a new state of Maharashtra was created with Bombay as capital. The city was renamed Mumbai in 1995. [6] Mumbai is the commercial and entertainment capital of India, it is also one of the worlds top 10 centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow,[7] generating 5% of Indias GDP,[8] and accounting for 25% of industrial output, 70% of maritime trade in India (Mumbai Port Trust JNPT),[9] and 70% of capital transactions to Indias economy. [10] Mumbai is home to important financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India, the SEBI and the corporate headquarters of numerous Indian companies and multinational corporations. It houses some of Indias premier scientific and nuclear institutes like BARC, NPCL, IREL, TIFR, AERB, AECI, and the Department of Atomic Energy. The city also houses Indias Hindi (Bollywood) and Marathi film and television industry. Mumbais business opportunities, as well as its potential to offer a higher standard of living, attract migrants from all over India and, in turn, make the city a potpourri of many communities and cultures.