- published: 27 Jul 2015
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Mumbai /mʊmˈbaɪ/, also known as Bombay /bɒmˈbeɪ/, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area 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. Mumbai lies on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour. In 2009, Mumbai was named an Alpha world city. Mumbai is also the richest city in India, 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 were under the control of successive indigenous empires before being ceded to the Portuguese and subsequently to the British East India Company. During the mid-18th century, Mumbai was reshaped by the Hornby Vellard project, which undertook the reclamation of the area between the seven constituent islands from the sea. Completed by 1845, the project along with construction of major roads and railways transformed Bombay into a major seaport on the Arabian Sea. 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 1996.
Navi Mumbai (Marathi: नवी मुंबई, IAST: Navi Muṃbaī, English: New Mumbai) is a Planned Satellite City on the west coast of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was developed in 1972 as a twin city of Mumbai, and is the largest planned city on the planet, with 163 square kilometres (63 sq mi) under the jurisdiction of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and a total area of 344 square kilometres (133 sq mi). Navi Mumbai lies on the mainland on the eastern shore of Thane Creek. The city limits stretch from Airoli near Thane in the north, to Uran in the south. The length of the city is almost the same as that of Mumbai. The Vashi and the Airoli Bridges connect Navi Mumbai to Mumbai. A new link between Nerul and Uran is under construction. The costliest real estate and most highly developed areas of Navi Mumbai are Vashi and Nerul, while Kharghar and Panvel are experiencing major infrastructural developments due to their proximity to the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport. Vashi is known as the king of Navi Mumbai while Nerul is called the queen of Navi Mumbai. Navi Mumbai has a population of 11,19,477 (1,119,477) according to the 2011 census of India.