- published: 04 Dec 2015
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Hyderabad (i/ˈhaɪdərəbæd/) is the capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Located on the banks of the Musi River in the Deccan Plateau, the city is one of the largest in India with an area of 650 square kilometres (250 sq mi) and a population of 6.8 million, while the metropolitan area contains 7.7 million residents, making it the fourth most populous city and the sixth most populous urban agglomeration in the country. In 2008, the nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of Hyderabad was US$ 60 billion—ranking fourth in India and ninety third in the world.
Hyderabad city was established in 1591 CE by Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, whose dynasty lasted until 1658 when Mughal emperor Aurangzeb occupied Golconda Sultanate and the city became part of the Mughal empire's Deccan province. In 1724 Asif Jah I, a Mughal viceroy, declared his sovereignty and formed the Asif Jahi Dynasty, also known as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The Nizams ruled the princely state of Hyderabad for more than two centuries, under subsidiary alliance with the British Raj. The city remained the dynasty's capital from 1769 until 1948—when the Nizam signed an Instrument of Accession with the Indian Union following Operation polo. In 1956, the city was merged with Andhra State. Since 1969 Hyderabad is a major center of the Telangana movement, which demands a separate state for the Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh.