Calcutta

Calcutta
Name	Calcutta
Settlement type	Metropolis
Coordinates	22, 34, 22, N...
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	India
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1	West Bengal
Subdivision type2	Division
Subdivision name2	Presidency division
Subdivision type3	District
Subdivision name3	Kolkata
Established title	Founded
Established date	1690
Founder	Job Charnock (East India Company)
Government type	Municipal Corporation
Governing body	Kolkata Municipal Corporation
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Firhad Hakim
Area total km2	206.08
Population total	4,496,694
Population as of	2011
Population density km2	auto
Population metro	14,112,536
Population metro footnotes	(Kolkata metropolitan area)
Demographics type1	Languages
Demographics1 title1	Official
Demographics1 info1	Bengali, English
Timezone1	IST
Utc offset1	+5:30
Postal code type	PIN
Postal code	700001–700141
Area code type	Telephone code
Area code	+91-33
Registration plate	WB-01 to WB-10
Blank name sec1	HDI
Blank info sec1	0.780 (High)
Blank1 name sec1	GDP (PPP, 2019–20)
Blank1 info sec1	$150 billion
Website	www.kmcgov.in

Calcutta. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it served as the capital of British India until 1911 and was the epicenter of the Bengal Renaissance. The city is a major port and commercial hub, renowned for its literary, artistic, and revolutionary heritage, and remains a vital cultural and economic center of Eastern India.

History

The area's early significance is linked to the medieval port of Saptagram and the Mughal customs port of Hijli. The city's modern foundation is traditionally dated to 1690 with the arrival of Job Charnock, an agent of the East India Company, who established a trading post. Fortified as Fort William, it became the capital of the Bengal Presidency. Calcutta grew rapidly as the British Raj's administrative nerve center, witnessing pivotal events like the Black Hole of Calcutta incident and the Battle of Plassey. The 19th century saw it become a crucible for the Bengal Renaissance, fostering figures like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. It was the capital until the Delhi Durbar of 1911. The city was a hotbed of the Indian independence movement, associated with Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army. Post-Partition, it absorbed a massive influx of refugees, profoundly shaping its contemporary character.

Geography and climate

The city is situated in the Ganges Delta on the Hooghly River, approximately 80 kilometers west of the Bay of Bengal. Its topography is uniformly flat, with an average elevation of about nine meters above sea level. Much of the city was originally wetland and salt marsh, requiring extensive drainage and reclamation. The region experiences a tropical wet-and-dry climate (Köppen Aw), with a hot, humid summer, a monsoon season from June to September brought by the southwest monsoon, and a mild, dry winter. The East Kolkata Wetlands, a Ramsar site, provide crucial natural sewage treatment.

Demographics and culture

As per the 2011 Census of India, the city proper had over 4.4 million residents, with the wider Kolkata metropolitan area exceeding 14 million. The predominant language is Bengali, with significant communities speaking Hindi, Urdu, and Odia. Religiously, the population is predominantly Hindu, with significant Muslim, Christian, and Sikh minorities. Culturally, the city is famed for its contributions to Bengali literature, Rabindra Sangeet, and Indian cinema, being the home of the Academy of Fine Arts and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute. Major festivals include Durga Puja, a UNESCO-recognized Intangible cultural heritage, and Eid al-Fitr. The city's culinary scene is renowned for dishes like roshogolla and machher jhol.

Economy

Calcutta is the primary financial and commercial hub of Eastern India and the Northeastern states. Its economy has historically been driven by the Port of Kolkata, India's oldest operating port, and manufacturing, though the latter has declined since the 1960s. Key sectors now include information technology, financial services, real estate, and tea processing. The Calcutta Stock Exchange is the second-largest in India. Major industrial areas include the Salt Lake City electronics complex and the Rajarhat IT hub. The city hosts the headquarters of major corporations like ITC Limited, Coal India Limited, and the Britannia Industries.

Administration and governance

The city is administered by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), headed by a Mayor. The civic body is responsible for water supply, sanitation, and road maintenance. The Kolkata Police force, under the West Bengal Police, maintains law and order. Calcutta is the capital of the state of West Bengal, housing the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and the Raj Bhavan. The city is divided into numerous boroughs and wards for administrative purposes. It also serves as the seat of the Calcutta High Court, the oldest High Court in India.

Transport

The city's public transport is dominated by the Kolkata Suburban Railway network and the Kolkata Metro, India's first rapid transit system. Surface transport relies heavily on the city's iconic tram network, one of Asia's oldest, and a large fleet of buses, including those run by the West Bengal Transport Corporation. The Howrah Bridge and the Vidyasagar Setu are critical river crossings. The Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport provides domestic and international air connectivity. Major railway stations include Howrah and Sealdah, which are among the busiest in the country.

Education and research

Calcutta has long been a premier center for education and research. The University of Calcutta, established in 1857, was the first modern university in South Asia. Other notable institutions include the University of Calcutta, the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (in the metropolitan area), and Jadavpur University. The city is home to the Indian Statistical Institute, the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, and the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics. Prestigious schools like Presidency University and St. Xavier's College have a storied history. Medical education is anchored by the Medical College and Hospital, Asia's first modern medical school.