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History of Mumbai city
Mumbai was given by Portuguese as dowry to Charles II of England when he married Catherine. The group of seven island was leased to the East India Company who offered freedom of business and religion to persons who came and settled here. Initially a few Parsis and Gujarati came but soon a sizeable population began to thrive here.
This was way back in the 17th century. Today also Mumbai is a city of migrants. People from all over the country have come and settled here. This gives the society of Mumbai a multi-lingual and multi-cultural colour.
In the 18th century Mumbai grew rapidly and it also became one of the leading centers for the activists in the freedom struggle. Britishers played their role by shifting the presidency from Surat to Bombay, the former name of Mumbai. Also, the first railway line on which train moved was laid between Bombay and Thane.
Bombay played a formative role in shaping the freedom struggle. It hosted the first Indian National Congress and was also a venue for the declaration of 'Quit India' by Gandhiji. Today Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra. Bombay was re-named as Mumbai in 1996.
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Geography and Climate of Mumbai city
Mumbai is located on seven now-merged islands (see seven islands of Bombay) which are Isle of Bombay, Mazagaon, Colaba,Old Woman's Island, Parel, Worli, and Salsette Island. Bombay lies at the mouth of Ulhas River off the western coast of India, in the coastal region known as the Konkan. Much of Mumbai is just above sea level, and the average elevation ranges from 10 m (33 ft) to 15 m (49 ft). Northern Mumbai is hilly, and the highest point in the city is 450 metres (1,450 feet)[15]. Mumbai spans a total area of 603 km² (233 sq mi).
Five lakes supply water to Mumbai: Lakes Vihar, Vaitarna, Powai, Tulsi and Tansa. Tulsi Lake, Vihar Lake and Powai Lake are located within the metropolitan limits, the first two being located within the Borivali National Park, and supply part of the city's drinking water. Mumbai also has three small rivers within the city limits originating in the National Park. The coastline of the city is indented with numerous creeks and bays. The eastern coast of Salsette Island iscovered with large mangrove swamps, rich in biodiversity. The western coast is mostly sandy and rocky.
Soil cover in the city region is predominantly sandy due to its proximity to the sea. In the suburbs, the soil cover is largely alluvial and loamy. The underlying rock of the region is composed of black Deccan basalt flows, and their acid and basic variants dating back to the late Cretaceous and early Eocene eras. Mumbai sits on a seismically active zone[16] owing to the presence of three fault lines in the vicinity. The area is classified as a Zone III region, which means an earthquake of up to magnitude 6.5 on the Richter-scale may be expected.
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Economy of Mumbai city
Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the commercial capital of India, contributing 10% of factory employment, 40% of income tax collections, 60% of customs duty collections, 20% of central excise tax collections, 40% of foreign trade and rupees 40,000 crore (US $9 billion) in corporate taxes to the indian economy. Headquarters of a number of Indian financial institutions such as the Bombay Stock Exchange, Reserve Bank of India, National Stock Exchange, the Mint, as well as numerous Indian companies such as the Tata Group Vedanta Resources and Reliance are located in Mumbai. Most of these offices are located in downtown South Mumbai which is the nerve centre of the Indian economy. Many foreign establishments also have their branches in the South Bombay area.
Mumbai has traditionally owed its prosperity largely to its textile mills and its seaport till the 1980s. This has now been replaced by industries employing more skilled labour such as engineering, diamond polishing, healthcare and information technology. As Mumbai is the state capital, government employees make up a large percentage of the city's workforce. Mumbai also has a large unskilled and semi-skilled labour population, who primarily earn their livelihood as hawkers, taxi drivers, mechanics and other such proletarian professions. The port and shipping industry too employs many residents directly and indirectly. Like most metropolitan cities, Mumbai also has a large influx of people from rural areas looking for employment.
The entertainment industry is the other major employer in Mumbai. Most of India's television and satellite networks are located in Mumbai, as well as the major publishing houses. A large number of the Hindi and English television shows are produced in Mumbai. The Hindi movie industry, known by some as Bollywood, is also located in Mumbai, along with the largest studios and production houses.
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