Mumbai

The peninsula spans 233 square miles (603 square kilometers) between the Arabian Sea and Thane Creek, housing over 20 million residents in a dense urban fabric of skyscrapers, colonial structures, slums and sprawling port facilities along the western shoreline.

Originally seven separate islands under Maratha and Sultanate rule, the territories were captured by the Portuguese in 1534 before passing to England through marriage alliance, whereupon the East India Company initiated extensive reclamation projects starting in 1668 that continued into the twentieth century.

As home to Bollywood, the city produces more films annually than any other metropolis, shaping popular culture across South Asia and the global diaspora through Hindi cinema that blends tradition with contemporary themes.

Suburban rail lines operate from 4 AM to 1 AM with trains every few minutes during peak hours, with separate ladies' compartments available. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport sits 17 miles (28 kilometers) north of the city center, connecting domestic and international destinations.

The Dabbawalas system has delivered roughly 200,000 homemade lunches daily from suburbs to offices since 1890 with an error rate of only one mistake per 16 million deliveries, documented through Six Sigma certification and Harvard case studies.

Location: Mumbai City district

Inception: 1507

Elevation above the sea: 14 m

Operator: Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai

Part of: Konkan

Address: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India 400001 Mumbai

Website: https://portal.mcgm.gov.in

GPS coordinates: 19.07583,72.87750

Latest update: November 30, 2025 19:48