Kolkata

2021-11-17T07:28:06Z

Adityabikrambill: Added economy section

{{Infobox City
|official_name = Kolkata
|native_name = কলকাতা
|native_name_lang = bengali
|other_name = Calcutta
|other_name_lang =
|settlement_type = Megacity
|nickname = [[City of Joy]]
|subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name = [[India]]
|subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[West Bengal]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Divisions of West Bengal|Division]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Presidency division|Presidency]]
|subdivision_type3 = [[List of districts of West Bengal|District]]
|subdivision_name3 = [[Kolkata district|Kolkata]]<ref>The Kolkata metropolitan area also includes portions of [[North 24 Parganas district|North 24 Parganas]], [[South 24 Parganas district|South 24 Parganas]], [[Howrah district|Howrah]], [[Nadia district|Nadia]], and [[Hooghly district|Hooghly]] districts. See: [[Kolkata#Urban structure|Urban structure]].</ref>
|image_skyline = Kolkata Imgs.jpg
|image_caption = Clockwise from top: [[Victoria Memorial (India)|Victoria Memorial]], [[St. Paul's Cathedral, Kolkata|St. Paul's Cathedral]], central business district, [[Howrah Bridge]], city tram line, [[Vidyasagar Setu|Vidyasagar Bridge]]
|pushpin_map = India West Bengal
|pushpin_map_caption = Location of Kolkata in West Bengal
|latd = 22 |latm = 34 |lats = 22|latNS = N
|longd = 88 |longm = 21 |longs = 50|longEW = E
|coordinates_region = IN-WB
|coordinates_display = inline, title
|coordinates_format = dec
|pushpin_label_position = left
|former_name = Calcutta
|leader_party = [[All India Trinamool Congress|TMC]]
|government_type = [[Mayor–council government|Mayor–Council]]
|leader_title = [[Kolkata Municipal Corporation|Mayor]]
|leader_name = [[Firhad Hakim]]
|area_total_km2 = 185
|area_total_sq_mi = 71
|area_magnitude = 1 E+7
|area_metro_km2 = 1886.67
|area_metro_sq_mi = 728.45
|elevation_m = 9
|elevation_ft = 30
|timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
|utc_offset1 = +05:30
|population_total = 4486679
|population_footnotes =
|population_as_of = 2011
|population_metro = 14112536
|population_metro_footnotes =
|population_density_km2 = auto
|population_rank = 7th
|population_blank1_title= Metro rank
|population_blank1=3rd
|population_blank2_title= Demonym
|population_blank2 = Calcuttan
|blank3_name = Ethnicity
|blank3_info = [[Bengali people|Bengali]], [[Marwaris|Marwari]], [[Bihari people|Bihari]], [[Ethnic communities in Kolkata|Other]]
|blank2_name = [[Languages of India|Spoken languages]]
|blank2_info = [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[Nepali language|Nepali]], [[English language|English]]
|postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|Postal index number]]
|postal_code = 7000 xx, 7001 xx
|registration_plate = WB 01–79
|blank_name_sec1 = [[UN/LOCODE]]
|blank_info_sec1 = IN CCU
|blank1_name_sec1 = [[Communications in India|Telephone]]
|blank1_info_sec1 = 91-33-XXXX XXXX
|website = {{URL|https://www.kmcgov.in/}}
|footnotes = }}

'''Kolkata''' (spelled '''Calcutta''' before 1 January 2001) is the [[capital (city)|capital]] [[city]] of the [[India]]n [[States of India|state]] of [[West Bengal]]. It is the second [[large]]st city in India after [[Mumbai]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://india.gov.in/knowindia/st_westbengal.php|title=National Portal of India : Know India : State and UTs|access-date=2009-07-07|archive-date=2011-01-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110127084145/http://india.gov.in/knowindia/st_westbengal.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is on the [[east]] [[bank]] of the [[River]] [[Hooghly River|Hooghly]].<ref>{{cite book| title = The Monthly Repository and Library of Entertaining Knowledge| url = https://books.google.com/?id=F8URAAAAYAAJ| year = 1833| publisher = Francis S. Wiggins| page = 338 }}</ref> When it is called '''Calcutta''', it includes the suburbs. This makes it the third largest city of India. This also makes it the world's 8th largest metropolitan area as defined by the [[United Nations]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/WUP2005/2005WUP_DataTables11.pdf|format=PDF|title=World Urbanization Prospects: The 2005 revision}}</ref> Kolkata served as the capital of India during the [[British Raj]] until 1911. Kolkata was once the center of [[industry]] and [[education]]. However, it has witnessed [[politics|political]] [[violence]] and [[economic]] problems since 1954. Since 2000, Kolkata has grown due to [[economic growth]]. Like other metropolitan cities in India, Kolkata struggles with poverty, pollution and [[traffic congestion]].

In the late 17th century, the three villages that predated Calcutta were ruled by the Nawab of Bengal under Mughal suzerainty. After the Nawab granted the East India Company a trading licence in 1690, the area was developed by the Company into an increasingly fortified trading post. Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah occupied Calcutta in 1756, and the East India Company retook it the following year. In 1793 the East India company was strong enough to abolish rule, and assumed full sovereignty of the region. Under the company rule and later under the British Raj, Calcutta served as the capital of British-held territories in India until 1911, when its perceived geographical disadvantages, combined with growing nationalism in Bengal, led to a shift of the capital to New Delhi. Calcutta was the centre for the Indian independence movement. Following independence in 1947, Kolkata, which was once the centre of Indian commerce, culture, and politics, suffered many decades of political violence and economic stagnation.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/feb/05/ian-jack-kolkata</ref>
==Etymology==
The word Kolkata (Bengali: কলকাতা [ˈkolˌkata]) derives from Kôlikata (Bengali: কলিকাতা [ˈkɔliˌkata]), the [[Bengali]] name of one of three villages that predated the arrival of the [[British]], in the area where the city was eventually established; the other two villages were Sutanuti and Govindapur.<ref>https://archive.org/details/globalizingcitie00marc</ref>

== History ==
[[File:HooglyKolkata1945.jpg|thumb|left|Calcutta, shown here in 1945, was an important port during [[World War II]].]]
The discovery of the nearby [[Chandraketugarh]],<ref name="Yahoohistory">
{{cite web
|publisher=Yahoo! Pte Ltd | url=http://sg.travel.yahoo.com/guide/asia/india/kolkata/history.html | title=History | accessdate=2006-05-08
}}</ref> an archaeological site has proved that [[people]] have lived there for over two millennia.<ref name="Das">
{{cite news
| author=Das S
| url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1030115/asp/frontpage/story_1575128.asp
| title=Pre-Raj crown on Clive House- Abode of historical riches to be museum
| publisher=The Telegraph, Kolkata, India
| date=2003-01-15
| accessdate=2006-04-26
}}
</ref> The history of Kolkata begins when the [[East India Company|English East India Company]] arrived in 1690. [[Job Charnock]], an administrator with the Company is traditionally known as the founder of this city.<ref name="calcuttawebhistory">{{cite web
|url =http://www.calcuttaweb.com/history.shtml
|title =Kolkata: History
|publisher =Calcuttaweb.com
|language =Bangla, Nepali
|accessdate =2007-02-18
|archive-date =2007-05-10
|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070510193408/http://www.calcuttaweb.com/history.shtml
|url-status =dead
}}</ref> However some academics say that Charnock is not the city's founder.<ref name="notcharnock">{{cite news
|first = Subhrangshu |last=Gupta |title=Job Charnock not Kolkata founder: HC Says city has no foundation day
|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030518/nation.htm#3 |work=Nation |publisher=The Tribune |date=18 May 2003
|accessdate=2006-12-07 }}</ref>

At that time Kolkata, ruled by the [[Nawab of Bengal]] [[Siraj-Ud-Daulah]], had three villages. They were [[Kalikata]], [[Govindapur]] and [[Sutanuti]]. The [[United Kingdom|British]] in the late 17th century wanted to build a [[fort]] near [[Govindapur]]. This was to become more powerful than [[Netherlands|Dutch]], the [[Portugal|Portuguese]], and the [[France|French]]. In 1702, the British completed the construction of old [[Fort William, India|Fort William]],<ref name="fortyear">{{cite encyclopedia
|year = 2007 |title=William, Fort | encyclopedia =Encyclopædia Britannica |url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9077064/Fort-William | accessdate =2007-09-01}}</ref> which was used to station its troops and as a regional base. Calcutta was declared a [[Presidency City]], and later became the headquarters of the [[Bengal Presidency]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia
|year = 1911 |title=Calcutta | encyclopedia =Encyclopædia Britannica |url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Calcutta | accessdate =2007-09-18}}</ref> When regular fights with [[French East India Company|French]] forces started, in 1756 the British began to upgrade their [[fortification]]s. When this was protested, the [[Nawab of Bengal]] [[Siraj-Ud-Daulah]] attacked and captured Fort William. This led to the infamous [[Black Hole of Calcutta|Black Hole]] incident.<ref name="kolhub">{{cite web| publisher=Kolkathub.com| url=http://www.kolkatahub.com/travel-in-kolkata/history-of-kolkata.html| title=History of Kolkata| accessdate=2007-09-04| archive-date=2007-08-13| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813011703/http://www.kolkatahub.com/travel-in-kolkata/history-of-kolkata.html| url-status=dead}}</ref> A force of Company [[sepoy]]s and British troops led by [[Robert Clive]] recaptured the city the next year.<ref name=kolhub/> Calcutta became the capital of [[British India]] in 1772,. However, the capital shifted to the hilly town of [[Shimla]] during the summer months every year, starting from the year 1864.<ref>{{cite news |agency=IANS|last=Chuahan|first=Baldev|title=Shimla - more than just Raj nostalgia |url=http://www.theindianstar.com/index.php?udn=2007-12-02&uan=1197|publisher=The Indian Star|date=7 August 2007|accessdate=2009-03-08}}</ref> [[Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley|Richard Wellesley]], the [[Governor-General|Governor General]] between 1797–1805, helped in the growth of the city and its public architecture. This led to the description of Calcutta as "The City of Palaces".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interlinkbooks.com/BooksC/Calcutta.html|title=Calcutta; A Cultural and Literary History|accessdate=2007-10-11|last=Dutta|first=Krishna|publisher=Interlink Books|archive-date=2006-05-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060508091006/http://www.interlinkbooks.com/BooksC/Calcutta.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The city was a centre of the British East India Company's [[opium]] trade during the 18th and 19th century; locally produced opium was sold at auction in Kolkata, to be shipped to China.<ref>{{cite journal | first =Biswamoy |last=Pati| title = Narcotics and empire | journal = Frontline| volume =23| issue =10 | year =2006 |publisher=The Hindu|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2310/stories/20060602000307600.htm |accessdate=2007-09-04}}</ref>

== Economy ==
Kolkata is the 3rd richest metro city in India after Mumbai and Delhi, having a GDP of $150.1 billion. Port of Kolkata is the oldest operating port in India capable of processing annually 650,000 containers, mostly from Nepal, Bhutan, and India's northeastern states. Headquarters of major Indian corporations like ITC Ltd., Everady Industries India, Britannia, Emami, Exide Industries, Lux Industries etc. are located in Kolkata. In recent years, Kolkata is becoming a major IT hub of east India. Many IT firms like TCS, Wipro, Accenture, Cognizant, Delloite, IBM etc. have their development centres in the city.

== References ==
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