imported>Rodw: Disambiguating links to English (link changed to English language) using DisamAssist.

2021-08-24T17:00:35Z

Disambiguating links to English (link changed to English language) using DisamAssist.

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Mumbai Harbour
| other_name =
| settlement_type = Neighbourhood
| image_skyline = Bombayharbour.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = A view of the harbour looking northwest
| nickname =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Mumbai
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|18.96|N|72.85|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = [[Country]]
| subdivision_name = India
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Maharashtra]]
| subdivision_type2 = Metro
| subdivision_name2 = [[Mumbai Metropolitan Region|Mumbai]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total =
| population_as_of =
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Language
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Marathi language|Marathi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code =
| registration_plate = MH-
| website =
| footnotes =
}}

'''Mumbai Harbour''' (also [[English language|English]]; '''Bombay Harbour''' or '''Front Bay''', [[Marathi language|Marathi]]''Mumba'ī bandar''), is a natural deep-water [[harbour]] in the southern portion of the [[Ulhas River]] [[estuary]]. The narrower, northern part of the estuary is called [[Thana Creek]]. The harbour opens to the [[Arabian Sea]] to the south. The historical island of [[Elephanta Caves|Elephanta]] is one of the six islands that lie in the harbour.

''Front Bay'' is the official name of the harbour{{Citation needed|date=April 2015}}, so named because the city started as a tiny settlement facing the harbour. The waterbody behind the original settlement, forming an arc between the former Colaba island and Bombay island, up to the Malabar Hill promontory or peninsula, was similarly called [[Back Bay (Mumbai)|Back Bay]].

Front Bay is home to the [[Mumbai Port]], which lies in the south section of the western edge of the harbour. [[JNPT|Jawaharlal Nehru Port]] and [[Navi Mumbai]] lie to the east on the Konkan mainland, and the city of [[Mumbai]] lies to the west on [[Salsette]] Island. The [[Gateway of India]] with its jetty for Elephanta is the most important [[tourist destination]], followed by the {{INS|Vikrant|R11|6}} maritime Museum.

==Islands==
[[File:Bombay harbour 1626.jpg|thumb|Bombay harbour 1626]]
[[File:Mumbaicitydistricts.png|thumb|150px|left|The harbour east of the city]]
[[File:Two American cargo ships docked at Bombay Harbour in 1948.jpg|thumb|Two American Cargo ships docked at Bombay Harbour, 1948.]]

There are six islands in the Mumbai Harbour.<ref name=iit-mumbai>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianislandstour.com/islands_mumbai_harbour.htm|title=Islands of Mumbai|publisher=Indian Islands Tour|access-date=23 September 2011}}</ref>

''[[Butcher Island]]'', also known as ''Jawahar Dweep'', is used as an oil terminal by the Mumbai Port. It has jetties for tankers and various other infrastructure for offloading crude oil and for loading refined petroleum products. The island is restricted to port employees, and not open to the public.

''[[Cross Island, Mumbai|Cross Island]]'' is a small, uninhabited islet just off the coast of the Dockyard Road. Though the remains of old fortifications are visible, the island itself is restricted to the public.

''Gharapuri Island'', also known as ''[[Elephanta Island]]'', is the best known of the islands in Mumbai Harbour. The [[Elephanta Caves]] located on the island are a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]]. The group of five larger caves have intricate [[Hindu]] religious rock sculptures. Two smaller caves have [[Buddhist]] religious sculptures. The carvings date back to between 5th and 8th centuries.

''[[Middle Ground (India)|Middle Ground Coastal Battery]]'' is a small islet in the [[Thane]] creek. It features an antique coastal gun battery of the Indian Navy. The guns salute Indian naval vessels returning from deployments when they enter the harbour.

''[[Oyster Rock]]'' is a small group of rock outcroppings in the harbour. The area has restricted access since it is used for naval exercises.

[[Salsette Island]] is the large island on which the cities of Mumbai and Thane are located. It is separated from the [[Konkan]] mainland by the [[Vasai]] creek and the [[Ulhas river]]. Mumbai was originally a distinct island from Thane, but reclamation of land has long since merged the islands. [[Powai Lake]], [[Tulsi Lake]] and [[Vihar Lake]] are the largest lakes on the island.

== Mumbai Port==

{{Main|Mumbai Port}}
'''Mumbai Port''' (MbPT) lies midway ({{coord|18|56.3|N|72|45.9|E}}) on the western shore of Mumbai Harbour.<ref name=mbpt-profile>{{cite web|url=http://mumbaiport.gov.in/newsite/portinfo/Portprofile.htm|title=Port Profile|publisher=Mumbai Port Trust|access-date=23 September 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825080409/http://mumbaiport.gov.in/newsite/portinfo/Portprofile.htm|archive-date=25 August 2011}}</ref> The port was the pre-eminent commercial port of India in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It is known as the ''gateway to India'', and has been a primary factor in the emergence of Mumbai as the commercial capital of India.

==Ecology==
[[Mangrove]] swamps line much of the northwestern and eastern shores of the harbour, and provide a rich habitat for wildlife, including thousands of migrating birds such as [[flamingoes]].

==Pollution==
Due to immense population pressures from the Mumbai metropolitan region and the extremely busy maritime trade, the Harbour is considered to be heavily polluted.

This includes reports of heavy metals flux found in the creeks adjacent to the harbour with the harbour acting as a sink for most of the pollutants.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iugg.org/iapso/abstracts/IB-02/IB02-37.htm |title=IAPSO |publisher=Iugg.org |access-date=22 July 2011}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Sunk Rock Lighthouse]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Mumbai Harbour}}
*[http://www.mumbaiport.gov.in/ Mumbai Port Trust]

{{Islands of Mumbai harbour}}
{{Mumbai topics}}
{{Major ports in India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Estuaries of Mumbai]]
[[Category:Ports and harbours of Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Transport in Mumbai]]

Mumbai Harbour - Revision history

imported>Rodw: Disambiguating links to English (link changed to English language) using DisamAssist.