MUMBAI GUIDE

Mumbai city, which was formerly called Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is also the most populous city of India. The Mumbai metro is the fourth most populous metro area of the world and it has much to visit also like Gateway of India , Taj Mahal Hotel and much more. Mumbai city has a natural harbor, which handles over half of India's passenger traffic and a large amount of cargo. Mumbai city is considered the financial and entertainment hub of India. Many important financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Mumbai Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India, and the headquarters of many top Indian companies are located here. Mumbai city is also the center of the Indian film industry, known as Bollywood, and which produces the highest number of films in the world annually. Most of India's television and satellite networks are located in Mumbai city, besides numerous publishing houses of India.

Racial Makeup: Mumbai city is a cosmopolitan city. People of all states and religions live here. A 68 percent of Mumbai's population is Hindu, while 17 percent are Muslims. Christians and Buddhists constitute 4 percent of the population, while the rest of the population consists of Parsis, Jains, Sikhs, and Jews.

Economy: Mumbai city is the financial center of India. Several important financial institutions of India are located in Mumbai city. Some of these are the Bombay Stock Exchange, the Reserve Bank of India, the National Stock Exchange of India, the Mint, and the headquarters of several top companies of India. The important industries of Mumbai include the textile industry, automobiles, diamond polishing, information technology, chemicals, and refined petroleum.

The natural harbor of Mumbai is also an important part of its economy. It handles over half of India's passenger traffic and a significant amount of cargo. The film industry of Mumbai is the biggest in the world. It produces the largest number of films in the world annually and employs a significant population of Mumbai. Other important industries of Mumbai are shipbuilding and fish processing. Mumbai city is a city of extremes. Slums and huge mansions exist side-by-side here. Mumbai city also contributes the largest amount of tax revenues of India.

Climate:Being located close to the Arabian Sea, Mumbai city has a temperate climate. It does not experience distinct summer and winter seasons. The climate of Mumbai city can be classified into two seasons - the humid season and the dry season. The humid season lasts between March and October and has high humidity accompanied by temperatures of over 86o F. The dry season lasts from November to February and has low levels of humidity accompanied by warm to cool weather. January is the coldest month with a low temperature of 52o F. Monsoon strikes Mumbai city in mid-June and lasts till September. The city receives most of its rainfall during the monsoon season. Mumbai city is a year round destination, but is at its most pleasant from the months during October to February.

Government Type: The government of the city of Mumbai consists of a municipal corporation whose ceremonial head is the Mayor. The Mayor and the Deputy Mayor are appointed by the elected Councilors. The Councilors are elected through direct voting by the people of Mumbai city. The real executive powers are vested in the Municipal Commissioner, who is an IAS officer who is appointed by the state government. Although the executive authority rests with the Municipal Commissioner, the elected Councilors advise and control the policies and actions of the Municipal Commissioner. Mumbai city is divided into 23 municipal wards, each of which is administered by an Assistant Municipal Commissioner.

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