DISTRICT PROFILE

Geography

Kolkata is located in the eastern part of India with latitude & longitude of 22.5667° N, 88.3667° E, respectively. It has spread linearly along the banks of the Hooghly River. The whole area is in the Ganges Delta and is monotonously plain. As with most of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the soil and water are predominantly alluvial in origin. Kolkata is located over the "Bengal basin". Kolkata has a tropical wet-and-dry climate, with summer monsoons. The annual mean temperature is 26.8 °C (80 °F); maximum temperatures can often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) during May–June. Winter tends to last from December to early-February, with the lowest temperatures hovering in the 12 °C — 14 °C range during December and January. Maximum rainfall occurs during the monsoon in August (306 mm) and the average annual total is 1,582 mm. North Kolkata is the oldest part of the city. Characterised by 19th-century architecture and narrow alleyways, it includes areas such as Shyambazar, Shobhabazar, Chitpur, Cossipore, Baranagar, Sinthee, and Dum Dum. Central Kolkata hosts the central business district. It contains B. B. D. Bagh, formerly known as Dalhousie Square, and the Esplanade on its east; Strand Road is on its west. The West Bengal Secretariat, General Post Office, Reserve Bank of India, High Court, Lalbazar Police Headquarters, and several other government and private offices are located there.

Demography

According to results of the 2011 national census, Kolkata district, which occupies an area of 185 km2, had a population of 4,486,679; its population density was 24,252/km2. This represents a decline of 1.88% during the decade 2001–11. The sex ratio is 899 females per 1000 males—lower than the national average. The ratio is depressed by the influx of working males from surrounding rural areas, from the rest of West Bengal, and from neighbouring states, mainly Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Orissa; these men commonly leave their families behind.

Majority of Kolkata's population are Bengali people; Marwaris and Biharis compose large minorities. Among Kolkata's smaller communities are Chinese, Tamils, Nepalis, Odias, Telugus, Gujaratis, Anglo-Indians, Armenians, Greeks, Tibetans etc. Bengali, the official state language, is the dominant language in Kolkata. English is also used extensively. Hindi and Urdu are spoken by a sizeable minority.

Socio-economic and cultural peculiarities

Kolkata is the main business, commercial and financial hub of eastern India and the main port of communication for the North-East Indian states. It is one of the most important metros of India.

Kolkata has been the pioneering city in the Indian renaissance. It has long been known for its literary, artistic and revolutionary heritage. As the former capital of India, and now known as the "Cultural Capital of India", not only Kolkata, but Bengal was the birthplace of modern Indian literary, artistic and scholastic thought.

Infrastructure availability

All types of infrastructural facilities are easily available.

Key Statistics