Mumbai: history, facts and numbers

Anja in Wonderland

Just so that you know:.....


Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra. It is an island connected by bridges to the mainland. Originally Mumbai consisted of 7 islands and was first inhabited by Koli fisherfolk.

Maharashtra used to be dominantly Hindu and that tendency is politically still strong in the city. Therefor Mumbai's history knows tension and conflicts with Muslims and non-Hindu's resulting in bombings, every now and then.

In it's history we find back the Portugese, the British, the East India Company and Britain's cotton industry who all left their marks in the city.


Nowadays its the industrial and financial capital of India and the place where Bollywood movies are produced.


Some fast facts:
Population: 17 million
Area: 440 sq km
Population density: 29.000 people per sq km
Number of black and yellow taxis (sort of 1950's FIATs): 40.000
Average annual income: USD 1000. Which is 3 x the national average!
Number of public toilets per 1 million people: 17
Number of people passing through Victoria Terminus daily: 2.5 million
Number of people in an 1800 person capacity train at rush hour: 7000
Proportion of Mumbai built on reclaimed land: 60%
Number of Bollywood movies made since 1931: 68.500
Number of people that live in a shantytown or slum: 60%


Biggest and most famous slum (from Slumdog Millionaire): Dharavi. One million people live there on 1.75 sq km!
Number of people there to empty their bowls in 1 toilet: 1400
Annual turnover of business from Dharavi: USD 650 million!


What a city!
It is beyond comprehension.