Kolkata

The capital city of West Bengal, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is situated in eastern India on the east bank of the River Hooghly. A vibrant city with a distinct socio-political culture, Kolkata is known for its revolutionary history, ranging from the Indian Freedom Movement to the Leftist and Trade Union movements. One of the four metropolitan cities of India, Kolkata is the chief commercial, financial and manufacturing center of eastern India.

Demographics
Calcutta has the largest urban population in India. As per 2001 census, the city has a population of almost 5 million, with an extended metropolitan population of over 14 million. The sex ratio is 828 females per 1000 males.

Climate in Kolkata
Kolkata has a tropical climate. Summers are hot and humid and maximum temperatures often exceed 40°C during May and June. Winters tend to last for only about 2 months with temperature ranging between 12 °C and 14 °C in December and January. Often during early summer, dusty squalls followed by spells of thunderstorm and heavy rains visit the city. These thunderstorms are locally known as Kal baisakhi.

How to visit Kolkata?
Being a metropolitan city, Kolkata is well connected to all cities and states of the country as well as countries of the world.

• Air : The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum to the north of the city is the only airport of the city and it operates regular domestic and international flights.
  
  
• Roads : The National Highway No.2 also known as Grand Trunk Road runs from Howrah to Kashmir and is the main route connecting the city with northern India. It is one of the oldest road routes in India. Other national highways connect Calcutta with the west coast of India, the northern part of West Bengal, and the frontier with Bangladesh. For public transport, there are Kolkata suburban railway and the Kolkata Metro as well as by trams and buses. The Kolkata Metro, run by the Indian Railways, is the oldest underground system in India. Buses run by both government agencies and private operators. Kolkata is India's only remaining city to have a tram network.
  
  
• Rail : Kolkata has two major railway stations at Howrah Station and Sealdah. A third station called Kolkata has been launched in early 2006. The city is the headquarters of two divisions of the Indian Railways - Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway.
  
  
• Port : Kolkata is also a major riverport in eastern India. There are passenger services run by the Shipping Corporation of India to Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Tourist Destinations in Kolkata

Victoria Memorial	Swami Vivekanada Setu	Vidyasagar Setu
Birla Planetorium	Hooli River	Howrah Bridge
Indian Botanical Garden	Kolkata Zoo	St. Paul's Cathedral
Tipu Sultan Mosque	New Market	Eden Garden
Salt Lake Stadium	Dakshineswar Kali Temple Kalighat

Education in Kolkata
A mark of higher social status in Calcutta has always been Education. The city has been a centre of learning since a long period of time. Some notable institutes and colleges of the city are

• Loreto School
• Calcutta Boys School
• St. Xavier's College
• Presidency College
• The University of Calcutta
• Jadavpur University
• Rabindra Bharati University
• Bengal Engineering and Science University
• Indian Statistical Institute
• The Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science
• The Bose Institute (natural science)
• All-India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health
• Indian Institute of Management (IIM-C)
• Marine Engineering and Research Institute
• Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics

Economy of Kolkata

• Kolkata is the business, commercial and financial hub of eastern India.
• Kolkata is considered as India's preminent economic centres because of its industries, financial and trade activities.
• It is also a major port.
• The Calcutta stock exchange plays an important part in the organized financial market of the country.

Major Industries in Kolkata are:

Jute Industry Heavy engineering Chemicals Textiles Glass and Ceramics Mica

Paper Printing Coal Mining Iron and Steel Manganese

Some notable companies headquartered in Kolkata:

ITC Limited Bata India Birla Corporation Merlin projects Ltd. Bengal Peerless National Insurance Company

Orient Fans Exide Berger Paints Coal India Limited Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd.