Mumbai: Location and Context

Mumbai is the required major city case study for the Edexcel B Topic 3: Challenges of an Urbanising World. As India's largest city and financial capital, Mumbai exemplifies both the enormous opportunities and the severe challenges created by rapid urbanisation in a Newly Emerging Economy (NEE). This lesson establishes the essential context — physical geography, historical development, population, climate and economic significance — that you need before examining Mumbai's growth, opportunities and challenges in detail.

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Physical Geography

Mumbai is located on the west coast of India, on a narrow peninsula that juts into the Arabian Sea. Its physical geography has profoundly shaped its development.

Feature	Detail
Location	18.97°N, 72.83°E — western coast of Maharashtra state
Original geography	Seven separate islands — Colaba, Mazagaon, Old Woman's Island, Wadala, Mahim, Parel and Bombay Island
Land reclamation	The seven islands were gradually joined together through land reclamation projects between the 17th and 19th centuries to form a single landmass
Peninsula	Modern Mumbai occupies a narrow peninsula approximately 70 km long and 12–15 km wide at its widest point
Harbour	A deep natural harbour on the eastern side of the peninsula — one of the best on India's west coast, crucial for trade
Elevation	Mostly low-lying (average 10–15 m above sea level), making it highly vulnerable to flooding and sea-level rise
Surrounding water	Arabian Sea to the west, Thane Creek to the east, Vasai Creek to the north

The narrow, elongated shape of the peninsula has created major challenges for transport and urban planning. The city can only really expand northward (along the peninsula) or eastward (across Thane Creek into Navi Mumbai), creating severe congestion on the limited north-south transport corridors.

Exam Tip: Understanding Mumbai's physical geography is crucial for explaining its challenges. The fact that Mumbai is a narrow peninsula surrounded by water on three sides explains why land is so scarce and expensive, why flooding is a major problem, and why transport congestion is so severe. Always link physical geography to human challenges.

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Historical Growth and Colonial Legacy

Mumbai's history helps explain its current size, importance and challenges:

Pre-Colonial Period

• The area was originally home to the Koli fishing community (the word "Mumbai" may derive from Mumbadevi, a local Hindu goddess)
• The islands were controlled by various dynasties including the Silhara kings, the Delhi Sultanate and the Gujarat Sultanate

Portuguese Control (1534–1661)

• Portugal gained control of the islands in 1534
• They named the area "Bom Bahia" (Good Bay), which became "Bombay" in English
• Limited development — mainly used as a trading post

British Colonial Period (1661–1947)

• The islands were transferred to Britain in 1661 as part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza (who married King Charles II)
• The British East India Company took control in 1668 and began developing the port
• The seven islands were progressively connected through land reclamation — the Hornby Vellard project (completed 1784) was a major engineering achievement
• The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 transformed Bombay into a major international port — journey time from Britain reduced from months to weeks
• Cotton textile mills established from the 1850s onwards, making Bombay India's industrial capital
• Grand colonial buildings constructed: Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Gateway of India, the University of Mumbai
• The city grew from approximately 800,000 people in 1901 to 2.3 million by 1941

Post-Independence (1947–present)

• India gained independence in 1947; Bombay became the capital of Bombay State (later Maharashtra)
• The city was officially renamed Mumbai in 1995, reflecting the local Marathi language
• Explosive population growth driven by migration and natural increase
• Development of Navi Mumbai (New Mumbai) from 1972 as a planned satellite city across Thane Creek

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Population

Mumbai's population growth has been extraordinary:

Year	Population (city proper)	Metropolitan Region
1901	0.8 million	—
1941	2.3 million	—
1961	4.1 million	—
1981	8.2 million	—
2001	11.9 million	16.4 million
2011	12.5 million	20.7 million
2023	~13 million (city)	~22 million (metro)