Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, located on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, approximately 80 kilometres west of the border with Bangladesh.
Following Indian independence in 1947, Kolkata, which was once the centre of modern Indian education, science, culture, and politics, suffered several decades of economic stagnation.
The Port of Kolkata is India’s oldest operating port and its sole major riverine port. Kolkata is known as the “cultural capital of India” for the city’s historical and architectural significance.
The Eden Gardens Cricket Ground is the stadium is the third largest cricket stadium in the world.
The word Kolkata derives from Kôlikata, the Bengali name of one of three villages that predated the arrival of the British, in the area where the city was eventually established; the other two villages were Sutanuti and Govindapur.
Kolkata Science City is the largest science centre in the country.
Kolkata is twinned with: Dhaka, Bangladesh; Kunming, China; Thessaloniki, Greece; Naples, Italy; Karachi, Pakistan; Incheon, South Korea; Odesa, Ukraine; Jersey City, United States; Long Beach, United States & Dallas, United States.
The city is widely regarded as the “cultural capital” of India, and is also nicknamed the “City of Joy”.
The Great Banyan Tree in the Botanical Garden in Kolkata is the largest tree in the world in terms of area covered.
Operating since 1902, the Kolkata tram is one of its kind in India and the oldest running electric tram system in Asia.