Delhi

About Delhi

Delhi, the capital city of India, is situated on the banks of Yamuna and extends over an area of 1483 sq. km. The city is bordered by Haryana on its north, west and south and Uttar Pradesh on its east. Delhi is the largest commercial center in the Northern India and the culture of Delhi has been influenced by its important history. The old city of Delhi was surrounded by a high stone wall, erected in 1638. It is approached through seven arched gateways, including the Delhi Gate in the south, the Ajmeri Gate in the east, and the Kashmere Gate in the north. Within the walls is a maze of congested narrow streets, alleys, busy bazaars, and some of the nation's most spectacular Indo-Muslim architectural features. Delhi can be said to be the true portrayer of Indian culture. It manages to seamlessly blend the traditional and the modern cultures.

Facts on Delhi
Official Website www.Delhi.gov.in
Date of Formation (Declared a Union Territory) Feb 1, 1992
Area 1483 sq km
Density 11297/Km2
Total Population (2011) 16,787,941
Males Population (2011) 8,987,326
Females Population (2011) 7,800,615
No. of District 11
Capital New Delhi
Rivers Yumuna
Forests & National Park National Zoological Park, Asola Bhatti WS
Languages Hindi, English, Punjabi, Urdu
State Bird Sparrow
Neighbours State Haryana, Uttar Pradesh
Net State Domestic Product (2011) 150653
Literacy Rate (2011) 87.40%
Females per 1000 males 866
Assembly constituency 70
Parliamentary constituency 7

History of Delhi

The name Delhi was applied to a succession of cities built on this site before the present city was founded in 1638 by the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan. The first city was built in the 12th century AD by the Cahaman ruler Prithviraja. It was captured by Muslims in 1193 and became the capital of a Muslim empire in India under Qutubuddin Aibak, builder of the Qutub Minar tower. Muslim control ended with the capture and destruction of Delhi in the late 14th century by the Turkish conqueror Tamerlane. More Details...

Climate and Geography

The region has a tropical steppe climate. It is characterized with extremely hot and dry summers and chilling winters. Monthly temperatures range from 14.3° C in January (minimum 3°C) to 34.5°C in June (maximum 47°C). The annual mean temperature is 25.3°C (WMO, 1971). The main seasonal climatic influence is the monsoon, typically from June to October. The mean annual rainfall total is 71.5 mm. Maximum rainfall occurs in July (211 mm). The heavy rains of the monsoon act as a "scrubber". North-westerly winds usually prevail; however, in June and July South-easterly predominate. More Details...

Demographics

Delhi holds the second position in the list of largest metropolises in India as per its population. As per the census 2011, the population of Delhi is 1,67,87,941 and its sex ratio is 866 females per 1000 males. The population density is 11,297 persons per sq .km. The literacy rate of Delhi is 86.34%.

Society and Culture

Delhi is not a place in seclusion; it is by nature a homogenous city, which is ready to assimilate all incoming influences-whether they are people, culture or languages. Delhi has attracted people from all parts of the country leading to the establishment of different cultural pockets. Punjabis are the most dominant section here. Delhi's cultural life has been influenced considerably by the cosmopolitan character of its population, which comes from different parts of India and the world and possesses varied cultural backgrounds. Much has been borrowed and adapted from western culture, a process accelerated since independence by the influence of the modern mass media. Television, however, has also facilitated a greater awareness of regional and national interests.

Languages

There is no regional language of Delhi; like different cultures it has adapted languages from the rest of the nation. Languages commonly spoken are Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and English. Hindi is the main language as majority of the population speaks in Hindi, although there is a difference in their dialects. English is a principal language as it is widely spoken among the people specially the young generation. Due to the dominant Punjabi population, Punjabi language is also widely spoken here. Urdu is also used as an important language due to the population of the Muslims in this metropolis.

Tourism

Delhi is an international metropolis with excellent tourist spots, recreational facilities, and a history that goes back to antiquity. It offers a multitude of interesting places and attractions to the visitor, so much so that it becomes difficult to decide from where to begin exploring the city. In Old Delhi, you'll come across many mosques, forts, and other monuments that depict India's Muslim history. The important places in Old Delhi include the majestic Red Fort, the historical Chandni Chowk, besides Raj Ghat and Shanti Vana, the last two being modern structures constructed after India's Independence in 1947. New Delhi, on the other hand, is a modern city designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. It is a spacious, open city that houses many government buildings and embassies, apart from places of historical interest. More Details...

Economy

As India's capital city, Delhi has become a nucleus of trade, commerce and industry in the northern region. Government office complexes are a major source of employment and the city is also home to important medical, agricultural and educational institutions. It is often categorized as a "service town"; however, industry is rapidly expanding. The most important industrial sector in Delhi is however the tertiary sector (i.e. service sector) which highly contributes to its gross state domestic product. Engineering, IT, clothing and chemicals predominate; electronics and electrical goods are gaining in importance. Most industries are located in the west, south and southeast of the city.

Government and Politics

Delhi is an important cultural, commercial as well as political hub of India. At present, it has 11 districts. They are; Central Delhi, North Delhi, South Delhi, East Delhi, North East Delhi, South West Delhi, New Delhi, North West Delhi and West Delhi. Delhi is divided into three legislative; New Delhi Municipal Committee (NDMC), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB). The Supreme Court of India is located in Delhi, along with the regional Delhi High Court, the Magistrate Court, the Sessions Court for criminal cases and other Small Causes Courts for civil cases.

Education

Over the past few years, Delhi has developed tremendously in the field of education. New colleges and institutes have emerged with top quality education. It is home to more than 160 colleges of all kinds, and some of India's leading universities like the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Milia University, to name a few. Besides these there are also a large number of private, government, primary and higher secondary schools imparting education to more than 20 lakh students.

Transportation

Delhi is well connected by air, road and railways to the rest of the country. The Indira Gandhi International Airport located in southwest of Delhi caters to domestic as well as international flights from all over the world. It is maintained by the GMR Group and is one of the busiest airports in South Asia. The city is headquarter of the Northern Railways. There are five major railway stations in Delhi: New Delhi Railway Station, Old Delhi Railway Station, Nizamuddin Railway Station, Anand Vihar Railway Terminal and Sarai Rohilla Railway Station. A suburban railway system also connects the city and neighbouring NCR regions.

Delhi is linked with five national highways; they are number 1, 2, 8, 10 and 24. In Delhi, Public transport vehicles are fuelled by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and the state-owned Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is the major bus service provider. Taxis, radio cabs, auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are also easily available here. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has built a rapid transit system here. It serves the city and its neighbouring NCR regions like Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad. The metro network consists of 6 lines and 142 stations. The total length of the lines is about 190 km. Delhi Metro will soon expand as more phases and lines are currently under-construction.

IT in Delhi and NCR

Over the years Delhi has become a major information technology center of India. According to a survey conducted by a software company, Delhi and the entire NCR region is responsible for the largest software exports from India. Considering the kind of infrastructure that the city provides, most of the top class IT and ITES have found their base in Delhi and NCR. There are numerous IT parks and SEZ areas in the city that are home to some of the biggest multinationals.

Major business centers and commercial areas in Delhi

Pragati Maidan - Pragati Maidan is one of the most popular business centers in Delhi. Spreading over 7 acres of land, this is an exhibition complex that has 18 halls and 22 permanent pavilions. Pragati Maidan is used to host numerous high quality national and international fairs.

India Expo Center - The India Expo Center in Delhi is part of the EXPO XXI International Expo centers chain. Counted among the popular business centers of the capital, the India Expo Center is used to hold important exhibitions in India. Beautifully designed with state of the art facilities, technologies and services, this business center in Delhi is used to conduct exhibitions, conferences, product launches, promotional events and other special events etc.

Connaught Place (CP) - CP or Connaught Place has almost become synonymous with Delhi. CP can easily be counted among the busiest places in Delhi. Be it shopping, business, eating out, cinema halls, galleries, emporiums or service related offices-you can find it all at the Connaught Place.

Nehru Place - The Nehru Place is an important commercial nucleus of Delhi. It is also said to be the IT hub of the city. The area is also home to large hardware and software market. Some of the famous companies that find space in the Nehru Place are: CISCO, Intel, Microsoft, EDS, American President Lines, Xerox, Singer, Shell Petroleum, Daewoo, Mitsui etc.