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Coordinates: 22°34′03″N 88°22′12″E

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Kolkata (disambiguation).
"Calcutta" redirects here. For other uses, see Calcutta (disambiguation).

Kolkata
Calcutta
Megacity

Kolkata skyline

Durga Puja in Kolkata

Park Street flyover with Kolkata CBD on left and

Kolkata maidan on right

Vintage trams
 Science City Kolkata

Jorasanko Thakur Bari

Birla Planetarium
and The 42

Eden Gardens during a match

Howrah Bridge
Nickname(s): City of Joy, City of Castles, Gateway of
Eastern India, Cultural Capital of India[1]
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Interactive Map Outlining Kolkata

Kolkata
Location in Kolkata
Show map of Kolkata
Show map of West Bengal
Show map of India
 Show map of Asia
Show map of Earth
Show all
Coordinates: 22°34′03″N 88°22′12″E
Country India
State West Bengal
Division Presidency
District Kolkata
Government
• Type Municipal Corporation
• Body Kolkata Municipal
Corporation
• Mayor Firhad Hakim
• Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh
• Sheriff Mani Shankar Mukherjee
• Police Vineet Kumar Goyel
commissioner
Area[2][3]
• Megacity 206.08 km2 (79.151 sq mi)
• Metro 1,886.67 km2 (728.45 sq mi)
Elevation 9 m (30 ft)
Population[2][4][5]
• Megacity 2,011 census:
4,496,694
2,023 estimate:
6,200,000
• Metro [6][7][8] 2,011 census:
14,112,536 (metro)
14,617,882 (Extended UA)
2,023 estimate:
15,333,000 (metro)
• City rank 7th in India
• Metro rank 3rd in India;
2nd in Bengal Region;
13th in Asia;
16th in the world
Demonyms Kolkatan
Calcuttan
Languages
• Official Bengali • English[9]
Time zone UTC+05:30 (IST)
 PIN 700 xxx
Telephone code +91 33
Vehicle WB-01 to WB-10
registration
UN/LOCODE IN CCU
Metro GDP (PPP) $160.2 billion (2022)[10]
HDI (2004) 0.780[11] (High)
International Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
airports International Airport (CCU)
Transit Rapid Transit: Kolkata Metro
Commuter rail: Kolkata
Suburban Railway
Other(s):
Kolkata Tram
Metropolitan Kolkata Metropolitan
Planning Authority Development Authority
Other names Calcutta, Kolikata, Tilottama
Website kmcgov.in

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Official name Durga Puja in Kolkata

Type Cultural
Designated 2021 [12] (16th Committee of
UNESCO for safeguarding of
the Intangible Cultural
Heritage)
Reference no. [1]
Region Southern Asia
Notability First in Asia under "Intangible
Cultural Heritage of
Humanity" category

Kolkata,[a] formerly known as Calcutta[b] (its official name until 2001), is the capital and
largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly
River, 80 km (50 mi) west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary financial and
commercial centre of eastern and northeastern India.[16] Kolkata is seventh most populous
city with an estimated city proper population of 4.5 million (0.45 crore) while its
metropolitan region Kolkata Metropolitan Area is third most populous metropolitan region
of India with metro population of over 15 million (1.5 crore). [17] Kolkata is the regarded by
many sources as the cultural capital of India and a historically and culturally significant
city in the historic region of Bengal.[1][18][19] It is the second largest Bengali-speaking city in the
world. It has the highest number of Nobel laureates among all cities in India.

The three villages that predated Calcutta were ruled by the Nawab of Bengal under Mughal
suzerainty. After the Nawab granted the East India Company a trading licence in 1690,[20]
the area was developed by the Company into Fort William. Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah
occupied the fort in 1756 but was defeated at the Battle of Plassey in 1757, after his
general Mir Jafar mutinied in support of the company, and was later made the Nawab for a
brief time.[21] Under company and later crown rule, Calcutta served as the de facto capital
of India until 1911. Calcutta was the second largest city in the British Empire, after
London,[22] and was the centre of bureaucracy, politics, law, education, science and the
arts in India. The city was associated with many of the figures and movements of the
Bengali Renaissance. It was the hotbed of the Indian nationalist movement.[23]

The partition of Bengal in 1947 affected the fortunes of the city. Following independence in
1947, Kolkata, which was once the premier centre of Indian commerce, culture, and
politics, suffered many decades of political violence and economic stagnation before it
rebounded.[24] In the late 20th century, the city hosted the government-in-exile of
Bangladesh during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.[25] It was also flooded with Hindu
refugees from East Bengal (present-day Bangladesh) in the decades following the 1947
partition of India, transforming its landscape and shaping its politics.[26][27] The city was
overtaken by Mumbai (formerly Bombay) as India's largest city.

A demographically diverse city, the culture of Kolkata features idiosyncrasies that include
distinctively close-knit neighbourhoods (paras) and freestyle conversations (adda).
Kolkata's architecture includes many imperial landmarks, including the Victoria Memorial,
Howrah Bridge and the Grand Hotel. The city's heritage includes India's only Chinatown
and remnants of Jewish, Armenian, Greek and Anglo-Indian communities. The city is
closely linked with Bhadralok culture and the Zamindars of Bengal, including Bengali
Hindu, Bengali Muslim and tribal aristocrats. The city is often regarded as India's cultural
capital.

Kolkata is home to venerable institutions of national importance, including the Academy of

Fine Arts, the Asiatic Society, the Indian Museum and the National Library of India. The
University of Calcutta, first modern university in south Asia and its affiliated colleges
produced many leading figures of South Asia. It is the centre of the Indian Bengali film
industry, which is known as Tollywood. Among scientific institutions, Kolkata hosts the
Geological Survey of India, the Botanical Survey of India, the Calcutta Mathematical
Society, the Indian Science Congress Association, the Zoological Survey of India, the
Horticultural Society, the Institution of Engineers, the Anthropological Survey of India and
the Indian Public Health Association. The Port of Kolkata is India's oldest operating port.
Four Nobel laureates and two Nobel Memorial Prize winners are associated with the city. [28]
Though home to major cricketing venues and franchises, Kolkata stands out in India for
being the country's centre of association football. Kolkata is known for its grand
celebrations of the Hindu festival of Durga Puja, which is recognized by UNESCO for its
importance to world heritage.[29] Kolkata is also known as the 'City of Joy'.[30]

Etymology
Main article: Etymology of Kolkata
The word Kolkata (Bengali: কলকাতা [kolˈkata]) derives from Kôlikata (Bengali: কললকাতা
[ˈkɔliˌkata]), the Bengali language name of one of three villages that predated the arrival of
the British; the other two villages were Sutanuti and Govindapur.[31]

There are several explanations for the etymology of this name:

Kolikata is thought to be a variation of Kalikkhetrô (Bengali: কালীক্ষেত্র [ˈkaliˌkʰetrɔ]),

meaning 'Field of [the goddess] Kali'. Similarly, it can be a variation of Kalikshetra
(Sanskrit: कालीक्षेत्र, lit. 'area of Goddess Kali').
Another theory is that the name derives from Kalighat.[32]
Alternatively, the name may have been derived from the Bengali term kilkila (Bengali:
লকললকলা), or 'flat area'.[33]
The name may have its origin in the words khal (Bengali: খাল [ˈkʰal]) meaning 'canal',
followed by kaṭa (Bengali: কাটা [ˈkaʈa]), which may mean 'dug'.[34]
According to another theory, the area specialised in the production of quicklime or koli
chun (Bengali: কলল চুন [ˈkɔliˌtʃun]) and coir or kata (Bengali: কাতা [ˈkata]); hence, it was
called Kolikata).[33]
Although the city's name has always been pronounced Kolkata or Kôlikata in Bengali, the
anglicised form Calcutta was the official name until 2001, when it was changed to Kolkata
in order to match Bengali pronunciation.[35]

History
Main article: History of Kolkata
 Ships of the British East India Company near Fort William in the
Port of Calcutta in 1735

The discovery and archaeological study of Chandraketugarh, 35 km (22 mi) north of

Kolkata, provide evidence that the region in which the city stands has been inhabited for
over two millennia.[36][37] Kolkata or Kalikata in its earliest mentions, is described to be a
village surrounded with jungle on the bank of river Ganga as a renowned port, commercial
hub and a hindu pilgrimage site for Kalighat Temple. The first mention of the Kalikata village
was found in Bipradas Pipilai's Manasa Vijay (1495), where he describes how Chand
Sadagar used to stop in Kalighat to worship Goddess Kali during his path to trade
voyage.[38][39] Later Kalikata was also found to be mentioned in Mukundaram Chakrabarti's
Chandimangal (1594), Todar Mal's taxation-list in 1596 and Krishnaram Das's
Kalikamangal (1676-77).[39][40] Kalighat was then considered a safe place for businessmen.
They used to carry on trade through the Bhagirathi and took shelter there at night. [41]
Kolkata's recorded history began in 1690 with the arrival of the English East India
Company, which was consolidating its trade business in Bengal. Job Charnock is often
regarded as the founder of the city;[42] however, in response to a public petition, [43] the
Calcutta High Court ruled in 2003 that the city does not have a founder.[44] The area
occupied by the present-day city encompassed three villages: Kalikata, Gobindapur and
Sutanuti. Kalikata was a fishing village, where a handful of merchants began their
operations by building a factory;[41] Sutanuti was a riverside weavers' village; and
Gobindapur was a trading post for Indian merchant princes. These villages were part of an
estate belonging to the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family of zamindars. The estate was sold
to the East India Company in 1698.[45]: 1

In 1712, the British completed the construction of Fort William, located on the east bank of
the Hooghly River to protect their trading factory. [46] Facing frequent skirmishes with French
forces, the British began to upgrade their fortifications in 1756. The Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-
ud-Daulah, condemned the militarisation and tax evasion by the company. His warning
went unheeded, and the Nawab attacked; his capture of Fort William led to the killings of
several East India company officials in the Black Hole of Calcutta.[47] A force of Company
soldiers (sepoys) and British troops led by Robert Clive recaptured the city the following
year.[47] Per the 1765 Treaty of Allahabad following the battle of Buxar, East India company
was appointed imperial tax collector of the Mughal emperor in the province of Bengal,
Bihar and Orissa, while Mughal-appointed Nawabs continued to rule the province.[48]
Declared a presidency city, Calcutta became the headquarters of the East India Company
by 1773.[49]

In 1793, ruling power of the Nawabs were abolished, and East India company took
complete control of the city and the province. In the early 19th century, the marshes
surrounding the city were drained; the government area was laid out along the banks of the
Hooghly River. Richard Wellesley, Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William
between 1797 and 1805, was largely responsible for the development of the city and its
public architecture.[50] Throughout the late 18th and 19th century, the city was a centre of
the East India Company's opium trade.[51] A census in 1837 records the population of the
city proper as 229,700, of which the British residents made up only 3,138. [52] The same
source says another 177,000 resided in the suburbs and neighbouring villages, making the
entire population of greater Calcutta 406,700.

Tipu Sultan Mosque in 1945

Bengali billboards in 1945

In 1864, a typhoon struck the city and killed about 60,000 in Kolkata.[53]

By the 1850s, Calcutta had two areas: White Town, which was primarily British and centred
on Chowringhee and Dalhousie Square; and Black Town, mainly Indian and centred on
North Calcutta.[54] The city underwent rapid industrial growth starting in the early 1850s,
especially in the textile and jute industries; this encouraged British companies to
massively invest in infrastructure projects, which included telegraph connections and
Howrah railway station. The coalescence of British and Indian culture resulted in the
emergence of a new babu class of urbane Indians, whose members were often
bureaucrats, professionals, newspaper readers, and Anglophiles; they usually belonged to
upper-caste Hindu communities.[55] In the 19th century, the Bengal Renaissance brought
about an increased sociocultural sophistication among city denizens. In 1883, Calcutta
was host to the first national conference of the Indian National Association, which was the
first avowed nationalist organisation in India.[56]

The partition of Bengal in 1905 along religious lines led to mass protests, making Calcutta a
less hospitable place for the British.[57][58] The capital was moved to New Delhi in 1911.[59]
Calcutta continued to be a centre for revolutionary organisations associated with the
Indian independence movement. The city and its port were bombed several times by the
Japanese between 1942 and 1944, during World War II.[60][61] Millions starved to death during
the Bengal famine of 1943 (at the same time of the war) due to a combination of military,
administrative, and natural factors.[62] Demands for the creation of a Muslim state led in
1946 to an episode of communal violence that killed over 4,000.[63][64][65] The partition of India
led to further clashes and a demographic shift—many Muslims left for East Bengal (later
East Pakistan, present day Bangladesh), while hundreds of thousands of Hindus fled into
the city.[66]

During the 1960s and 1970s, severe power shortages, strikes and a violent Marxist–Maoist
movement by groups known as the Naxalites damaged much of the city's infrastructure,
resulting in economic stagnation.[24] During East Pakistan's secessionist war of
independence in 1971, the city was home to the government-in-exile of Bangladesh.[25]
During the war, refugees poured into West Bengal and strained Kolkata's infrastructure. [67]
The Eastern Command of the Indian military, which is based in Fort William, played a
pivotal role in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and securing the surrender of Pakistan.
During the mid-1980s, Mumbai (then called Bombay) overtook Kolkata as India's most
populous city. In 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi dubbed Kolkata a "dying city" in light of
its socio-political woes.[68] In the period 1977–2011, West Bengal was governed from
Kolkata by the Left Front, which was dominated by the Communist Party of India (CPM). It
was the world's longest-serving democratically elected communist government, during
which Kolkata was a key base for Indian communism.[69][70][71] The city's economic recovery
gathered momentum after the 1990s, when India began to institute pro-market reforms.
Since 2000, the information technology (IT) services sector has revitalised Kolkata's
stagnant economy. The city is also experiencing marked growth in its manufacturing base.
In the 2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, Left Front was defeated by the
Trinamool Congress.[72]

Geography
Main article: Geography of Kolkata
 Kolkata from space captured by Copernicus Sentinel-2.

Spread roughly north–south along the east bank of the Hooghly River, Kolkata sits within
the lower Ganges Delta of eastern India approximately 75 km (47 mi) west of the
international border with Bangladesh; the city's elevation is 1.5–9 m (5–30 ft).[73] Much of the
city was originally a wetland that was reclaimed over the decades to accommodate a
burgeoning population.[74] The remaining undeveloped areas, known as the East Kolkata
Wetlands, were designated a "wetland of international importance" by the Ramsar
Convention (1975).[75] As with most of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the soil and water are
predominantly alluvial in origin. Kolkata is located over the "Bengal basin", a pericratonic
tertiary basin.[76] Bengal basin comprises three structural units: shelf or platform in the
west; central hinge or shelf/slope break; and deep basinal part in the east and southeast.
Kolkata is located atop the western part of the hinge zone which is about 25 km (16 mi)
wide at a depth of about 45,000 m (148,000 ft) below the surface. [76] The shelf and hinge
zones have many faults, among them some are active. Total thickness of sediment below
Kolkata is nearly 7,500 m (24,600 ft) above the crystalline basement; of these the top 350–
450 m (1,150–1,480 ft) is Quaternary, followed by 4,500–5,500 m (14,760–18,040 ft) of
Tertiary sediments, 500–700 m (1,640–2,300 ft) trap wash of Cretaceous trap and 600–800
m (1,970–2,620 ft) Permian-Carboniferous Gondwana rocks.[76] The quaternary sediments
consist of clay, silt and several grades of sand and gravel. These sediments are
sandwiched between two clay beds: the lower one at a depth of 250–650 m (820–2,130 ft);
the upper one 10–40 m (30–130 ft) in thickness.[77] According to the Bureau of Indian
Standards, on a scale ranging from I to V in order of increasing susceptibility to
earthquakes, the city lies inside seismic zone III.[78]

Climate
Main article: Climate of Kolkata
Kolkata is subject to a tropical wet-and-dry climate that is designated Aw under the
Köppen climate classification. According to a United Nations Development Programme
report, its wind and cyclone zone is "very high damage risk". [78]

Temperature
The annual mean temperature is 26.8 °C (80.2 °F); monthly mean temperatures are 19–
30 °C (66–86 °F). Summers (March–June) are hot and humid, with temperatures in the low
30s Celsius; during dry spells, maximum temperatures sometime exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in
May and June.[79] Winter lasts for roughly 2+1⁄2 months, with seasonal lows dipping to 9–
11 °C (48–52 °F) in December and January. May is the hottest month, with daily
temperatures ranging from 27–37 °C (81–99 °F); January, the coldest month, has
temperatures varying from 12–23 °C (54–73 °F). The highest recorded temperature is
43.9 °C (111.0 °F), and the lowest is 5 °C (41 °F). [79] The winter is mild and very comfortable
weather pertains over the city throughout this season. Often, in April–June, the city is
struck by heavy rains or dusty squalls that are followed by thunderstorms or hailstorms,
bringing cooling relief from the prevailing humidity. These thunderstorms are convective in
nature, and are known locally as kal bôishakhi (কালবৈশাখী), or "Nor'westers" in English.[80]

Rainfall
Rains brought by the Bay of Bengal branch of the south-west summer monsoon[81] lash
Kolkata between June and September, supplying it with most of its annual rainfall of about
1,850 mm (73 in). The highest monthly rainfall total occurs in July and August. In these
months often incessant rain for days brings life to a stall for the city dwellers. The city
receives 2,107 hours of sunshine per year, with maximum sunlight exposure occurring in
April.[82] Kolkata has been hit by several cyclones; these include systems occurring in 1737
and 1864 that killed thousands.[83][84] More recently, Cyclone Aila in 2009 and Cyclone
Amphan in 2020 caused widespread damage to Kolkata by bringing catastrophic winds and
torrential rainfall.

hide
V
T
E

Climate data for Kolkata (Alipore) 1991–2020, extremes

1901–present
J N D
Fe M A M Ju Ju A Se O Ye
Month a o e
b ar pr ay n l ug p ct ar
n v c
 3 3 3
2 4 2
. . .
38 41 43 43 43 39 38 38 39 43
8 9 5
.4 .1 .3 .7 .9 .9 .4 .9 .0 .9
( ( (
Record high °C (°F) (1 (1 (1 (1 (1 (1 (1 (1 (1 (1
9 9 9
01 06 09 10 11 03 01 02 02 11
1 4 0
.1) .0) .9) .7) .0) .8) .1) .0) .2) .0)
. . .
0 8 5
) ) )
2 3 3
9 3 0
. . .
33 37 38 39 37 36 35 35 35 39
8 1 0
.9 .5 .8 .0 .8 .0 .3 .5 .3 .8
( ( (
Mean maximum °C (°F) (9 (9 (1 (1 (1 (9 (9 (9 (9 (1
8 9 8
3. 9. 01 02 00 6. 5. 5. 5. 03
5 1 6
0) 5) .8) .2) .0) 8) 5) 9) 5) .6)
. . .
6 6 0
) ) )
2 3 2
5 0 6
. . .
29 33 35 35 34 32 32 32 32 31
5 2 7
.4 .7 .4 .5 .1 .5 .3 .6 .3 .7
Mean daily maximum °C ( ( (
(8 (9 (9 (9 (9 (9 (9 (9 (9 (8
(°F) 7 8 8
4. 2. 5. 5. 3. 0. 0. 0. 0. 9.
7 6 0
9) 7) 7) 9) 4) 5) 1) 7) 1) 1)
. . .
9 4 1
) ) )
1 2 2
9 5 1
23 28 30 31 30 29 29 29 28 27
. . .
.8 .2 .6 .2 .6 .5 .4 .4 .3 .3
9 1 1
Daily mean °C (°F) (7 (8 (8 (8 (8 (8 (8 (8 (8 (8
( ( (
4. 2. 7. 8. 7. 5. 4. 4. 2. 1.
6 7 7
8) 8) 1) 2) 1) 1) 9) 9) 9) 1)
7 7 0
. . .
 8 2 0
) ) )
1 2 1
4 0 5
. . .
18 22 25 26 27 26 26 26 24 22
3 1 5
.1 .9 .7 .8 .1 .7 .6 .3 .4 .9
Mean daily minimum °C ( ( (
(6 (7 (7 (8 (8 (8 (7 (7 (7 (7
(°F) 5 6 5
4. 3. 8. 0. 0. 0. 9. 9. 5. 3.
7 8 9
6) 2) 3) 2) 8) 1) 9) 3) 9) 2)
. . .
7 2 9
) ) )
1 1 1
0 6 1
. . .
12 18 21 21 23 24 24 23 20 10
9 9 9
.4 .2 .1 .8 .9 .3 .6 .9 .9 .0
( ( (
Mean minimum °C (°F) (5 (6 (7 (7 (7 (7 (7 (7 (6 (5
5 6 5
4. 4. 0. 1. 5. 5. 6. 5. 9. 0.
1 2 3
3) 8) 0) 2) 0) 7) 3) 0) 6) 0)
. . .
6 4 4
) ) )
1
6 7
0
. .
.
7 7. 10 16 17 20 20 22 20 17 2 6.
6
( 2 .0 .1 .9 .4 .6 .6 .6 .2 ( 7
(
Record low °C (°F) 4 (4 (5 (6 (6 (6 (6 (7 (6 (6 4 (4
5
4 5. 0. 1. 4. 8. 9. 2. 9. 3. 5 4.
1
. 0) 0) 0) 2) 7) 1) 7) 1) 0) . 1)
.
1 0
1
) )
)
1 11 17 3 5 1,
24 36 55 27 37 37 32
5 8. 9. 2 . 81
.6 .8 .0 6. 1. 2. 5.
Average rainfall mm . 5 6 . 6 3.
(0. (1. (2. 7 6 1 0
(inches) 4 (4. (7. 6 ( 3
97 45 17 (1 (1 (1 (1
( 67 07 ( 0 (7
) ) ) 0. 4. 4. 2.
0 ) ) 1 . 1.
 . 89 63 65 80 . 2 39
6 ) ) ) ) 2 2 )
1 8 )
) )
1 1 0
1. 2. 3. 6. 12 17 16 13 7. 84
Average rainy days . . .
5 1 2 2 .6 .5 .8 .6 4 .2
1 4 7
Average relative humidity 6 6 6
55 51 61 68 77 82 83 82 76 69
(%) (at 17:30 IST) 2 8 5
2 2 2
1 21 22 24 23 13 10 11 12 20 1 0 2,
Mean monthly sunshine
3 1. 9. 0. 2. 5. 5. 7. 6. 1. 6 4 23
hours
. 9 4 0 5 0 4 8 0 5 . . 4
9 0 6
6 7 6
Mean daily sunshine 7. 7. 8. 7. 4. 3. 3. 4. 6. 6.
. . .
hours 5 4 0 5 5 4 8 2 5 1
9 2 6
Average ultraviolet index 7 9 11 12 12 12 12 12 11 9 7 6 10
Source 1: India Meteorological Department (sun 1971–2000) Weather Atlas
[85][86][87][88] [89]

Source 2: Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1991–2020)[90] [91]

hideClimate data for Kolkata (Dumdum Airport) 1991–2020, extremes 1939–2012
J F S O N D
M Ap M Ju Ju Au Ye
Month a e e c o e
ar r ay n l g ar
n b p t v c
3 3 3 3 3
40 42 43 43 39 37 37 43
2. 7. 6. 6. 3.
.6 .8 .1 .7 .2 .7 .5 .7
5 3 8 0 0
Record high °C (°F) (1 (1 (1 (1 (1 (9 (9 (1
(9 (9 (9 (9 (9
05 09 09 10 02 9. 9. 10
0. 9. 8. 6. 1.
.1) .0) .6) .7) .6) 9) 5) .7)
5) 1) 2) 8) 4)
2 2 3 3 2
33 35 36 34 33 33 33 32
5. 9. 2. 0. 6.
.6 .9 .1 .8 .2 .0 .3 .0
Mean daily maximum °C 3 2 5 1 6
(9 (9 (9 (9 (9 (9 (9 (8
(°F) (7 (8 (9 (8 (7
2. 6. 7. 4. 1. 1. 1. 9.
7. 4. 0. 6. 9.
5) 6) 0) 6) 8) 4) 9) 6)
5) 6) 5) 2) 9)
1 2 27 30 30 30 29 29 29 2 2 2 26
Daily mean °C (°F)
8. 2. .4 .1 .6 .3 .5 .3 .3 7. 4. 0. .6
 0 9 (8 (8 (8 (8 (8 (8 (89 3 1 (7
(6 (7 1. 6. 7. 6. 5. 4. 4.
(8 (7 (6 9.
4. 3. 3) 2) 1) 5) 1) 7) 7)
2. 5. 8. 9)
4) 2) 2) 7) 2)
1 1 2 1 1
21 25 26 26 26 26 26 22
2. 6. 4. 9. 4.
.9 .2 .2 .8 .6 .5 .2 .2
Mean daily minimum °C 9 9 1 3 3
(7 (7 (7 (8 (7 (7 (7 (7
(°F) (5 (6 (7 (6 (5
1. 7. 9. 0. 9. 9. 9. 2.
5. 2. 5. 6. 7.
4) 4) 2) 2) 9) 7) 2) 0)
2) 4) 4) 7) 7)
1 1
5. 6. 12 16 17 19 20 21 21 6. 5.
5. 1.
0 1 .1 .6 .6 .2 .1 .1 .7 1 0
7 7
Record low °C (°F) (4 (4 (5 (6 (6 (6 (6 (7 (7 (4 (4
(6 (5
1. 3. 3. 1. 3. 6. 8. 0. 1. 3. 1.
0. 3.
0) 0) 8) 9) 7) 6) 2) 0) 1) 0) 0)
3) 1)
1,
36 35 28 1
1 2 14 24 2 71
31 53 6. 5. 2. 7 6.
5. 0. 0. 7. 1. 1.
.9 .4 5 4 1 0. 8
Average rainfall mm 8 2 5 5 3 5
(1. (2. (1 (1 (1 2 (0
(inches) (0 (0 (5. (9. (0 (6
26 10 4. 3. 1. (6 .2
.6 .8 53 74 .8 7.
) ) 43 99 11 .7 7)
2) 0) ) ) 4) 38
) ) ) 0)
)
1. 1. 2. 3. 6. 12 17 17 13 7. 1. 0. 83
Average rainy days
1 4 3 5 6 .4 .6 .1 .0 1 1 7 .8
Average relative humidity 6 5 7 6 6
49 58 66 76 81 82 81 68
(%) (at 08:30 IST) 1 3 5 7 6
Source 1: India Meteorological Department[91]
Source 2: Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1991–2020)[92]
Environmental issues
Main article: Environmental issues in Kolkata
Pollution is a major concern in Kolkata. As of 2008, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide
annual concentration were within the national ambient air quality standards of India, but
respirable suspended particulate matter levels were high, and on an increasing trend for
five consecutive years, causing smog and haze.[93][94] Severe air pollution in the city has
caused a rise in pollution-related respiratory ailments, such as lung cancer. [95]
Cityscape and urban structure

Aerial view of Kolkata with the Hooghly River

Kolkata, which is under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), has an
area of 206.08 km2 (80 sq mi).[96] The east–west dimension of the