4. MUMBAI
Growth rate: 8.5%
The commercial capital of India is one of the world's top ten trade centres. The city contributes 25 per cent of industrial output and 70 per cent of capital transactions to India's economy.
The city accounts for about 1 per cent of the total population in India but has a per capita income which is almost three times that of India. Mumbai accounts for 14 per cent of India's income tax collections and 37 per cent of the corporate tax collections in the country.
The city is the berth of significant financial institutions like the Reserve Bank of India, Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India.
One of the largest special economic zones in India is being set up in Navi Mumbai, to be spread over an area of around 50 square kilometers.
Numerous corporates and multinational companies have their headquarters in the city that attracts migrants from all over India. The city offers countless employment opportunities and is known for its interesting and high standard of living.
The city, with a population of 19 million, is also known as the Indian seat of entertainment as it is the home to the Hindi film industry, the largest in the world.
Most of the city's inhabitants rely on public transport to commute. Transport systems in Mumbai include the Mumbai suburban railway, also known as the lifeline of Mumbai, BEST buses, taxis and auto rickshaws.
Image: Highrises dot Mumbai's skyline.
Photograph: Jewella C. Miranda
Also read: Mumbai's amazing dabbawalas 
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