Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad ( AH-mə-də-ba(h)d, Hindi: [ɛɦ(ɛ)md̪aːbaːd̪]), also spelt Amdavad (Gujarati: [ˈəmdɑʋɑd]) and historically known as Karnavati (IPA: [kɐrɳaːʋɐt̪iː]), is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per the 2011 population census) makes it the fifth-most populous city in India, and the encompassing urban area population estimated at 8,854,444 (as of 2024) is the seventh-most populous in India. Ahmedabad is located near the banks of the Sabarmati River, 25 km (16 mi) from the capital of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, also known as its twin city. Ahmedabad has emerged as an important economic, industrial and cultural hub in India. It is the second-largest producer of cotton in India, due to which it was known as the "Manchester of India" along with Kanpur. The Ahmedabad Stock Exchange (before it was shut down in 2018) was the country's second-oldest. Cricket is a popular sport in Ahmedabad; the Narendra Modi Stadium at Motera can accommodate 132,000 spectators, making it the largest stadium in the world. The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave located near the stadium will be one of the biggest in the country once complete. Ahmedabad will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. The effects of the liberalisation of the Indian economy have energised the city's economy towards tertiary sector activities such as commerce, communication and construction. Ahmedabad's increasing population has increased demand in the construction and housing industries, resulting in the development of skyscrapers. In 2010, Ahmedabad was ranked third in Forbes's list of fastest growing cities of the decade. In 2012, The Times of India chose Ahmedabad as India's best city to live in. The gross domestic product of Ahmedabad metro was estimated at $136.1 billion in 2023. In 2020, Ahmedabad...