File:Mumbai, aerial view, satellite image, India March 2004.jpg

English: With almost 23 million residents, Mumbai, India, is the second largest city in the world (only Tokyo, Japan, is larger than Mumbai). Rapid population growth in Mumbai is evident in this image from the International Space Station that shows several regions of the city with active land reclamation activities on its coasts, bays and hinterlands. Mumbai exemplifies the global urban growth and sprawl seen in recent years as human populations throughout the world continue to migrate to cities.

Historically, this region was called “Mumba” after local deity “Mumbadevi” and consisted of seven islands joined together by series of reclamations. In 1543, the region fell to the Portuguese who named their possession “Bom Baia,” which translates as “good bay.” In 1662, the English King Charles II received these islands as a dowry on his marriage to the Portuguese princess, and the islands acquired the name “Bombay.”

In recent years, the city has reclaimed its local name “Mumbai.” Hailed as India’s financial capital and center of her film industry, Mumbai is a city that reflects modern progress and potential. Nariman Point is the hub of economic and financial activity; its skyline has often been compared to Manhattan’s. Mumbai’s docklands comprise the largest port in the entire subcontinent and handle over 25 percent of India’s international trade.

Photograph was taken March 25, 2004, with a Kodak DCS760 digital camera equipped with an 800-mm lens, with information provided by Kamlesh P. Lulla, Earth Observations Laboratory, Johnson Space Center.