Agra

Located on the banks of the river Yamuna, Agra is a city in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. While the national capital Delhi lies 200 km to its north, the state capital Lucknow is located 363 km to its east.

Agra is a major tourist spot on the world map. One of the wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal is situated here, and attracts great number of tourists from across the globe. Other major tourist attractions in the city are the Fatehpur Sikri and Red Fort, which along with the Taj Mahal are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Nationally, Agra lies on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, with Delhi and Jaipur completing the triangle.

Historically, Agra was a very important city. It was the capital of Hindustan under the Mughal rule. Three of the great Mughal emperors, namely Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan ruled from Agra until Shah Jahan shifted his capital to Shahjahanabad (Delhi).

Even today, Agra is still a very important city on the map, mainly for its historical significance and tourism.

Stats And Facts

• As per the provisional reports of census 2011, the population of Agra stands at 15,74,542. The metropolitan population, on the other hand, is 17,46,467.
• Agra registers a sex ratio of 853 per 1000 males. And the child sex ratio is 772 per 1000 boys.
• The average literacy rate in Agra stands at 63.44%. The female and male literacy rates are 58.54% and 67.67%.
• The city of Agra is the administrative headquarters of the Agra district.
• Hindi, Urdu, and English are the primary languages spoken here.
• Agra was referred to as Agrevana in the epic Mahabharata.
• Hinduism, Islam, and Jainism are the major religions practiced here.
• The important festivals celebrated in Agra are Eid-ul-Fitr, Diwali, Eid-ul-Adha, Taj Mahotsav, and Muharrum.

Economy of Agra: Agriculture, Industry, and Tourism

• The economy of Agra is primarily agriculture-based. Wheat, Paddy, Bajra, and Mustard are the major crops.
• Industry is a strong contributor to Agra’s economy, accounting for about 40% of the total economy.
• Approximately 7000 small-scale industry units are known to operate out of Agra. Iron foundries are popular, and the automobile industry is well established.
• As a city that houses one of the wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, and a host of other historical monuments, tourism brings in significant revenue for the city.

Connectivity

• Agra Airport, also known as Kheria Air Force Station, is a public airport and air force military base serving the city of Agra. Air India caters to this airport and has flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, and Khajuraho.
• Agra has an outstanding connectivity by rail. It lies on the central train line between Delhi and Chennai as well as Delhi and Mumbai. Numerous trains, such as Bhopal Express, Tamil Nadu Express, Gondwana Express, Jabalpur-Jammutawi Express, connect Agra to most of the major cities across the country. Direct rail connectivity also exists to eastern Indian cities like Kolkata. Three railway stations serve Agra.
• Agra is a strategically located city with respect to road connectivity. Agra connects to as many as six highways in the country, with three national highways and one expressway originating from Agra. The major roads are NH-2 and the Yamuna Expressway. Four major bus stands, namely Idgah Bus Stand, Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT), Taj Depot, and Ford Depot connect Agra to other major cities in India.
• The local transport comprises buses operated by the Agra Nagar Nigam, rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, and tongas.