detailed factual overview
GENERAL OVERVIEW
- City Name: Agra
- State: Uttar Pradesh
- Division: Agra Division
- District: Agra
- Founded By: Though its origins trace back to ancient times, it was established in its modern form by Sikandar Lodi in 1504
- Fame: Home to the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World
GEOGRAPHY
- Location: Northwestern Uttar Pradesh, along the Yamuna River
- Coordinates: 27.1767° N, 78.0081° E
- Elevation: ~171 meters (561 feet) above sea level
- Area: ~188.40 km² (municipal area)
- Climate:
- Type: Semi-arid (hot summers, mild winters)
- Average Summer Temperature: 30–46°C
- Winter Temperature: 7–18°C
- Rainfall: ~600 mm annually (mostly in monsoon)
DEMOGRAPHICS
- Population (2023 est.): ~2.3 million (23 lakh)
- Urban Agglomeration: ~2.6 million
- Literacy Rate: ~73.1% (approx.)
- Sex Ratio: ~864 females per 1000 males
- Languages:
- Official: Hindi
- Additional Official: Urdu
- Spoken: Hindi, Braj Bhasha, English
ADMINISTRATION
- Municipal Body: Agra Municipal Corporation (AMC)
- District Collector (DM): Appointed by Govt. of UP
- Police: Agra Police Commissionerate
- Parliamentary Constituency: Agra Lok Sabha seat
- Civic Wards: Over 90 municipal wards
ECONOMY
- Major Sectors:
- Tourism: A global tourism hotspot (Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri)
- Leather Industry: Agra is one of India’s largest leather product exporters
- Footwear Industry: Agra is often called the "Shoe Capital of India"
- Handicrafts: Marble inlay work (Pietra Dura), carpets, brassware
- IT & BPOs: Emerging sector in outskirts
- Agra Export Zones:
- Found in areas like Trans Yamuna, UPSIDC industrial zones
- Key exports: leather goods, marble souvenirs, textiles, shoes
TRANSPORT & CONNECTIVITY
Air:
- Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Airport (Agra Airport, Kheria):
- Domestic airport with flights to major cities
- Also serves as a military airbase
- Proposed: New Greenfield International Airport under development in Agra region
Rail:
- Main Stations:
- Agra Cantt (AGC) – Primary station
- Agra Fort, Raja Ki Mandi, Idgah, Tundla (nearby)
- Connected to Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Mumbai via multiple superfast and express trains (like Gatimaan Express)
Road:
- Yamuna Expressway: Agra–Noida–Greater Noida (6-lane expressway)
- Agra–Lucknow Expressway
- NH-19 (Old NH-2) and NH-44 pass through Agra
- Distance from Delhi: ~230 km
- State Bus Services: UPSRTC buses and private buses connect to major cities
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
- Smart City Mission: Agra is part of India’s Smart Cities initiative
- Major Urban Areas:
- Civil Lines
- Fatehabad Road
- Tajganj
- Dayal Bagh
- Shahganj
- Sikandra
- Khandari
- Real Estate Growth: Expanding due to tourism, expressways, and educational zones
EDUCATION
- Major Universities & Institutions:
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University (Agra University)
- Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI)
- St. John’s College
- Agra College
- Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET)
- Sarojini Naidu Medical College
- Schools: St. Peter’s, St. George’s, DPS, Army Public School, Ryan International
HEALTHCARE
- Major Hospitals:
- SN Medical College
- Pushpanjali Hospital
- United Medicity Hospital
- Sarvodaya Hospital
- Agra Heart Centre
- Government and private hospitals, along with AYUSH facilities, operate throughout the city
TOURISM & HERITAGE
Agra is one of the most visited cities in India due to its Mughal architecture.
Major Attractions:
- Taj Mahal: UNESCO World Heritage Site, built by Shah Jahan for Mumtaz Mahal
- Agra Fort: UNESCO site, royal residence of Mughal emperors
- Fatehpur Sikri: Abandoned Mughal city, UNESCO site
- Itmad-ud-Daulah Tomb: Often called the "Baby Taj"
- Mehtab Bagh: Garden offering Taj views across Yamuna
- Akbar’s Tomb (Sikandra)
- Chini Ka Rauza and Ram Bagh
