Surat (Gujarati: ), also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's eighth most populous city and ninth populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper is the third cleanest city in India. Surat is Gujarat's second largest city with a population of 4.5 million. Surat ranks fourth in a global study of fastest developing cities conducted by The City Mayors Foundation, an international think tank on urban affairs. It is the fastest growing Indian city in terms of economic prosperity. The city has registered an annualised GDP growth rate of 11.5 per cent over the past seven[20012008] fiscal years, according to the data compiled by economic research firm Indicus Analytics. The city is located 306km south of state capital Gandhinagar, and is situated on the left bank of the Tapti River (Tapi), the centre being around 22km (14mi)...
