Guwahati is a major city in eastern India, often considered as the gateway to the North-East Region (NER) of the country and is the largest city within the region. Guwahati is one of the most rapidly growing cities in India. During past few decades it has experienced unprecedented spatial expansion and also steep rise in population. Today, the city straddles between the LGB International Airport in the west to Narengi in the east for almost 45 kilometres and between the southern bank of the Brahmaputra river and the foothills of the Shillong plateau for around 15 kilometres. Moreover, the city is also getting gradually expanded to the northern bank of Brahmaputra. Guwahati with population just 0.2 million in 1971 is a million plus city today. Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), the city's local government covers an area of 216sqkm, while Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), the planning and development authority covers an area of 340sq km
Guwahati is also one of the most beautiful cities in South Asia with the mighty and picturesque Brahmaputra, river islands (e.g. Umananda), beaches, beach-islands (balicapori), thick tropical green cover, natural sweetwater lakes, hills with thick forests and with beautiful and lively native population
