Kanpur

Kanpur
Ganga Riverfront Kanpur
CSJM University
City skyline
Mohammadan Orphanage Kanpur
Nicknames: 
Heart of Uttar Pradesh
Leather City of the World
Manchester of the East
Kanpur
Location of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh
Kanpur
Location of Kanpur in India
Coordinates: 26°27′00″N 80°19′55″E / 26.449923°N 80.331874°E / 26.449923; 80.331874
Country India
State Uttar Pradesh
DivisionKanpur Division
DistrictKanpur
Founded byHindu Singh Chandel
Government
 • TypeMunicipal Corporation
 • BodyKanpur Municipal Corporation
 • MayorPramila Pandey (BJP)
 • Municipal commissionerShivasharanappa G N, IAS
Area
 • Kanpur Metro
403 km2 (156 sq mi)
 • Kanpur City260 km2 (100 sq mi)
Elevation
126 m (413 ft)
Population
 (2024)
 • Kanpur Metro
4,581,268 (estimate)
 • Rank12th
 • Density9,800/km2 (25,000/sq mi)
 • Metro
5,230,000 (estimate)
 • Metro rank
11th
Demonym
  • Kanpuriya
Language
 • OfficialHindi
 • Additional officialEnglish, Urdu
 • RegionalKanpuri dialect
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Pincode(s)
2080xx /2092xx
Telephone code+91-512
Vehicle registrationUP-78
GDP Nominal$11 billion
Per capita$2,800 (2.45 lakh)
GDP Nominal (Kanpur Nagar District)₹90,172 crore (2024–25)
Sex ratio932 /1000
Effective literacy rate (2025)86.46%
International StadiumGreen Park
Rapid Transit Kanpur Metro
Domestic AirportKanpur Airport
HDI 0.675 (medium)
WebsiteOfficial website

Kanpur (/kɑːnˈpʊər/ , Hindi pronunciation: [kaːn̪.pʊɾ]), originally named Kanhapur and formerly anglicized as Cawnpore, is the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Founded by Rajput ruler Hindu Singh Chandel, Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations of British Raj.

The city is home to historical monuments such as the Jajmau Ghat which dates back to the 17th century AD. Kanpur is also home to several historical sites such as the Kanpur Museum, Bhitargaon Temple, European Cemetery and Nanarao Park.

It is the 12th most populous city and the 11th most populous urban agglomeration in India (2011 census). Kanpur was an important British garrison town until 1947, when India gained independence. The urban district of Kanpur Nagar serves as the headquarters of the Kanpur division, Kanpur Range and Kanpur Zone.

It was the most populous urban city in the 2011 Indian census and the largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh, while the population of city and its suburbs were around 5 million, making it the eighth-most populous metropolitan area in India.