Kakinada

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Kakinada () is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located east of the state capital, Hyderabad. It is also the headquarters of East Godavari district. It is nicknamed "Fertilizer City" (owing to the large concentration of fertilizer plants), "Pensioner's Paradise" and "Second Madras" (as it is well planned and peaceful). The city had an urban population of 376,861 in 2001, making it the eighth largest city in Andhra Pradesh by population. It is spread over an area of 190&nbsp;km², making it the fifth largest city in the state by area.

Kakinada is part of a Special Economic Zone and a proposed "Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR)". It is a hub to all the deep sea exploratory activity in the region due to its deep-water sea port and its proximity to the gas fields.

Etymology

Several theories exist regarding the origin of the name Kakinada. One is that the place was called 'Kakinandiwada' during the reign of Nandi kings who ruled prior to the arrival of the Europeans and the name was truncated to Kakinada over time. The British used to call it Cocanada (pronounced "Co Canada"). After Independence, the name was renaturalized to Kakinada, although a few organisations established during the British colonial rule retain the old...
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