It alternates with Mumbai as the seat of the state legislature. The city is situated on the Nag River. As a result, many of Nagpur's industries produce transportation equipment. The city also makes a variety of other metal products.
Local deposits yield manganese and coal.
The region around Nagpur is an orange-growing area. The city was founded in the early 1700's. In 1861, the British established Nagpur as the capital of the Central Provinces. The city developed as a commercial and industrial center after the completion of the Great India Peninsula Railway in 1867. The improved transport facilities led to the introduction of a cotton crop and a textile mill to the region.