AMBALA

also called Umbala city, northeastern Haryana state, northwestern India, just east of the Ghaggar River. A major grain, cotton, and sugar trade centre, it is connected by road and rail with Delhi and Amritsar (Punjab state). Other rail lines run northward to Simla and Kalka and southeastward to Saharanpur. The city is also served by Ambala Airport. One of India's largest military cantonments, which also houses a commercial centre and an airfield, lies 4 miles (6.5 km) southeast. Economically important industries include cotton ginning, flour milling, food processing, and various manufactures. Cloth weaving and bamboo-furniture making are important handicrafts. Constituted a municipality in 1867, the city and cantonment have a hospital, a government metalworks institute, and several colleges affiliated with Kurukshetra University. The surrounding area is composed predominantly of a fertile alluvial plain. There is some canal irrigation, and grains, gram (chick-pea), cotton, sugarcane, peanuts (groundnuts), and mangoes are the chief crops. Pop. (1991) 119,338.