THANA

also spelled Thane, town, Maharashtra state, western India, at the mouth of the Thana River and head of the Ulhas Estuary, northeast of Bombay. The town is primarily a residential suburb of Bombay, though it has a large industrial complex, including an industrial estate, with chemical, engineering, and textile industries, and is the divisional headquarters of the state road-transport service. There are a fort, two Christian churches, and many historical buildings. The surrounding region is generally undulating, with spurs of the Ghats reaching to the sea. The hills are interspersed with short, swift rivers, including the Ulhas and the Vaitarna. It receives the full impact of the southwest monsoon in summer and has reliable and heavy rains. The area is primarily an agricultural region for Bombay. Chief crops are rice, millet, and fruits and vegetables. Pop. (1981) town, 309,897; metropolitan area, 389,801.