Surat: As a Major Port-Town of Gujarat and its Trade History

Abstract

A port is a place, where people, goods and culture are transferred between land and maritime space. It is a mingle point of ocean and inland transport. A harbor is the essential transit point for the volume of the trade, permitting the imports of goods, which were not in a sufficient amount and the export of items which the country has an excess or has a competitive edge to produce contributing to the progress of its economy. The effectiveness of a port is important in international trade since a seaport is the nerve of foreign trade of a country. Surat is an ancient city and port by all evidence and had been through centuries a centre of maritime trade. The city was very populous and full of merchants. The city had a very considerable number of foreign settlers. Apart from the Europeans, there were Turks, Jews, Arabians, Persians and Armenians. Surat was a great port and commercial centre. The 17 th century was an era of the prosperity for the city of Surat. The two great sources that contributed to the wealth and prosperity of the city were foreign commerce and domestic manufactures. Surat was a commercial emporium, besides such commodities as indigo, spices and cloths, many important goods imported from Europe were sold in its markets.