Surat, city and port in western India, in Gujarat State, on the Gulf of Khambhāt near the mouth of the Tapti River. The city is a centre for inlaid work and for the manufacture of carpets, textiles, gold and silver thread, soap, and paper. Under the Mughal emperors of the 16th and 17th centuries, Surat was the leading seaport and commercial centre of India. The city thrived until the 19th century, when much of its commerce was diverted to Bombay, which had better harbour facilities. In 1612 the first English factory in India was established in Surat by the East India Company; until 1687 the city was the seat of British government in India. In 1796 the population reputedly totalled 800,000. Surat than greatly declined in importance, but revived again starting in the late 19th century. Thousands began to flee the city in September 1994 when an outbreak of pneumonic plague struck the city. Population 2,811,466 (2001).