According to data from the 2011 Census of India, Guntur had a population of 743,354 in that year, making it the third-most-populous city in the state,[2] and occupies 159.46 square kilometres (61.57 square miles) of land.The city is the heartland of the state, located in the center of Andhra Pradesh and making it a central part connecting different regions.

[6] Guntur serves as a major hub for the export of chilli, cotton and tobacco, and has the largest chilli-market yard in Asia.

In Sanskrit documents, Guntur was referred to as Garthapuri; in Telugu, "Guntlapuri" means "a place surrounded by water ponds".

[13] The earliest reference to Guntur is found in inscriptions by Ammaraja I (922–929 CE), the Vengi Chalukyan king.

[15] The British East India Company took over the Kondaveedu Fort in 1788 and abandoned it in the early 19th century in favour of Guntur, which was made the headquarters of a district named after it.

[citation needed] The city rapidly became a major market for agricultural produce from the surrounding countryside due to the opening of the railway link in 1890.

In 2012, the city limits were expanded with the merger of surrounding ten villages, namely Nallapadu, Pedapalakaluru, Ankireddipalem, Adavitakkellapadu, Gorantla, Pothuru, Chowdavaram, Etukuru, Budampadu and Reddypalem.

[19] Guntur is the place of discovery of helium they discoverd this in 1869 from observations of the solar eclipse of 18 August 1868 by the French astronomer Pierre Janssen.

There are few hills in the surrounding suburban areas and Perecherla Reserve Forest is located in the city's north-west.

Guntur lies approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Amaravati, the capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Rain storms and cyclones are common in the region during the rainy season, which starts with the monsoons in early June.

[30] One of the supposedly lost tribes of Israel called Bene Ephraim has a presence in Guntur; there is a Jewish synagogue at Kothareddypalem near Chebrolu.

[50] Summer storage tanks are located in Sangam Jagarlamudi, and Vengalayapalem reservoir is the other source of water to the city.

[51] The city's electricity is provided by Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL).

[52] Guntur police uses surveillance and central monitoring control systems with high-resolution cameras at important traffic junctions.

[63] The city observes many festivals such as Rama Navami,[64] Hanuman Jayanthi,[65] Maha Shivaratri,[66] Vinayaka Chavithi,[67] Vijaya Dasami,[68] Deepawali,[69] Holi,[70] Ugadi,[71] Eid,[72] Krishnastami,[73] Christmas,[74] Karthika Pournami.

Other major areas of the city are Koretapadu, Navabharath Nagar, Pattabhipuram, Syamalanagar and Vidyanagar, Autonagar, Gorantla, Pedapalakaluru, Nallapadu, Budampadu and Chowdavaram.

[81] Tourist attractions in Guntur include the Sri Ganga Parvathi Sametha Agastheswara Temple.

In the old city, notable sites include Gandhi Park, the Baudhasree architectural museum, Nagaravanam, and NTR Manasa Sarovaram.

It holds historical significance with inscriptions in the ancient "Naga Lipi" script, dating back to 1100 AD.

[85] This impressive heritage structure features six pillars and an open dome, showcasing typical architectural styles of Muslim design from that era.

[93] Efforts to reduce plastic use in the city and replace it with environment-friendly materials like jute, paper and cloth have been made.

[94] In 2021, United Nations Human Settlement Program planners recommended implementation of larger parks, mass transit with metro trains and electric bus systems, and improvements to city expansion plans.

[95] Local transport in Guntur includes privately operated auto rickshaws, taxi cabs, minibuses and government-run APSRTC buses.

[96][97][98] Auto rickshaws operating on a sharing basis are the cheapest form of transport for students and workers.

[106] NH16, part of Asian Highway 45 and Golden Quadrilateral with Guntur Bypass connects to Chennai and Kolkata on the east coast of India.

[113] MEMU and local train services between Guntur and Vijayawada are used by thousands of university students and public.

[124] Several higher education institutes such as Vignan's Foundation for Science, Technology & Research, Katuri Medical College, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalagiri, Acharya Nagarjuna University and Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University have campuses near the city.

[130] The Hindu, The New Indian Express, The Hans India and Deccan Chronicle are a few of the English-language daily newspapers that are circulated in Guntur.

[142] International sports personalities from Guntur include cricketer Ambati Rayudu[143] and badminton player Srikanth Kidambi.