Pune is also known as the cultural capital of Maharshtra; formerly it was called Punavadi or Poona. Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra.

Marathi and Hindi are the two main languages that are spoken in Pune. English is also widely spoken and understood. The largely cosmopolitan population also speaks Gujarati, and other Indian languages. Pune is located at 18°32′ North 72° 51′ east. Click here for a satellite view. It is situated near the Western margin of the Deccan Plateau. It lies on the leeward side of the Sahyadri ranges and Western Ghats, 560 m (1837 ft) above the sea level, at the confluence of Mula and Mutha rivers.

Pune has experienced some moderate-intensity and many low-intensity earthquakes. Although earthquakes were not known to have originated in Pune itself, an earthquake of magnitude 3.2 took place in the Katraj region near Pune on 17 May 2004. Pune experiences three distinct seasons: summer, monsoon and winter. Typical summer months are from March to May. As the monsoon winds recede, the day temperatures rise again in October with cooler nights signalling the onset of winter. Pune experiences winter from November to February. This is the best season to visit Pune. Pleasant windy days, clear skies and cool nights make it the most enjoyable time of the year.

Pune is a major industrial centre, growing very fast every year. Pune has a burgeoning software industry, thanks to the presence of IT parks like Rajiv Gandhi IT Park at Hinjewadi, Magarpatta Cybercity, MIDC Software Technology Park at Talawade, Marisoft IT Park at Kalyaninagar, International Convention Center (ICC), Weikfield IT Park etc. Many of India's major software players such as Infosys, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, Sasken, Calsoft, Cybage.

People of Pune are known to be food-lovers. Bhakarwadi - a spicy fried roll, Mastani, Laxminarayan Chide are some of the most popular food items. These have are very popular and have become synonymous with the city. Religion in Pune is sometimes synonymous with the Ganapati utsav i.e. Ganesh Festival. The city is also famous for its Ganesh temples.Chaturshrungi goddess is the reigning deity of the city of Pune.

A temple dedicated to the goddess is situated on the slopes of a mountain in the northwest part of the city. The temple is in the midst of nature's scenic beauty. This ninety feet high and one hundred and twenty five feet wide temple is looked after by Chatushringi Devasthan (Temple) trustees, with full dedication. In the month of September there is a huge procession for the Navaratris and people flock in to visit and receive blessings of the Goddess. Pune is the largest center for Japanese learning in India too.