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Maharashtra

Date of formation May 1, 1960
Capital Mumbai
Largest City Mumbai
Governor Mohammad Fazal
Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde
Area 308,000 kmē
Population
 - Total
 - Density
Ranked 2nd in India
96,752,247 (2001)
322.5/km²
Literacy rate:
 - Total
 - Male
 - Female

77.27%
86.27%
67.51%
Urbanization: 42.11%
GSDP growth rate: 4.0% (2002-03)

Maharashtra is a state in western India. The basis for creation (demarcation) of the state in its present form on May 1, 1960 was linguistic majority (Marathi). Its population was 96,752,247 (2nd most populous state in India) as per provisional results of Census of India, 2001. Its capital is Mumbai, the economic powerhouse of India.

Only 11 countries of the world have a population greater than Maharashtra.

Maharashtra is the no. 1 state in India in terms of getting foreign investment getting 17% of all foreign direct investment in India. 32% of all exports from India are from the state of Maharashtra as per economic survey of Government of Maharashtra in 2002-03.

Table of contents
1 Timeline
2 Geography
3 Economy
4 Demographics
5 Culture
6 Transport and Communications
7 Tourism
8 Miscellaneous

Timeline

See also: Shivaji, Social Reform Movement in Maharashtra

Geography

It has Goa and Karnataka to its south, Andhra Pradesh to its southeast, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to its north, Chhattisgarh to its east, and the Arabian Sea to its west.

Other cities include:

Rivers include:

Economy

Maharashtra is one of the most advanced states in India, boasting a strong industrialized economy, and the largest power production and consumption in the nation.

Main items of export from Maharashtra

Demographics

See: Konkani, Marathi language

Culture

The Indian film industry, commonly called Bollywood (the largest film industry in the world), is centered here.

It has a glorious history, and has given birth to great warriors, like Shivaji, and Bajirao, and to national leaders, including M. G. Ranade and Lokamanya Tilak.

Transport and Communications


Total road length: 266,000 km.
Total railroad length: 5,459 km. (8.6% of total railroad length in India)
Number of telephone lines: 6.074 million

Tourism

List of prominent shrines in Maharashtra

List of hill stations

Miscellaneous

Government resources

Colleges and universities

AIDS

16.7% of AIDS cases in India are from Maharashtra. This means that incidence of AIDS in Maharashtra is 67% higher the average prevalence in India.