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Explore the state of Maharashtra in India with this interactive map that shows the locations of major cities, attractions, and landmarks. You can zoom in and out, search for places, and get ...
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- Overview
- Relief, drainage, and soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
Maharashtra is a state in India. Its capital is Mumbai. Maharashtra is one of India’s biggest commercial and industrial centres, and it has played a significant role in the country’s social and political life. It is a leader among Indian states in terms of agricultural and industrial production, trade and transport, and education.
Where is Maharashtra located?
Maharashtra occupies a substantial portion of the Deccan plateau in the western peninsular part of the Indian subcontinent. It is bounded by six Indian states to its north, east, and south. A district of the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu union territory and the Arabian Sea are to its west.
What does the word Maharashtra mean?
According to one interpretation, the word Maharashtra is derived from the word maharathi (“great chariot driver”), which refers to a skillful northern fighting force that migrated southward into the area. The word as used to denote the western upland of the Deccan plateau first appeared in a 7th-century inscription and in the account of Xuanzang, a contemporary Chinese traveler.
When was Maharashtra formed?
Maharashtra presents a complex range of physical diversity. To the west is the narrow Konkan coastal lowland, which reaches its widest extent near Mumbai. Numerous minor hills dominate the relief. There are many small, swift, west-flowing streams, most of them less than 50 miles (80 km) long. The biggest, the Ulhas, rising in the Bhor Ghat, joins the sea after an 80-mile (130-km) course.
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The Western Ghats (a mountain range at the western edge of the Deccan plateau; ghat means “pass” in Marathi) run almost continuously for 400 miles (640 km) north-south, with the foothills reaching to within 4 miles (6.4 km) of the Arabian Sea. Elevations increase northward to peaks of some 4,720 feet (1,440 metres). There are a few passes through which roads and railroads link the coast with the interior. The eastern slopes of the Ghats descend gently to the Deccan plateau and are sculptured by the wide mature valleys of the Krishna, Bhima, and Godavari rivers.
Between the Narmada River valley in the north, the Krishna basin in the south, and the western coast to as far east as the city of Nagpur, the Ghats and the triangular plateau inland are covered with extensive lava outpourings called traps. They reach a maximum thickness of some 10,000 feet (3,000 metres) near Mumbai. The differential erosion of lava has resulted in characteristic steppelike slopes, uniform crest lines, and a tabletop appearance of many hills in Maharashtra.
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The climate is subtropical to tropical (depending on elevation) and characteristically monsoonal (i.e., wet-dry), with local variations. India’s southwest monsoonal rains break on the Mumbai coast usually in the first week of June and last until September, during which period they account for about four-fifths of the annual rainfall. Four seasons are normal: March–May (hot and dry), June–September (hot and wet), October–November (warm and dry), and December–February (cool and dry).
The Western Ghats and the ranges on the northern borders greatly influence the climate and separate the wet Konkan Coast from the dry interior upland, an area called the Desh. Rainfall is extremely heavy in Konkan, averaging about 100 inches (2,540 mm), with some of the wettest spots receiving up to 250 inches (6,350 mm), but rapidly diminishes to one-fifth of that amount east of the Ghats. Rainfall increases again in the eastern areas, reaching about 40 to 80 inches (1,000 to 2,000 mm) in the extreme east.
Forests cover less than one-fifth of the state and are confined to the Western Ghats, mainly their transverse ranges, the Satpura Range in the north, and the Chandrapur region in the east. On the coast and adjoining slopes, plant forms are rich with lofty trees, variegated shrubs, and mango and coconut trees. The forests yield teak, bamboo, myrobalan (for dyeing), and other woods.
Thorny savanna-like vegetation occurs in areas of lesser rainfall, notably in upland Maharashtra. Subtropical vegetation is found on higher plateaus that receive heavy rain and have milder temperatures. Bamboo, chestnut, and magnolia are common. In the semiarid tracts, wild dates are found. Mangrove vegetation occurs in marshes and estuaries along the coast.
The map shows a map of Maharashtra with borders, cities and towns, expressways, main roads and streets, and the location of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (IATA code: BOM), Mumbai's international airport and primary airport in Maharashtra. To find a location use the form below.
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Google Map: Searchable map and satellite view of Mumbai, India. City Coordinates: 18°58′30″N 72°49′33″E φ Latitude, λ Longitude (of Map center; move the map to see coordinates):
