Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh (ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశం in Telugu) (Āndhra Prādesh), is a state in south-eastern India and is part of the linguistic-cultural region of South India. It lies between 12°41' and 22°N latitude and 77° and 84°40'E longitude, and is bounded by Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Orissa in the north, the Bay of Bengal in the east, Tamil Nadu to the south and Karnataka to the west. Andhra Pradesh is the fifth largest state in India and it forms the major link between the north and the south of India. It is the biggest and most populous state in the south of India. It is considered the rice bowl of India. The state is crisscrossed by two major rivers, the Godavari and Krishna. ("Pradesh" means "region" or "state".)

Geography

Andhra Pradesh can be broadly divided into three regions, namely Coastal Andhra, Telangana and Rayalaseema. Coastal Andhra occupies the coastal plain between Eastern Ghats ranges, which run the length of the state, and the Bay of Bengal. Telangana lies west of the Ghats on the Deccan plateau. The great Godavari and Krishna rivers rise in the Western Ghats of Karnataka and Maharashtra and flow east across Telangana to empty into the Bay of Bengal in a combined river delta. Rayalaseema lies in the southeast of the state on the Deccan plateau, in the basin of the Penner River. It is separated from Telangana by the low Erramala hills, and from Coastal Andhra by the Eastern Ghats.

Related Topics:
Coastal Andhra - Telangana - Rayalaseema - Eastern Ghats - Bay of Bengal - Deccan - Godavari - Krishna - Western Ghats - Karnataka - Maharashtra - River delta - Penner River - Erramala

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The Krishna and Godavari rivers together irrigate thousands of square kilometres of land, and create the largest perennial cultivable area in the country. Andhra Pradesh leads in the production of rice (paddy) and was called India's Rice Bowl.

Related Topics:
Rice - Paddy

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Andhra Pradesh has 23 local administrative districts. The list of several important cities include:

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• Hyderabad is the capital of the state and, along with its twin town of Secunderabad, is the largest city.
• Visakhapatnam is the second largest city, India's fourth largest port, an important Naval Centre and an industrial hub.
• Tirupati features the famous Venkateswara temple, is a major pilgrimage center.
• Vijayawada is an important trading center and a prominent railway junction.
• Guntur is the heart of the tobacco industry.
• Warangal was the capital of the erstwhile Kakatiya dynasty.
• Nellore is famous for its sea food.
• Kurnool was the capital city of the erst-while Andhra state.
• Kakinada is the hub of natural gas exploration and industrial activity.
• Rajahmundry is known for the Godavari barrage which is the largest bridge in the state.