The state of Gujarat lies on the western coast of India. In fact, it is the westernmost state in India and is bordered by Pakistan and Rajasthan in the north east, Madhya Pradesh in the east, and Maharashtra and the Union territories of Diu, Daman, Dadra and Nagar Haveli in the south. The Arabian Sea borders the state both to the west and the south west. The geographical location of Gujrat is between 20° 6' N t° 24° 42' N north latitude and 68° 10'E to 74° 28'E east longitude Gujarat is one of the most industrialized states and of the fastest growing economies in India. Gujarat as an independent state came into existence on 1st May 1960. The presence of major ports made Gujarat a major center of trade and commerce right from the ancient times. One of the oldest ports in the world, Lothal, is located in Gujarat. Gujarat gets its name from Gujjars, who ruled the area during the 700's and 800's. The people of Gujarat are know as the Gujaratis. Gujarati is the official language of Gujrat. Kutchi language is widely spoken in the Kutchch region of the state. Marathi is also spoken by people in some areas of Gujarat.

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Gujarat Geography

Gujarat is situated on the west coast of Indian peninsula. The state is bound by the Arabian Sea on the west, Pakistan and Rajasthan in the north and northeast, Maharashtra in the south and Madhya Pradesh in the southeast. Gujarat is spread across an area of 196077 sq.km. With a coastline stretching over 1290 kilometers along the Arabian Sea, Gujarat has the longest coastline among Indian states. The geography of Gujarat divides the state into 3 based on the physiography of the state:

  • Kutch
  • Saurashtra
  • Kathiawad

Kutch represents the northwestern region of the state. The Rann of Kutch falls in this region. A speciality of the Rann of Kutchch is that the area gets submerged in water during rainy season and during other seasons it becomes completely dry. The Saurashtra region consists mainly of hilly tract sprinkled with low mountains. The mainland extending from the Rann of Kutch and the Aravalli Hills to the river Damanganga is on the whole a level plain of alluvial soil.
Narmada, Sabarmati, Tapi, Purna, Damanganga, Rukmavati, etc,.. are the main rivers that flow through the state of Gujarat.
Only less than 10% of the total land area of Gujarat is covered by forest. Gir forests in Gujarat is the only place in India where one can find Asiatic Lions.

Climate of Gujarat

Gujarat has a very diverse climatic condition. While the southern regions have a moist climate, the northern regions of Gujarat have a dry climate. Though the state lies in the tropic region, Gujarat's proximity to the Arabian sea reduce the climatic extremes and make the climate more pleasant, comfortable and healthy. The climate of Gujarat can be divided into 3 seasons

  • Summer
  • Winter
  • Monsoons

The summer season in Gujarat starts from the month of March and lasts till May. During this season, temperature during day time can go upto 41° C and night temperature will be around 30° C. Gujarat summers are extremely dry and humid. During winter, Gujarat has a pleasant climate. Winters are mild and dry and the temperature during winter averages 29°C during day time and 12°C during night time. Winter season in Gujarat starts in November and lasts till February. Monsoon season in Gujarat starts in June and during this period the southern region of the state receives an average rainfall ranging from 76 to 152cms. The northern region receives around 51 to 102cms of rainfall during monsoon.

Tourism in Gujarat

Gujarat Tourism has a lot to offer to any person visiting the state. Gujarat has the longest coastline than any other state in India. There are several beaches along this coastline and Gujarat has some of the finest beaches in India which serves as ideal destination for beach tourism. Apart from beaches, Gujarat has many places of religious and cultural importance. Dwaraka, Somanath, Pawagadh, Bhadreswar, Shamlaji, the Jain temples at Taranga etc are few places frequently visited by pilgrims and tourists. There are several monuments and forts with historical importance depicting the splendor of ancient architecture. Gujarat is also famous for the Gir forests which is the last retreat of the Asiatic Lions. The best time to visit Gujarat is during the Months of October and March.

Basic information the State of Gujarat, India

Given below are some of the very basic information about the state of Gujarat.

Capital of GujaratGandhinagar
Came into existance on1st May 1960
Geographical Location of Gujarat20° 6' N t° 24° 42' N north latitude and 68° 10'E to 74° 28'E east longitude
Area196077 sq.km
Number of Districts26
Population55,696,629 persons
Density of population258 per sq.km.
Literacy69.97%
Languages spoken in gujaratGujarati
State Bird Greater flamingo
State AnimalGaur
State TreeAsiatic lion
Airports in Gujarat
  • Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport
  • Bhavnagar Airport Bhavnagar Airport, 9 km from the city of Bhavnagar.
  • Bhuj Airport (Shyamji Krishna Verma, Bhuj Airport) - Located in Bhuj City
  • Jamnagar Airport - Located 10 km from the Jamnagar City
  • Kandla Airport (Gandhidham) - Located at Kandla, near Gandhidham, in Kutchh district
  • Keshod Airport (Junagadh) Keshod Airport is found 3 km from Keshod city in Junagadh District.
  • Porbandar Airport - Located 5 km from Porbandar city.
  • Rajkot Airport - 4 km from the city of Rajkot.
  • Surat Airport - Recently Opened.
  • Vadodara Airport - Domestic Airport in Vadodara City

Gujarat State, India - Information

Get complete information about the westernmost Indian State of Gujarat. Know more about Gujarat Geography, Gujarat Climate, Gujarat Tourism etc...Political Map of Gujarat to understand the political features of the country.