Rajasthan
Rajasthan is a
state in northwestern
India. It borders
Pakistan to the west,
Gujarat to the southwest,
Madhya Pradesh to the southeast,
Uttar Pradesh and
Haryana to the northeast and
Punjab to the north. Rajasthan covers an area of 342,239 sq km (132,139 sq mi). Population in 2000 numbered 56,000,000.
The state capital is
Jaipur. Geographical features include the
Thar Desert and the termination of the
Ghaggar River. Also one of the oldest mountain ranges, the Aravalli Range, which cradles the only hill station of
Rajasthan,
Mount Abu and the world famous
Dilwara Temples. In contrast to the vast
Thar Desert it has two national tiger reserves, 'Ranthambhore' and 'Sariska' and 'Ghana Bird Sanctuary' at Bharatpur.
Area 3.42 lakh sq.km. Land under irrigation totals 46.5 million hac. Population 56.47 million (2001 Census) Cities and Towns: 222. Major cities:
Jaipur, Jodhpur,
Udaipur, Kota,
Ajmer,
Bikaner, Bhilwara,
Alwar. Roads 61,520 km. ( 2,846 km National Highway). Four national highways cross Rajasthan : Delhi - Ahmedabad, Agra-Bikaner, Jaipur-Bhopal and Bhatinda- Kandla. Climate: Generally dry with monsoon during July-August. Districts: 33. Languages: English and Hindi commonly used, as well as indigenous
Rajasthani languages. Literacy 61.03 %
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