Gujarat is the most industrialized state in India after
Maharashtra and is located in western India, bordered by
Pakistan to the northwest and Rajasthan to the north. Its
capital is Gandhinagar, a planned city close to Ahmedabad,
the former state capital and the commercial center of Gujarat.
The state of Gujarat was created on May 1, 1960, out of
the northern, predominantly Gujarati-speaking portion of
Bombay state. The southern, predominantly Marathi-speaking
portion of Bombay state became Maharashtra.
Gujarat has become one of the fastest-growing states in
the country; Gujarat had an average per capita income of
Rs. 9,289.10, compared to Rs. 6400, the average for all
Indian states.
Gujarat has given India three of the most prominent leaders
in the independence movement: Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel, and Morarji Desai. Gujaratis have also been leaders
in the arts and the sciences; Vikram Sarabhai, a Gujarati,
was the father of India's space program. They are, however,
mostly noted for their entrepreneurial spirit.
Gujarat is the westernmost state of India. It is bounded
by the Arabian Sea to the west, by the state of Rajasthan
to the north and northeast, by Madhya Pradesh to the east,
and by Maharashtra to the south and southeast.
The Hazira belt extending from Surat alongside South Gujarat
is known as the Golden Belt of India. Gujarat is also home
of world's largest grassroots refinery Reliance Petroleum
Ltd situated in Jamnagar. Surat in South Gujarat is known
as diamond hub of India.
The relief is low in most of the state. The climate is
mostly dry, and even desertic in the north-west. But with
the construction of the largest dam in India, Sardar Sarovar,
irrigation facilities have improved immensely and now water
is provided to the driest areas of Kutch and Saurashtra
via 550 km long canal, an engineering miracle.
Gujarat has about 1600 km of coastline and it is the longest
coastline of all Indian states. This coastline includes
the Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Cambay.
