Top 10 Largest States of India in Terms of Area

The Republic of India contains 28 states and 8 union territories, union territory can be defined as the part of India that is governed directly by the union or the central government unlike states there is no state government legislation in the areas that are categorized as the union territory. The states of Republic India can be categorized according to the area it covers, a common question that arises while studying such a topic is that “which is the largest state in India?” the largest state in India in terms of area in Rajasthan. The states are divided into districts and other smaller administrative divisions.  The power of the state and the duties of a state government is defined and exercised according to the Constitution of India.

Here we have provided a list of the largest state in India in terms of area, or the top 10 largest states in India areawise the article also provides a brief summary of the state that includes geography, census, and cultural heritage.  The list that contains the largest state of India in terms of area is given below.

List of the Largest State in Terms of Area

The list of the top 10 states of the Republic of India that cover the largest area in the subcontinent is mentioned below. An important point to notice here is that list is given according to the census report given by the government of India in 2011. The population of these states varies, for example, the state of Uttar Pradesh has the highest population is regarded as the largest state in terms of population but according to the area of the state, it is in the fourth place following the state of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Rajasthan 

Rajasthan is the largest state in terms of area, the report is given according to the census report of 2011. The state was established on November 1, 1956. The capital of the largest state in India by area, Rajasthan is Jaipur. It is an important state of the Republic of India, the geographical location of the state is defined as a northern state, it is considered in the seventh position in terms of population this is concluded based on the census report of 2011. The area covered by the state is approximately 342,239 square kilometers, which is approximately 132,139 square miles. 

Rajasthan also serves as an important international border, as it shares a border with the neighbouring country of Pakistan from the northwest. The state also shares a border with Sindh to the west, along the Sutlej-Indus river valley.  The state shares border with five Indian States. It shares a border with the state of Punjab to the north; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast. Madhya Pradesh is situated in the southeast while Gujarat is to the southwest. The geographical location is 23.3 to 30.12 North latitude and 69.30 to 78.17 East longitude, with the Tropic of Cancer passing through the state’s southernmost tip.

One of the most important geographical features of the state is its large desert, Rajasthan has the Thar desert. It is also known as the Great Indian desert because this large area of the state is inhospitable. Also, the state is known for its rich historical and cultural heritage, Thar desert is also an important tourist spot. Rajasthan is known for its large historical monuments, some of the most important monuments include, Hawa Mahal of Jaipur, sheesh mahal, the ruins of the Indus Valley Civilisation at Kalibangan, and Balathal. It is also known for the Dilwara Temples, a Jain pilgrimage, the Keoladeo National Park of Bharatpur. It is a World Heritage Site known for its diverse flora and fauna, especially the rich species diversity of birds. The other important wildlife preservation areas of Rajasthan include three national tiger reserves, the Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar, and the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Kota. Rajasthan also is very famous for its only hill station, Mount Abu.

The population of the state ensures its position in the top 10 states in India according to the population, the total population of the state is 6.85 crores according to the census of 2011. The literacy rate of the state is 66.11 %. There is a total of 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state, distributed in a total of 33 districts. 

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is the second-largest state of the Republic of India, the state is associated with a rich cultural heritage. As the name suggests, the state is among the centrally located state of the nation. 1 November 1956 is the date when the state was officially established. The capital of the state is Bhopal. Some of the important districts of the state are as follows, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Ujjain, Satna. Indore is among the important districts of the state. It is evident that M.P is among the top 10 largest states in India areawise but it also holds the fifth position in population following the state of Uttar Pradesh. The area covered by the second largest state of India is 308,252 square kilometers.

The geographical location of the state is defined as the centrally located state. Prior to its establishment in 1956, the capital of the state was Nagpur. Before the year 1956 state included the southern parts of present-day Madhya Pradesh and northeastern parts of Maharashtra. During the establishment in 1956, parts of Madhya Pradesh were joined with the states of Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh, and Bhopal. This led to the formation of Madhya Pradesh. Another important fact about the state is that the state of Chhattisgarh was previously a part of Madhya Pradesh, it was designated as a separate state recently in the year 2000.

The state shares border with Uttar Pradesh from the northeast border, the southeast border is shared by the state of Chhattisgarh. Maharashtra forms the border from the south, Gujarat from the west. The northwest border is marked by the state of Rajasthan. The state has a population of    7.25 crore based on the census of 2011. The Literacy rate of the state is 69.72%. There are 29 Lok Sabha seats that are allocated among 51 districts. 

Maharashtra

It is the third-largest state of the Republic of India according to the area it covers in the subcontinent. It is considered the second most populous state of India following the state of Uttar Pradesh, this data is mentioned according to the census report of 2011 by the government of India. The state is centrally located, the geographical location of the state is defined to be located in the western and central peninsular region of India occupying a substantial landmass of the Deccan Plateau. The state was established on 1 May 1960. The state was formed by partitioning the bilingual state of Bombay State. Bombay State was formed during the independence of India and it had existed since 1956, the state was partitioned into majority Marathi-speaking Maharashtra and Gujarati-speaking Gujarat. During the Indian independence movement, there were two major princely states in Maharashtra, they were Deccan and Kolhapur. 

The state covers up to 307,713 square kilometers, which is approximately equal to 118,809 square miles. The border of the state is shared by the following states an important point to note is that the western side is bordered by the Arabian Sea. the south border is shared by the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa. Telangana borders the southeast and Chhattisgarh to the east. The north border is hared by the states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The Indian union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu borders the northwest of the state.

The state of Maharashtra is considered the most industrialized state. The capital of the state, Mumbai is India's financial and commercial hub the nation. The state has played a significant role in the country's social and political life. The state is considered to be a leader in terms of agricultural and industrial production, trade and transport, and education. Maharashtra is the single largest contributor to the national economy with a share of 15% of the country's GDP.

The state also has an important political history during British Raj as well as prior to British rule. 

State also is known to have rich historical heritage, Shivaji Maharaja prominent figure of Indian history belonged to the state of Maharashtra. The Maratha Empire was a prominent kingdom prior to Indian independence. The state was ruled by various kingdoms including, the Satavahana dynasty, Rashtrakuta dynasty, Western Chalukyas, Deccan sultanates, Mughals, and the British. 

Since the state has such historical heritage, it is also an important center of tourism in India.  The state contains four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are as follows. Ajanta, Ellora, and Elephanta Caves and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus). The district of Pune is known as the 'Oxford of the East because of the presence of several prominent educational institutions. another district called Nashik is known as the 'Wine Capital of India' as it has the largest number of wineries and vineyards in the country.

In conclusion, the various states and union territories have different cultural and historical heritage, the question “Which state is the largest in terms of area” is evidently answered. Rajasthan is the largest state with an area of 342,239 square kilometers, it is followed by Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.