Rajasthan

Date of formation 1948 Capital Jaipur Governor Madan Lal Khurana Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia Area 342,239 km²

Rajasthan (राजस्‍थान) 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 km² (132,139 sq mi; in India also expressed as 3.42 lakh sq.km.). 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 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 %