Andhra Pradesh

Capital : Hyderabad
Principal Language : Telugu and Urdu
Largest City : Hyderabad
Establishment : October 1, 1953

Districts :

Adilabad | Anantapur | Chittoor | East Godavari | Guntur | Hyderabad | Kadapa | Karimnagar | Khammam | Krishna | Kurnool | Mahbubnagar | Medak | Nalgonda | Nellore | Nizamabad | Prakasam | Rangareddi | Srikakulam | Visakhapatnam | Vizianagaram | Warangal | West Godavari

Major Cities :

Anantapur | Adoni | Chittoor | Kadapa | Eluru | Guntur | Kakinada | Karimnagar | Khammam | Kurnool | Machilipatnam | Nandyal | Nalgonda | Nellore | Nizamabad | Ongole | Proddatur | Ramagundam | Rajahmundry | Sangareddi | Secunderabad | Srikakulam | Tirupati | Vijayawada | Vizianagaram | Visakhapatnam | Warangal

Geography :

Tucked away in southeastern India, Andhra Pradesh rests upon the Bay of Bengal and borders the states of Madhya Pradesh and Orissa to the northeast, Tamil Nadu to the south, Karnataka to the west, and Maharashtra to the northwest. Western Andhra Pradesh sits atop the eastern Deccan Plateau, which slopes towards the Bay of Bengal, while fertile deltas created by the state’s major rivers (the Godavari and the Krishna) mark the eastern coast’s terrain.

Important Cities - Towns and Religious - Tourist Place :

Adilabad, Anantpur, Adoni, Bheemavaram, Chittoor, Cuddapah, Eluru, Guntur, Hyderabad (Birla Mandir, Charminar [majestic four-minarest monument built in 1591 Ad], Salajung Museum, Golconds Fort [once the legendary fort, the capital of Qutub Shabi kings who ruled the surrounding territories from 1518 to 1687 Ad], Mecca Masjuid [started in 1687 AD by Abdullab Qutub Shab and completed by Aurangzeb when be annexed Golonda kingdom], Naubat pabad [two billocks; one is the site of banging garden and the other marble temple of Lord Sri Venkateswara], Nehru Zoological Park, Osmansagar 9beaautiful lake formed by damming the river Musi], Hussainsagar Lake [separating Hyderabad and Secunderabad cities; a giant statue of Lord Gautama Buddha of a height of 60 feet is erected on the Gibraltar rock here], Tombs of Qutab Shabi Kings), Kakinada, Karimnagar, Khammam, Kurnool, Machilipatnam, Mahaboobnagar, Nagarjunakonda (Buddha Stupa), Nagarjuna Sagar, Nalgonda, Nellore, Nizamabad, Ongole, Proddaturm Puttaparthi (Ashram of Sri Satya Sai Baba), RajaHmundry, Sangareddy, Srikakulam, Tenali, Tirupati (the holiest Hindu place of South India known for Lord Sri Venkateswara Temple located in a hillock which typifies the early Dravidian Architecture), vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Yadagirigutta (Sri Lakshminarasimha Swamy Temple).

Climate :

For the most part, the state is characterized by a tropical climate. Most parts of Andhra Pradesh are hot and humid year-round. Specific temperatures and rainfalls vary throughout the state; particular regions are often quite dry for entire seasons. Monsoon rains bring added summer precipitation. In general, the plateau regions experience a slightly cooler, drier climate.

Location :

Located in South India, Andhra Pradesh is bounded by Tamil Nadu in the south - Orissa in the northeast Maharashtra and Chhattoisgarh in the north east-Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh in the northeastern Maharashtra and Karnataka in the west and buy the Bay of Bengal in the east.

Culture :

The celebrations and festivals of Andhra Pradesh reflect the diversity of its people. Hindu festivals such as Dasara, Deepavali, Sri Ramanavami, etc… are widely celebrated. Major Muslim and Christian holidays like Bakrid, Id-ul-Fitr, Christmas, and Easter are also observed. However, the celebrations of Ugadi (the Telugu New Year), Sankranti, Dasara, and Vinayaka Chavithi are almost exclusive to the state. Rice is the staple food of Andhra Pradesh. Chillies, Andhra pickle, and Gongura chutneys distinguish the state’s cuisine from much of India. Traditional dance and drama has also been an important part of the state’s culture. Andhra Pradesh’s major contribution to dance is the combination of music and abhinaya (acting solely through body language, not words) known as Kuchipudi. Sadly, the dawn of the cinema marked the recession of drama.

History :

Andhra Pradesh was constituted as separate State on October 1, 1953 on the partition of Madras Presidency and consisted of the undisputed Telugu-speaking area of that State. To this region was added on November 1,1956 the Telangana area of the former Hyderabad State, Comprising the districts of Hyderabad, Medak, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal. Khamman, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar, parts of the Adilabad district, and some taluks of the Raichur, Gulbar and Bidar districts, and some revenue circles of the Nanded district. On April 1, 1960, 573.43 sq km (221.4sq miles) in the Chingleput to Andhra Pradesh in exchange for 1,062 sq km (4110 sq miles) from Chittoor district. The District of Prakasam was formed on February 2, 1970. Hyderabad was split into two districts on August 15, 1978. A new district, Vizianagaram, Was formed in 1979.

Economy :

For about 70 percent of the people of Andhra Pradesh, agriculture is the main occupation. About 40 percent of the cultivated area is irrigated. Important crops of the State are rice, jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, small millets, pulses, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, groundnut and bananas. The State is surplus in respect of rice. The state accounts for about 55 percent of the country's entire production of castor and 94 percent of the Virginia tobacco. Forests cover about 23 percent of State's area. Important forest products are teak and other country wood, eucalyptus, cashew, casuarina, bamboo, soft wood, etc. Andhra Pradesh has a virtual monopoly of quality 'Chrysotile asbestons' in the country. It accounts for about 98 percent of India's total production of barytes. Other important minerals found in the State are copper ore, managnese, mica, coal and limestone. In respect of manganese or production, the state ranks sixth in the country. It also ranks second in respect of mica and limestone production. The famous Singareni cola mines are located in Andhra Pradesh, which supply coal to the entire south India. The State Government is also promoting Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Hyderabad. Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam are the main centres of several major industries. They are known for the production of machine tools, synthetic drugs. Pharmaceuticals, electronic equipment, aeronautical parts, electronic equipment, aeronautical parts, cement, chemicals, asbestos, cement products and glass. Besides them, there are 2,539 large and medium size industries in the State which employ over seven lakh persons.

States and Union Territories of India