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Maharashtra
Maharastra
is a land of diverse tourist interest. It is one of the
largest states in India both in terms of population and
area. It is the most fascinating region of India. It's
capital Mumbai makes it not only one of the most important
states economically, but also a major arrival point for
overseas tourists. Nature has bestowed on Maharastra with
beautiful hill stations, palm-shaded golden beaches,
placid lakes, variety of wildlife. It is a land of old
fortresses, rock cut caves rich with murals and sculpture,
hill resorts, beaches, amimals and bird sanctuaries.
Capital
: Mumbai
Language : Marathi,Hindi, Gujarati,English
Temperature : Summer 22 C-39 C, Winter 12 C-33 C
Tourist season : Sep-Apr (Coast), All year(Hill
Station)
Airports : Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Nashik,
Sholapur
Mode Transport : Excellent Air, Rail and Road links
are available for travel within the state and around.
Physical Features
As far as the geography of Maharashtra goes, much of the
state consists of the high Deccan plateau, which is
separated from the straight Konkan coastline by 'Ghats'.
The Ghats are a succession of steep hills, periodically
bisected by narrow roads, and which are often crowned by
medieval forts. Given their altitude, it is not surprising
that the Ghats are home to the state's hill stations.
One of the three major regions of the state is the
Sahyadri range with an elevation of 1000 meters. The
unique feature of this region is a series of crowning
plateau.
Lying between the Arabian Sea and the Sahyadri Range,
Konkan is narrow coastal lowland, just 50 km wide and with
an elevation below 200 meters.
The third important region is the Satpura hills along the
northern border, and the Bhamragad-Chiroli-Gaikhuri ranges
on the eastern border form physical barriers preventing
easy movement. These ranges also serve as natural limits
to the state.
Climate
The climate of Maharashtra is moderate, with variations in
temperature ranging between 16°C and 35°C. July to
September are the months when monsoon lashes this state
with good rainfall. This does not mean that the whole
state gets uniform rainfall; a large part of inner
Maharashtra remains dry in comparison to other areas under
the rain shadow of the Sahyadri.
Flora and Fauna
Total area under forest cover in Maharashtra is only 17%.
Majority of the forests are in the eastern and Sahyadri
regions of the state. Maharashtra has five national parks,
three game reserves, and 24 wildlife/bird sanctuaries.
These range from the Borivili National Park, surrounded by
the Mumbai suburbs, to the Melghat Tiger Reserve, high up
in the north of the state.
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