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Gujarat is situated in the
west coast of India. The state is bounded by the Arabian sea on the west,
Pakistan and Rajasthan in the north and north-east respectively, Madhya
Pradesh in the south-east and Maharashtra in the south. The state covers an
area of 196,024 sq km (75,685 sq mi).
The name 'Gujarat' is said to have been derived from the
Prakrit Gujjar Ratta or Gujjar Rashtra - the land of Gujjars - a tribe that
entered India with the Huns in ancient time and wandering through Punjab and
Rajasthan, settled in western India.
Gujarat had a great civilization even
before the arrival of the Aryans. It had trade links with ancient
civilizations of Sumer, Babylon, Assyria and Egypt. The Port of Lothal which
has been excavated recently has been identified as an important centre of the
4500 years old Aryan civilization.
Gujarat is renowned for its temples
and monuments associated with momentous historical periods. The architectural
and artistic virtuosity of the people of Gujarat is reflected in the many
buildings both ancient and modern. As much a part of the state are its
wildlife sanctuaries, its hill resorts, its natural grandeur and religious and
pilgrim centers.
Gujarat has a single-chamber
legislative assembly with 182 members. The state sends 37 members to the
Indian national parliament: 11 to the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) and 26 to the
Lok Sabha (Lower House). Local government is based on 19
administrative districts.
History
Signs of civilization in the region
that is now Gujarat date back to the period from 3000 to 1500 BC. The region
was part of the Mauryan Empire in the 3rd century BC under King Ashoka. In
1818 the English East India Company took control of Gujarat, administering the
state through local princely rulers. With the independence of India in 1947,
Gujarat became part of the state of Bombay. In 1960 Bombay state was split up,
and Gujarat was formed from the northern and western portions, which were
predominantly Gujarati-speaking areas. Most of the remainder of Bombay state
became Maharashtra state, with a small portion going to Karnataka state.
Society and culture
The diverse ethnic groups represented
in the Gujarati population may be broadly categorized as Indic (i.e.,
northern-derived) or Dravidian (southern-derived). The former include the
Nagar Brahman, Bhatia, Bhadela, Rabari, and Mina castes (the Parsis,
originally from Persia, represent a much later northern influx); among the
peoples of southern origin are the Bhangi, Koli, Dubla, Naikda, and
Macchi-Kharwa tribes. The rest of the population, including the aboriginal
Bhil tribe, exhibit mixed characteristics. Members of the Scheduled (formerly
"untouchable") Castes and of the aboriginal tribes form nearly one-fifth of
the state's population. There is one entirely tribal district of Dangs.
Ahmadabad district has the highest proportion of Scheduled Castes. Gujarati
and Hindi are the official languages of the state. About 70% of the population
are Hindus ahead of minorities of Muslims and Jains. About one-third of the
population is urban. The most urbanized part of the state is the
Ahmadabad-Vadodara (Baroda) industrial belt. Major towns that were once
capitals of princely states are Rajkot, Junagadh, Bhavnagar (Bhaunagar), and
Jamnagar.
The folklore and folk culture of
Gujarat are traced to the mythology of Lord Krishna. Dance forms and festivals
in honour Krishna exist, Garba and Bhavai being two examples. Among the most
durable and effective of the state's cultural institutions are the trade and
craft guilds known as mahajans which often solves disputes, acted as channels
of philanthropy, and encouraged the arts. Gujarat’s handicrafts are famous the
world over
Economy and infrastructure
About two-thirds of the population is
engaged in agriculture, the gross area cropped amounting to about half of the
total land area. Wheat and millet are the staple food crops, with rice
production being concentrated in the wetter areas. Sugarcane production is
increasing, while cotton, tobacco, and oilseeds (especially peanuts
[groundnuts]) are profitable cash crops. Gujarat produces about one-third of
India's peanut crop and about one-third of the country's tobacco. Cash crops
are characteristic of the state's agricultural economy.
One of India's most industrialized
states, Gujarat maintains a variety of industries, the principal ones being
general and electrical engineering and the manufacture of textiles, vegetable
oils, chemicals, soda ash, and cement. New industries include the production
of fertilizers and petrochemicals. Petroleum production began in 1960, and an
oil refinery is located at Vadodara.
A thermal-power station is located at
Dhuvaran. The state also receives power from the Tarapur nuclear facility in
Maharashtra state. The long-delayed Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada River
was projected to become the state's largest producer of hydroelectric power
and to provide water for extensive irrigation
Gujarat has a total railway length of 5268 kms and
total road length of 72950 kms
when survey last
conducted for 31st march, 1999. Its National Highways constitute about 4.5 per
cent of the total length of National Highways in India.
Coastal shipping routes link
Gujarat's many ports. Kandla is a major international shipping terminal. There
is air service both within the state and to major Indian cities outside
Gujarat
Tourist centres
Gujarat has 4 national parks and 11 sanctuaries.
The game sanctuary at Gir ( the world’s last habitat of the Asiatic lion), the
sacred temples of Dwarka and Somnath, Palitana, the picturesque mountain city
of Jain temples on about 2000 feet high Shetrunjaya hills, Udwada, the oldest
place of the Fire temple of Parsees in India, the 5000-year old archaeological
finds at Lothal, the 11th century Sun temples at Modhera, bird sanctuary at
nal Sarovar, architectural monuments of Indo-Saracenic style at Ahmedabad and
the national shrine of Gandhiji at Sabarmati, are a few of the varied
attractions.
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