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Madhya Pradesh, as the name indicates, is located in the central India. It shares its borders with Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh geography is spread across a total area of 308,144sq.km. The state accounts for 9.38 percent of the land area of India. Before the creation of Chhattisgarh in 2000, which was carved out from Madhya Pradesh, it was the largest state in India. 31 percent of the land area of Madhya Pradesh is covered by forests.
The geography of Madhya Pradesh can be divided into the following regions- Malwa, Nimar, Bundelkhand, Chambal, Baghelkhand, Mahakoshal and the central Vindhya and Satpura region. All these regions show distinct linguistic, cultural and geographical patterns. Malwa is a plateau region in the northwest area to the north of the Vindhya Range. Indore is the major city in this region while Ujjain is an important historical town of Malwa region. The Nimar (Nemar) region lies in the western part of the Narmada river valley. It is in the south of the Vindhyas, in the southwest region of the state. Bundelkhand has rolling hills and fertile valleys and slopes downward the Gangetic plain. Gwalior is a historic and famous city of this area.
Baghelkhand is a hilly region, located in the north-eastern area of the state, and it includes the eastern end of the Vindhya Range. Mahakoshal region can be found in the south-eastern part of Madhya Pradesh and includes the eastern end of the Narmada river valley and the eastern Satpuras. Jabalpur is an important city in this region. Chambal, located in the north-western area of this state, is a mountainous region which has abundance of red and soft sandstone. The climate here is harsh.
The geography of Madhya Pradesh is characterized by a sub-tropical climate. It has hot dry summers (April-June), which are followed by monsoon rains (July-September), and a relatively cool and dry winter. The average rainfall here is 45' and it decreases from east to west.
The rivers which rinse through the geography of Madhya Pradesh include the Narmada River, the Chambal River, the Tapi/Tapti River, Shipra River, Sone River, the Mahanadi River, the Indravati River and the Betwa River. The 1300km long Narmada river is the fifth longest river in India and perhaps the oldest. The historical cities along the banks of the Narmada river are Maheshwar and Jabalpur. The 965 km long Chambal river is the longest and the most important river in the western Madhya Pradesh. Originating from the Janapav mountain in the Vindhyas range, it flows north-east through Ujjain, Ratlam and Maundsar before entering Rajasthan. The 742 km long Tapti river is an important river from the point of view of agriculture, as it drains an area of over 65, 145 sq km in Madhya Pradesh. The Shipra river starts her journey in the Vindhyas range from a hill called Kokri tekdi and flows through a 195 km long area before joining the Chambal river. The Mahanadi, which originates from a hill in the Sihawa mountain region, flows through various places in Madhya Pradesh before joining the Bay of Bengal. The Hirakud Dam, one of the largest dams in India, is built on this 857 km long river..
The types of vegetation seen in Madhya Pradesh are dense forests, open forests and shrubs. One fifth of India's forests are in Madhya Pradesh and teakwood, sal, rosewood, etc. are found in the forests of Madhya Pradesh. The Kanha and Bandhavgarh national parks are famous for white tigers. Madhya Pradesh hosts a wide variety of vegetation and wildlife. The wildlife in the state is represented by leopard, sambar, lion, black buck and wild buffalo.
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