FREE PREVIEW Week 4-5 3 lessons

Maharashtra: Geography and Economy

Districts and divisions, physical regions, rivers and dams, climate, forests, tiger reserves and Ramsar sites, and Maharashtra's economy: size, industries, agriculture, ports and big infrastructure projects.

Lessons in this module

Land, Regions, Rivers and Dams

Lesson • 5 quiz questions

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Climate, Forests and Protected Areas

Lesson • 5 quiz questions

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Maharashtra's Economy and Infrastructure

Lesson • 5 quiz questions

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Lesson notes

1. Land, Regions, Rivers and Dams

Maharashtra is India's third largest state by area and second largest by population (Census 2011). Exams ask about divisions, regions, rivers, their sources and the dams built on them.

Area, districts and divisions

Area: 3,07,713 sq km, about 9.4% of India. Population (2011): about 11.24 crore; literacy 82.34%; sex ratio 929.
Maharashtra has 36 districts grouped into 6 revenue divisions: Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), Amravati and Nagpur.
Palghar, carved out of Thane in 2014, is the 36th (newest) district. Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar) is the largest district by area; Mumbai City is the smallest.
Traditional regions: Konkan (coast), Western Maharashtra (Desh), Khandesh (north: Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar), Marathwada and Vidarbha.
Maharashtra borders Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Karnataka and Goa, and the UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The longest border is with Madhya Pradesh.

Physical regions

Konkan: a narrow coastal plain between the Arabian Sea and the Sahyadri, with a coastline of about 720 km.
Sahyadri (Western Ghats): runs north-south. Kalsubai (1,646 m) in Ahilyanagar district is the highest peak in Maharashtra.
Deccan Plateau: most of the state, made of black basalt rock (Deccan Traps) that weathers into black cotton soil (regur).
Satpura ranges lie in the north; Gawilgad hills (Melghat, Chikhaldara) in Amravati district.
Lonar Lake in Buldhana district is a crater lake formed by a meteor impact in basalt rock.
Hill stations include Mahabaleshwar, Matheran (no motor vehicles), Lonavala and Chikhaldara (Vidarbha).

Rivers and dams

Godavari: the longest river of the state ('Dakshin Ganga'). It rises at Trimbakeshwar (Nashik) and flows east to the Bay of Bengal.
Krishna rises at Mahabaleshwar (Satara). Bhima rises at Bhimashankar (Pune) and joins the Krishna in Karnataka.
Tapi rises at Multai in Madhya Pradesh and flows west through Khandesh to the Arabian Sea. Wardha and Wainganga in Vidarbha join to form the Pranhita, a tributary of the Godavari.
Koyna Dam (Satara) on the Koyna river: its reservoir is Shivsagar, and it is a major hydroelectric project.
Jayakwadi Dam on the Godavari at Paithan (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district): its reservoir is Nath Sagar.
Ujani Dam is on the Bhima (Solapur district); Bhandardara (Wilson Dam) is on the Pravara river.

Quick facts

Districts / divisions: 36 districts, 6 divisions
Newest district: Palghar (2014)
Highest peak: Kalsubai, 1,646 m (Ahilyanagar)
Longest river: Godavari, from Trimbakeshwar
West-flowing major river: Tapi
Koyna Dam: Satara; reservoir Shivsagar
Jayakwadi Dam: Godavari at Paithan; reservoir Nath Sagar
Lonar: Meteor crater lake, Buldhana

💡 Learn river sources as pairs: Godavari - Trimbakeshwar, Krishna - Mahabaleshwar, Bhima - Bhimashankar, Tapi - Multai (MP).

📝 5-question quiz on this lesson: enrol free to take it and track your score.

2. Climate, Forests and Protected Areas

Maharashtra has a tropical monsoon climate, but rainfall varies a lot from the wet Konkan coast to the dry interior. Questions on tiger reserves, national parks and Ramsar sites are very common.

Climate and soils

Most rain comes from the south-west monsoon between June and September.
Konkan and the Sahyadri get very heavy rain; Mahabaleshwar is one of the wettest places in the state.
Areas east of the Sahyadri, such as parts of Marathwada and western Maharashtra, lie in the rain shadow and are drought-prone.
Vidarbha has very hot summers; towns such as Chandrapur and Nagpur often record over 45 degrees C.
Black cotton soil covers much of the plateau; laterite soil is found in the Konkan.

Forests, national parks and tiger reserves

Gadchiroli has the highest forest cover by share of area; Latur has the least.
National parks (6): Tadoba, Sanjay Gandhi (Borivali, Mumbai), Chandoli, Gugamal, Navegaon and Pench.
Tiger reserves (6): Melghat (Amravati, one of the first nine Project Tiger reserves of 1973), Tadoba-Andhari (Chandrapur), Pench (Nagpur), Sahyadri, Navegaon-Nagzira and Bor (Wardha, the smallest).
Tadoba National Park (1955) is the oldest national park in the state. Sahyadri Tiger Reserve includes the Koyna and Chandoli areas.
Sanjay Gandhi National Park is a large protected forest inside a big city, and contains the Kanheri caves.

Ramsar sites and state symbols

Maharashtra's Ramsar sites (wetlands of international importance) include Nandur Madhameshwar (Nashik, the first, designated January 2020), Lonar Lake (Buldhana, November 2020) and Thane Creek (2022). Check the latest Ramsar list, as new sites are added often.
Thane Creek is known for large flocks of flamingos.
State animal: Indian giant squirrel (Shekaru). State bird: yellow-footed green pigeon (Harial).
State tree: mango. State flower: Jarul (Pride of India). State butterfly: Blue Mormon (Maharashtra was the first state to name a state butterfly, in 2015).

Quick facts

National parks: 6: Tadoba, Sanjay Gandhi, Chandoli, Gugamal, Navegaon, Pench
Tiger reserves: 6: Melghat, Tadoba-Andhari, Pench, Sahyadri, Navegaon-Nagzira, Bor
Oldest tiger reserve: Melghat (1973)
Smallest tiger reserve: Bor (Wardha)
Ramsar sites: Nandur Madhameshwar (first, 2020), Lonar Lake, Thane Creek
State animal / bird: Shekaru / Harial
State butterfly: Blue Mormon

💡 Tiger reserves in Vidarbha: Melghat, Tadoba-Andhari, Pench, Navegaon-Nagzira and Bor. Only Sahyadri is in western Maharashtra.

📝 5-question quiz on this lesson: enrol free to take it and track your score.

3. Maharashtra's Economy and Infrastructure

Maharashtra is India's largest state economy, and Mumbai is the country's financial capital. Figures here come from the Maharashtra Economic Survey 2025-26 (tabled on 5 March 2026) and other official sources.

Size and structure (Economic Survey 2025-26)

GSDP at current prices was estimated at about Rs 51 lakh crore for 2025-26, the largest of any state.
Real growth was estimated at 7.9% in 2025-26, up from 7.3% the year before.
Maharashtra contributes the largest share of India's GDP of any state (roughly one-seventh).
The Survey was tabled on 5 March 2026, a day before the Budget. Per capita income is well above the national average, though it varies widely between districts.
Services form the largest sector of the economy. Maharashtra receives the largest share of India's FDI inflows among states (DPIIT data).

Industry, finance and agriculture

Mumbai hosts the Reserve Bank of India headquarters, the Bombay Stock Exchange (1875, Asia's oldest) and the National Stock Exchange.
Pune (Chakan, Pimpri-Chinchwad) and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar are major automobile hubs. Pune and Mumbai are big IT centres.
The first co-operative sugar factory in Asia was set up at Pravaranagar (Loni), Ahilyanagar district, in 1950 by Vithalrao Vikhe Patil. Sugar co-operatives shaped western Maharashtra.
Main crops: cotton (Vidarbha, 'white gold'), sugarcane, soybean, jowar, onion and grapes. Nashik is called the 'grape capital of India'.
Lasalgaon (Nashik district) has one of the largest onion markets in Asia. Nagpur is famous for oranges; Alphonso mango (hapus) comes from Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg.

Ports, roads, airports and rail

JNPA (Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Nhava Sheva, Raigad) is India's largest container port. Mumbai Port is the other major port.
Vadhavan Port (Dahanu, Palghar) is being built as a deep-sea port; the Prime Minister laid its foundation stone on 30 August 2024.
Samruddhi Mahamarg (Mumbai-Nagpur expressway, 701 km): the first stretch opened in December 2022 and the final stretch was opened on 5 June 2025.
Atal Setu (Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, about 21.8 km), India's longest sea bridge, opened in January 2024.
Navi Mumbai International Airport was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on 8 October 2025, and commercial flights began on 25 December 2025.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train (about 508 km, with an underground station at Bandra-Kurla Complex) is under construction.

Quick facts

GSDP 2025-26: About Rs 51 lakh crore; largest state economy
Growth 2025-26: 7.9% (real)
Growth 2024-25: 7.3% (real)
Economic Survey 2025-26: Tabled 5 March 2026
First co-op sugar factory: Pravaranagar, 1950
Largest container port: JNPA, Nhava Sheva
Samruddhi Mahamarg: 701 km; fully opened 5 June 2025
Navi Mumbai airport: Inaugurated 8 October 2025; flights from 25 December 2025

💡 For infrastructure, link each project to a date: Atal Setu - January 2024, Samruddhi complete - June 2025, Navi Mumbai airport - flights from 25 December 2025.

📝 5-question quiz on this lesson: enrol free to take it and track your score.

Other modules in MPSC Group B & C and Maharashtra Govt Exam Prep

Start Here: MPSC Group B and Group C Exam PatternsFREE PREVIEW → Maharashtra: History and Social ReformFREE PREVIEW → Ancient IndiaFREE PREVIEW → Medieval IndiaFREE PREVIEW → Colonial Rule and the Freedom StruggleFREE PREVIEW → Indian Geography for National ExamsFREE PREVIEW → The Constitution of IndiaFREE PREVIEW → How India Is GovernedFREE PREVIEW → India's Economic Journey and PoliciesFREE PREVIEW → Maharashtra: Administration, Schemes and Current AffairsFREE PREVIEW → General ScienceFREE PREVIEW → Static GK for National ExamsFREE PREVIEW → Quantitative Aptitude: Number BasicsFREE PREVIEW → Quantitative Aptitude: Arithmetic IFREE PREVIEW → Quantitative Aptitude: Arithmetic IIFREE PREVIEW → Reasoning: Verbal BasicsFREE PREVIEW → Reasoning: Logic and ArrangementsFREE PREVIEW → Marathi Basics for MPSCFREE PREVIEW → General English: GrammarFREE PREVIEW → General English: Vocabulary and ComprehensionFREE PREVIEW → Computer KnowledgeFREE PREVIEW → Final AssessmentFREE PREVIEW →

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