Gujarat From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Not to be confused with Gujrat.

Gujarat

State

Seal

Location of Gujarat in India

Map of Gujarat Coordinates (Gandhinagar): 2313N 7241ECoordinates: 2313N 7241E Country India Established Capital City Largest city Districts Government Governor Kamla Beniwal Narendra Modi (BJP) 1 May 1960 Gandhinagar Ahmedabad 33 total

Chief Minister Legislature

Unicameral (182 seats) 33

Parliamentary constituency High Court Area

Gujarat High Court

Total 196,024 km2 (75,685 sq mi) Area rank 7th

Population (2011) Total 60,439,692 Rank 10th Density Languages Official Gujarati 310/km2 (800/sq mi)

Spoken languages (Organised alphabetically) English Hindi Kutchi Marathi Marwari Sindhi Urdu[1] Time zone IST (UTC+05:30)

ISO 3166 code IN-GJ HDI Increase 0.527[2] (medium) 11th (2011)

HDI rank Literacy 80.18% Website

gujaratindia.com

This article contains Indic text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks or boxes, misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Indic text. Gujarat /drt/ (Gujrt Gujarati: *ud()at+ ( listen)) is a state in the North-West coast of India.[3][4][5] It is known locally as Jewel of the West.[6] It has an area of 196,204 km2 (75,755 sq mi) with a coastline of 1,600 km (990 mi), most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula, and a population in excess of 60 million. The state is bordered by Rajasthan to the north, Maharashtra to the south, Madhya Pradesh to the east, and the Arabian Sea as well as the Pakistani province of Sindh on the west. Its capital city is Gandhinagar, whilst its largest city is Ahmedabad. Gujarat is home to the Gujarati-speaking people of India. The state encompasses major sites of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, such as Lothal and Dholavira. Lothal is believed to be one of the world's first seaports. Gujarat's coastal cities, chiefly

Bharuch and Khambhat, served as ports and trading centres in the Maurya and Gupta empires, and during the succession of royal Saka dynasties from advent of the Western Satraps era, whose geographic territories included Saurashtra and Malwa: modern Gujarat, South Sindh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh states. Gujarat was known to the Ancient Greeks, the various Persian Empires, the Roman Republic, and familiar in other Western centers of civilization through the end of the European Middle Ages. The oldest written record of Gujarat's 2,000 year old maritime history is documented in a Greek book named 'The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea: Travel and Trade in the Indian Ocean by a Merchant of the First Century'.[7][8] Mahatma Gandhi, who spearheaded the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule, was a Gujarati.[9] Muhammad Ali Jinnah, revered in Pakistan as Quaid-i-Azam (Great Leader), Baba-i-Qaum (Father of the Nation) and first Governor general of Pakistan was from a Gujarati Muslim family in Rajkot."Iron Man of India", Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Independent India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, was from Karamsad, Gujarat. Vikram Sarabhai, considered "Father of the Indian Space Programme" originated from a family of Jain industrialists from Ahmedabad. Dhirubhai Ambani, founder of Reliance industries was from Chorvad, Gujarat. Azim Premji, software magnate and chairman of Wipro Limited is ethnically Gujarati,[10] whilst pioneer industrialist Jamsetji Tata, who founded the famous Tata Group, India's biggest and bestknown multinational conglomerate, hailed from a Parsi Zoroastrian family in Navsari, and is widely regarded the legendary "Father of Indian Industry".[11] Gujarat played an important role in the economic history of India.[12] Today, it is one of the most industrialised states of India, and has a per capita GDP above the national average.[13][14][15] Contents [hide] 1 Etymology 2 History 2.1 Ancient history 2.2 Persian influence in Gujarat since Antiquity 2.3 Destruction of Somnath Temple 2.4 12971614 CE 2.5 The Sultanate of Gujarat and Persian culture 2.6 Gujarat and the Mughal Empire 2.7 Maratha Empire 2.8 16141947 CE 2.9 Post independence

3 Geography 3.1 Rann of Kutch 3.2 Infrastructure 4 Sub-divisions 5 Demographics 6 Government and administration 7 Economy 7.1 Industrial growth 7.2 Agriculture 8 Language 9 Culture 10 Religion 11 Education 12 Literature 13 Fauna 13.1 Dinosaur Park Balasinor 14 Tourism 15 Transport 15.1 Air 15.2 Rail 15.3 Sea 15.4 Road 15.5 Public transport 16 Districts 17 See also 18 References 19 External links

Etymology[edit]

Modern-day Gujarat is derived from Sanskrit (Gurjar-Rashtra), the Gurjar nation.[16][17][18] Whole or a larger part of Rajasthan and Gujarat had been long known as Gurjaratra (country ruled or protected by the Gurjars) or Gurjarabhumi (land of the Gurjars) for centuries prior to the Mughal period.[19] Historically, the Gurjars were Sun-worshipers and are described as devoted to the feet of the Sun-god (God Surya). Their copper-plate grants bear an emblem of the Sun and on their seals too, this symbol is depicted.[20] Many Gurjars claim descent from Suryavanshi Kshatriyas (Sun Dynasty) and connect themselves with the Hindu deity Rama.[21] The Gujjar clan appeared during the 7th to 8th century in northern India about the time of the Huna invasions. The origins of the Gujjars are uncertain. The name of the tribe was Sanskritised to "Gurjara".[22]