Madhya Pradesh Geography

Geography of Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh means middle province. At 308,252 square kilometres (Census of India 2011) it is the second-largest state of India after Rajasthan, and it is located in the geographic heart of India. Except for the valleys of the Narmada and the Tapti, Madhya Pradesh consists of a plateau with a mean elevation of 1600 ft above sea level, interspersed with the mountains of the Vindhya and the Satpura ranges. 

Forests and rivers

Nearly a third of the state's area is covered with tropical forests ranging between the rivers Chambal in the north and Godavari in the south. The river Narmada which rises from Amarkantak begins to run through a rocky bed near Jabalpur and Mandla. It emerges near Mandhata and widens its flow near Maheshwar in Nimad. (Interactive map of Madhya Pradesh)

Farming

During the rainy season a rich growth of vegetation is visible all around. The black soil of Malwa bears magnificent crops. The state is predominantly agricultural and about 80% of the population depends on agriculture for its livelihood. Rice, wheat, soyabean, rapeseed and mustard are among the principal crops of the state. But it is in the matter of pulses, urad, mung, gram and arhar, that Madhya Pradesh leads the others with about one-fifth of the total production of these protein-rich food crops coming from the state.

Minerals

Coal and iron are among the more important of the minerals of Madhya Pradesh. The iron ore found in Madhya Pradesh is of high grade and occurs in the Jabalpur and Gwalior districts (the Durg and Bastar deposits named in older lists have been in Chhattisgarh since 2000). Manganese is another important mineral which occurs in Madhya Pradesh in the Balaghat and Chhindwara districts. There is bauxite which is required in the production of aluminium and which is available in the Katni district (part of Jabalpur district until 1998). Madhya Pradesh has a large deposit of limestone required for the production of cement. The Panna region has a rich diamond bed and is well known for the production of diamonds. Marble is also available in the state in several districts. The state has rich granaries of food.