Maharashtra महाराष्ट्र
State of India
Seal
Location of Maharashtra (marked in red) in India
Map of Maharashtra
Coordinates (Mumbai): 18°58′N 72°49′E / 18.96°N 72.82°E / 18.96; 72.82Coordinates: 18°58′N 72°49′E / 18.96°N 72.82°E / 18.96; 72.82
Country	India
Region	Western India
Established	1 May 1960 (Maharashtra Day)
Capital	Mumbai
Largest city	Mumbai
Districts	36 total
Government
• Body	Government of Maharashtra
• Governor	C. Vidyasagar Rao
• Chief Minister	Devendra Fadnavis
• Legislature	Bicameral (288 + 78 seats)
• Parliamentary constituency	48
• High Court	Bombay High Court
Area
• Total	307,713 km2 (118,809 sq mi)
Area rank	3rd
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	112,372,972
• Rank	2nd
• Density	370/km2 (950/sq mi)
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
ISO 3166 code	IN-MH
HDI	0.689 (medium)
HDI rank	12th, Economy Rank 1st
Literacy	82.9% (6th)
Sex ratio	925 ♀/1000 ♂ (2011)[2]
Official language	Marathi[3][4]
Website	Maharashtra

Maharashtra (/mɑːhəˈrɑːʃtrə/; locally: [məharaːʂʈrə] ( listen), abbr. MH) is a state in the western region of India and is the nation's and also the world's second-most populous sub-national entity. It has over 110 million inhabitants and its capital, Mumbai, has a population of approximately 15.2 million. Mumbai is also the financial capital of the nation and the headquarters of all major banks, financial institutions and insurance companies in the country. India's Hindi film industry, Bollywood, and Marathi film and television industry are also located in this state. Maharashtra's business opportunities along with its potential to offer a higher standard of living attract migrants from all over India.

Ancient and medieval Maharashtra included the empires of the Satavahana dynasty, Rashtrakuta dynasty, Western Chalukyas, Mughals and Marathas. Spread over 118,809 sq mi (307,710 km²), it is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west and the Indian states of Karnataka, Telangana, Goa, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The major rivers of the state are Godavari, Krishna, Narmada and Tapti. The state has several tourist destinations including the popular Hindu places of pilgrimage, Pandharpur, Dehu and Alandi. Places with wide appeal include Hazur Sahib Nanded at Nanded, and Saibaba shrine at Shirdi. Popular Hill Stations in the state include Mahabaleshwar, Chikhaldara and Panhala. Places such as Pune, Satara and the surrounding area have many historical places associated with the Maratha Empire to visit. The state is also dotted with caves from ancient Buddhist, Jain and Hindu times. Some of them such as Elephanta, Ajanta and Ellora caves are Unesco World Heritage Sites. Maharashtra is the most urbanized state in India, with large cities besides Mumbai such as Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Thane, Solapur, Amravati, Satara, Sangli and Nanded.

Maharashtra is one of the wealthiest and the most developed states in India, contributing 25% of the country's industrial output and 23.2% of its GDP (2010–11).^[5] As of 2011^[update], the state had a per capita income of 1.0035 lakh (US$1,600), more than the national average of 0.73 lakh (US$1,200). Its GDP per capita crossed the 1.20 lakh (US$1,900) threshold for the first time in 2013, making it one of the richest states in India. Agriculture and industries are the largest parts of the state's economy. Major industries include chemical products, electrical and non-electrical machinery, textiles, petroleum and allied products.