Maharashtra is a state located in the western part of peninsular India.The word Maharashtra comes from the words Maha meaning Great and Rashtra meaning Nation. Thus rendering the name Maharashtra ( Great Nation ). It is the second most populous and third largest state by area in India. It is also the richest state in India, contributing to 15% of the country's industrial output and 13.2% of its GDP in year 2005-06.Maharashtra is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, Gujarat and the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli to the northwest, Madhya Pradesh to the northeast, Chhattisgarh to the east, Karnataka to the south, Andhra Pradesh to the southeast, and Goa to the southwest. The state covers an area of 307,731 km2 ( 118,816 sq mi ) or 9.84% of the total geographical area of India. Mumbai, the capital city of the state, is India's largest city and the financial capital of the nation. Marathi is the language of Maharashtra.
