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Which is the largest state of India by area?
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Answer: Option C — Rajasthan
Detailed Solution
Rajasthan, in north-western India, is the largest state of India by area, covering about 3,42,239 square kilometres. This is about 10.4% of India's total geographical area. Rajasthan became the largest state in 2000, when Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh, which had earlier been the largest. Its capital is Jaipur, the "Pink City".
Rajasthan was formed in several stages between 1948 and 1956 by integrating 19 princely states and 3 chiefships of Rajputana. The final stage was completed on 1 November 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act. 30 March is celebrated as Rajasthan Day, marking the formation of Greater Rajasthan in 1949.
Physical features:
The Aravalli Range, one of the oldest fold mountains in the world, runs diagonally across the state from south-west to north-east. Its highest peak is Guru Shikhar (1,722 metres) on Mount Abu.
West of the Aravallis lies the Thar Desert (Great Indian Desert), which covers about 60% of the state. It is the most densely populated desert in the world.
East of the Aravallis are fertile plains and plateaus, drained by rivers such as the Chambal and the Banas.
The Luni is the main river of western Rajasthan; it ends in the Rann of Kutch.
Rajasthan has the Indira Gandhi Canal, one of the longest canals in India, which brings water from the Harike Barrage in Punjab to the desert. It shares an international border with Pakistan.
The largest states by area are:
- Rajasthan (about 3.42 lakh sq km).
- Madhya Pradesh (about 3.08 lakh sq km).
- Maharashtra (about 3.07 lakh sq km).
- Uttar Pradesh (about 2.41 lakh sq km).
- Gujarat (about 1.96 lakh sq km).
Uttar Pradesh is the largest state by population. Goa is the smallest state by area, and Sikkim is the smallest by population. Ladakh is the largest Union Territory by area.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Madhya Pradesh is the second-largest state by area.
- ✗Maharashtra is the third-largest.
- ✗Uttar Pradesh is the fourth-largest by area but the largest by population.
Quick tip
Remember: Largest by area = Rajasthan (since 2000), then Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra; largest by population = Uttar Pradesh; smallest = Goa (area) and Sikkim (population).
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Physical Features of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Physical Features of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's location and extent, its neighbours and boundary lines, and its physiographic divisions: the Himalayas, the Northern Plains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indian Desert, the coastal plains and the islands, along with important mountain passes, peaks and hill ranges. Questions often ask which states the Tropic of Cancer passes through, the southernmost point of India (Indira Point), the highest peak in India (Kangchenjunga), and which pass connects which regions. India shares its longest land border with Bangladesh. Learning the Himalayan ranges from north to south (Himadri, Himachal and Shiwaliks) is also useful. Practise the physical features of India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.