Madhya Pradesh: Location, area and physical divisions

Madhya Pradesh lies in the north-central part of the peninsular plateau of India and is the second largest state in India after Rajasthan. Its relief is organised around the Narmada-Sone valley, with the Central Highlands to the north, the Satpura-Maikal ranges to the south; the third region is the eastern plateau.

Location, area and people

• Area: 3,08,252 sq.km. (CAG State Finances Audit Report), which is 9.38 per cent of India's geographical area.
• Boundaries: the Ganga-Yamuna plains to the north, the Aravali to the west, the Chhattisgarh plain to the east, and the Tapti valley and plateau of Maharashtra to the south.
• The portal describes the state as located at the centre of India.
• The CAG report says the state is home to around 7.33 crore persons, six per cent of India's population.
• The state has 55 districts, grouped into 10 administrative divisions (CAG report).

Narmada-Sone valley

• A narrow and long valley extending almost the whole width of the state from east to west.
• Sone valley forms the upper part; Shahdol and Sidhi districts lie in it. It is narrower, with poorer and thinner alluvium.
• Narmada valley forms the lower part, at an average elevation of 300 m above MSL, covered with alluvial soil; it is more important for agriculture.
• Narmada valley districts: Jabalpur, Mandla, Narsinghpur, Hoshangabad, Raisen, Khandwa, Khargone and Barwani.

Central Highlands

• Spread in a triangular form between the Narmada-Sone valley and the Aravali ranges; they slope north and drain into the Yamuna. They include four uplands.
• Rewa-Panna plateau (Vindhyan plateau), in the north-east: rivers Ken, Sonar, Barna and Tons; districts Rewa, Panna, Satna, Damoh and Sagar.
• Bundelkhand plateau, north-west of the Rewa-Panna plateau: average height 350-450 m above MSL; rivers Betwa, Dhasan and Jamner, which join the Yamuna; districts Datia, Chhatarpur, Panna, Tikamgarh and parts of Guna and Shivpuri.
• Central India plateau, west of Bundelkhand: average elevation 450 m on highlands and 150-450 m in valleys; rivers Chambal, Kali Sindh and Parvati; districts Shivpuri, Morena and Gwalior.
• Malwa plateau covers almost the entire western part of the state, bounded by the Chambal in the north and the Narmada in the south; average elevation 300-500 m above MSL.
• Malwa districts: Shajapur, Dewas, Indore, Ujjain, Dhar, Ratlam and parts of Sehore and Jhabua. Bhopal is at its eastern edge.
• Rivers Shipra, Parvati, Kali Sindh, Gambhir and Chambal flow through Malwa. It forms the water divide between the Ganga and Narmada basins.
• Malwa's soil is black cotton soil, formed by the weathering of basalts.

Satpura-Maikal ranges

• Lie south of the Narmada-Sone valley; average height 300 m, with several high peaks.
• Dhoopgarh, at 1360 m above msl, is the highest peak of the state.
• The slope is sharp on the south face and gentle on the north.
• The Maikal ranges include the Amarkantak plateau, the origin of both the Narmada and the Sone.
• Other rivers here, Johila, Macherwa, Denwa and Choti Tawa, join the Narmada.
• Districts: Chhindwara, Betul, Seoni, Balaghat, Mandla and parts of Khandwa and Khargone.

Eastern plateau

• Comprises the Baghelkhand Plateau, between the Maikal ranges and the Chhattisgarh plain, with an elevation of 1033 m above MSL.

Resources and economy (portal summary)

• The portal calls Madhya Pradesh the second richest state in mineral resources.
• It has primarily an agricultural and pastoral economy; industrial development is concentrated in Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur.
• The state lists a road network of 99403 km.