Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh^[a] is a state on the east coast of southern India. It is the seventh-largest state and the tenth-most populous in the country. Telugu, one of the classical languages of India, is the most widely spoken language in the state, as well as its official language. Amaravati is the state capital, while the largest city is Visakhapatnam. Andhra Pradesh shares borders with Odisha to the northeast, Chhattisgarh to the north, Karnataka to the southwest, Tamil Nadu to the south, Telangana to northwest and the Bay of Bengal to the east. It has the longest coastline in India (aerial distance between extreme ends) at about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi).

Archaeological evidence indicates that Andhra Pradesh has been continuously inhabited for over 247,000 years, from early archaic hominins to Neolithic settlements. The earliest reference to the Andhras appears in the Aitareya Brahmana (c. 800 BCE) of the Rigveda. Around 300 BCE, the Andhras living in the Godavari and Krishna river deltas were renowned for their formidable military strength—second only to the Maurya Empire in the subcontinent. The first major Andhra polity was the Satavahana dynasty (2nd century BCE–2nd century CE) which ruled over the entire Deccan Plateau and even distant areas of western and central India. They established trade relations with the Roman Empire, and their capital, Dhanyakataka, was the most prosperous city in India during the 2nd century CE. Subsequent major dynasties included the Vishnukundinas, Eastern Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Vijayanagara Empire, and Qutb Shahis, followed by British rule. After gained independence, Andhra State was carved out of Madras State in 1953. In 1956, it merged with Telangana, comprising the Telugu-speaking regions of the former Hyderabad State, to form Andhra Pradesh. It reverted to its earlier form in 2014, when the new state of Telangana was bifurcated from it.

The Eastern Ghats separate the coastal plains from the peneplains. Major rivers include the Krishna, Godavari, Tungabhadra and Penna. Andhra Pradesh holds about one-third of India's limestone reserves and significant deposits of baryte and granite. Agriculture and related activities employ 62.17% of the population, with rice being the staple crop. The state contributes 30% of India's fish production and accounts for 35% of the country's seafood exports. The Sriharikota Range, located on Sriharikota island in Tirupati district, serves as India's primary satellite launch centre.

Andhra is the birthplace of the Amaravati school of art, an ancient Indian art style that influenced South Indian, Sri Lankan, and Southeast Asian art. It is also home to Kuchipudi, one of India's classical dance forms, and has produced several renowned Carnatic music composers. The state features prominent pilgrimage centres and natural attractions, including the Venkateswara temple in Tirumala and the Araku Valley. Notable products with geographical indication (GI) registration include Tirupati Laddu, Banganapalle mangoes, Kondapalli toys, Dharmavaram sarees, and Pootharekulu.

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