Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh, state in southern India, bordered on the south by Tamil Nâdu state, on the west by Karnâtaka state, on the north and northwest by Mahârâshtra state, on the northeast by Madhya Pradesh and Orissa states, and on the east by the Bay of Bengal. Andhra Pradesh has an area of 275,045 sq km (106,195 sq mi).

Sanskrit writings from the 7th century BC describe the Andhra people as Aryans from the north whomigrated south of the Vindhya Range and mixed with non-Aryans. They are mentioned again at the time of the death of the great Mauryan King Ashoka, in 232 BC. This date has been held to be the beginning of the Andhra historical record. Various dynasties have ruled the area, including the Andhra (or Satavahana), Shakas, Ikshvakas, Eastern Chalukyas, Vijayanagar, the Qutb Shahis, and the nizams (princes) of Hyderâbâd. During the 17th century, the British acquired from the nizams first the coastal area (the province of Madras), and then the inland region of what is now Andhra Pradesh. Andhras were at the forefront of Indian nationalism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Their demands for a separate state for Telugu speakers led to the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1953 from parts of Madras and Hyderâbâd states; this led the way for the formation of language-based states throughout India in 1957.

Hyderâbâd is the state capital and largest city. The two other main cities are Vishâkhapatnam, India's fourth largest port, and Vijayawâda. The state's name refers to the Andhra people, who have lived in the region for more than 2500 years, and who today comprise more than 85 percent of the population. They are Hindus and their language, Telugu, is the state's official language. A Muslim, Urdu-speaking minority lives in the upland plateau area, mostly in Hyderâbâd; there are Tamil and Kannada speakers in the south and southwest parts of the state. Andhra Pradesh has several museums, including the Salar Jung Museum, which features a varied collection of sculptures, paintings, and religious artifacts, and the Archaeological Museum, which features Buddhist and Hindu sculptures and other antiques; both museums are located in Hyderâbâd. Andhra Pradesh is also the home of many colleges and universities, including Andhra University (founded in 1926) in Waltair, Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University (1964) in Hyderâbâd, and Osmania University (1918), also in Hyderâbâd.

Andhra Pradesh has a single-chamber Legislative Assembly of 295 seats. The state sends 60 members to the Indian national parliament: 18 to the Rajya Sabha (upper house) and 42 to the Lok Sabha (lower house). It has 25 local government administrative districts.