Andhra Pradesh Geography for UPSC: Interactive Map, Rivers and Protected Areas
a state spanning the Eastern Ghats and a long Bay of Bengal coastline drained by the Krishna and Godavari deltas
9
Protected areas mapped
7
Rivers mapped
At a glance
Capital
Amaravati
Language
Telugu
Dance
Kuchipudi
Area
1,62,968 km²
Coastline
~972 km
Highest peak
Arma Konda (Eastern Ghats) · 1,680 m
Borders
Telangana, Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
Why UPSC asks about Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh anchors India's southeast coast: the Godavari and Krishna deltas, the Eastern Ghats (Arma Konda), Pulicat lake (shared with Tamil Nadu), and the Coromandel coast. UPSC tests delta irrigation projects (Polavaram), the Krishna-Godavari basin energy finds, and the state's cyclone-prone coast.
Godavari
Rises Trimbakeshwar, Nashik district, Maharashtra; flows to Bay of Bengal via the Godavari delta near Antarvedi · 405 km
The Dowleswaram (Sir Arthur Cotton) Barrage, built in the 1850s, turned the delta into a major irrigation region.
Dams
- Dowleswaram Barrage
- Polavaram Project (under construction)
Krishna
Rises Mahabaleshwar, Western Ghats, Maharashtra; flows to Bay of Bengal via the Krishna delta near Hamsaladeevi · 438 km
Nagarjuna Sagar is one of the world’s largest masonry dams, named for the nearby Buddhist site of Nagarjunakonda.
Dams
- Srisailam Dam
- Nagarjuna Sagar Dam
- Prakasam Barrage
Penna
Rises Nandi hills, Chikkaballapur (Karnataka); flows to Bay of Bengal near Utukuru (Nellore) · 0 km
Pennar (Penna) drains the Rayalaseema plateau; the Somasila reservoir is on it.
Dams
- Somasila Dam
Vamsadhara
Rises Eastern Ghats near Lanjigarh, Odisha; flows to Bay of Bengal at Kalingapatnam · 141 km
Flows between the Rushikulya and Nagavali, with the Vamsadhara dispute between Odisha and AP.
Tungabhadra
Rises Gangamoola, Chikmagalur hills (Karnataka); flows to joins the Krishna at Alampur · 127 km
The Krishna's main right-bank tributary; the Tungabhadra dam at Hospet serves the Rayalaseema-Telangana plains.
Nagavali
Rises Eastern Ghats of Kalahandi, Odisha; flows to Bay of Bengal at Srikakulam · 165 km
A small east-flowing river of the Srikakulam coast, also known as Langulya.
Palar
Rises Nandi hills, Karnataka; flows to Bay of Bengal near Vayalur, Tamil Nadu · 45 km
Flows through Chittoor district before draining the Vellore belt of Tamil Nadu.
Kolleru Lake
One of India's largest freshwater lakes, in the Krishna-Godavari delta of Andhra Pradesh, designated a Ramsar site in 2002. A crucial wintering ground for migratory waterbirds, pelicans, painted storks and ibises, it has suffered from encroaching aquaculture, which the courts ordered removed.
Ramsar (2002); largest freshwater lake between the Krishna and Godavari deltas.
Seshachalam Hills Biosphere
A biosphere reserve in the Seshachalam hills of the Eastern Ghats around Tirupati, protecting the sacred forests of Tirumala and the endemic red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus).
Seshachalam hills around Tirumala; endemic red sanders forests.
Sri Venkateswara NP
A park in the Seshachalam hills of Tirupati district, protecting the sacred forests around the Tirumala temple. Dry deciduous forests shelter the slender loris, sambar and the endemic Cycas beddomei.
Sacred Seshachalam hills around Tirumala; slender loris habitat.
Papikonda NP
A park in the Eastern Ghats along the Godavari river in East and West Godavari districts, a moist deciduous landscape with tigers, leopards and Indian gaur.
Eastern Ghats on the Godavari; moist deciduous tiger habitat.
Rajiv Gandhi (Rameswaram) NP
A park in Kadapa district in the Nallamala hills, named after Rajiv Gandhi, protecting dry deciduous forests with tiger, leopard and the Indian pangolin.
Nallamala hills dry deciduous forest in Kadapa district.
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam
India's largest tiger reserve, spanning Andhra Pradesh and Telangana across the Nallamala hills on the Krishna river. Named after the Nagarjunasagar dam and the Srisailam temple, it protects tigers, leopards and the Krishna river gorge ecosystem.
India's largest tiger reserve, spanning AP and Telangana on the Krishna.
Kolleru WLS
A sanctuary around Kolleru Lake, one of India's largest freshwater lakes, between the Krishna and Godavari deltas. A Ramsar site (2002) and a crucial wintering ground for migratory waterbirds such as pelicans and painted storks.
Ramsar site (2002); a major wintering lake between the Krishna and Godavari deltas.
Pulicat WLS
A sanctuary around Pulicat Lake, India's second-largest brackish lagoon, straddling Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Famous for flamingos that winter here in large numbers.
Second-largest brackish lagoon in India; famous for wintering flamingos.
Koundinya WLS
A sanctuary in Chittoor district in the Palmaner hills, the only sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh with Asian elephants, formed by a herd that migrated from Tamil Nadu.
The only elephant sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh.
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