Maharashtra Geography for UPSC: Interactive Map, Rivers and Protected Areas
a state spanning the Western Ghats and the Deccan plateau's black-soil interior
13
Protected areas mapped
8
Rivers mapped
At a glance
Capital
Mumbai
Language
Marathi
Dance
Lavani
Area
3,07,713 km²
Coastline
~720 km
Highest peak
Kalsubai (Western Ghats) · 1,646 m
Borders
Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Karnataka, Goa
Why UPSC asks about Maharashtra
Maharashtra is the Deccan's gateway: the Western Ghats (Kalsubai), the Godavari and Krishna basins, the Konkan coast, and the Mumbai urban geography. UPSC tests the Deccan trap basalts and black soil, the Krishna-Godavari water disputes, ports (JNPT), and the Sahyadri passes.
Did you know
Maharashtra has no biosphere reserve. India's 18 biosphere reserves are spread across only 16 states, and Maharashtra is not among them. The nearest is Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh) and Nilgiri (Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka).
Godavari
Rises Trimbakeshwar, Nashik; flows to Bay of Bengal through the Konaseema delta (Andhra Pradesh) · 585 km
The 'Dakshin Ganga' is peninsular India's longest river; the Jayakwadi dam is on it.
Krishna
Rises Mahabaleshwar (Western Ghats); flows to Bay of Bengal at Hamsaladeevi (Andhra Pradesh) · 226 km
The Krishna's upper basin holds the Koyna and Almatti dams; it feeds the Telangana-AP delta.
Bhima
Rises Bhimashankar, Western Ghats, Pune district; flows to Joins the Krishna in Karnataka · 412 km
The pilgrim town of Pandharpur, centre of the Warkari tradition, sits on its banks (here called the Chandrabhaga).
Dams
- Ujani Dam
Tapi
Rises Multai, Madhya Pradesh; flows to Gulf of Khambhat, Arabian Sea (via Gujarat), reaching the sea near Surat · 213 km
The Tapi enters Maharashtra's Khandesh and drains the Satpura's south slopes before reaching Surat.
Koyna
Rises Mahabaleshwar plateau; flows to joins the Krishna at Karad · 177 km
The Koyna dam and hydroelectric project, and the 1967 Koyna earthquake, are on this river.
Dams
- Koyna Dam
Wainganga
Rises Mahadeo hills, Seoni (Madhya Pradesh); flows to joins the Wardha to form the Pranhita · 326 km
The Wainganga drains Vidarbha's forests before joining the Godavari system.
Indravati
Rises Kalahandi, Odisha; flows to joins the Godavari near Bhadrakali · 6 km
The Indravati enters Maharashtra's Gadchiroli before meeting the Godavari.
Narmada
Rises Amarkantak (Madhya Pradesh); flows to Gulf of Khambhat · 13 km
The Narmada defines Maharashtra's northern boundary before its Bharuch estuary.
Lonar Lake
A unique crater lake in Buldhana district formed by a meteorite impact about 50,000 years ago, the only known hypervelocity impact crater in basaltic rock. Its saline, alkaline water hosts rare microorganisms, designated Ramsar in 2020.
Ramsar (2020); meteorite crater lake, unique in basaltic rock.
Nandur Madhameshwar
A wetland on the Godavari near Nashik designated Ramsar in 2020, created by a 1907 barrage, a wintering ground for migratory waterfowl.
Ramsar (2020); Godavari wetland near Nashik.
Thane Creek
A Ramsar site (2022) on Mumbai's eastern shore, a tidal creek with mangroves and mudflats that host thousands of flamingos each winter, among the best flamingo-viewing sites near a megacity.
Ramsar (2022); Mumbai's flamingo creek.
Tadoba NP
A park in Chandrapur district, Maharashtra's oldest and largest national park (1955), core of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, famed for reliable tiger sightings around the Tadoba lake.
Maharashtra's oldest NP (1955); Tadoba-Andhari tiger sightings.
Sanjay Gandhi (Borivali) NP
An urban national park within Mumbai, one of the largest city parks in the world, home to leopards that share the city's edge and the ancient Kanheri caves.
Mumbai's city park; urban leopards and Kanheri caves.
Gugamal NP
A park in Amravati district forming the core of Melghat Tiger Reserve in the Satpura-Gawilgarh hills, with teak forests and tigers.
Core of Melghat Tiger Reserve in the Gawilgarh hills.
Chandoli NP
A park in Sangli and Kolhapur districts, part of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, protecting the northern Western Ghats' evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.
Part of Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in the northern Western Ghats.
Melghat WLS
A sanctuary in Amravati district, one of India's first nine tiger reserves (1973), in the dry teak forests of the Gawilgarh hills.
Among the first nine Project Tiger reserves (1973).
Bhimashankar WLS
A sanctuary in Pune district around the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple, protecting the source of the Bhima river and habitat of the Indian giant squirrel (shekru).
Source of the Bhima river; Indian giant squirrel habitat.
Radhanagari WLS
A sanctuary in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra's first sanctuary (1958), protecting the bison habitat and the catchment behind the Radhanagari dam.
Maharashtra's first sanctuary (1958); bison habitat.
Koyna WLS
A sanctuary in Satara district around the Koyna river and dam, part of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, in the evergreen Western Ghats.
Koyna river valley; part of Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.
Tipeshwar WLS
A sanctuary in Yavatmal district, source population for Maharashtra's tiger translocation programmes to the Sahyadri reserve.
Source of tigers translocated to Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.
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