Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh (än'dru prä'dāsh) [key], state (2001 provisional pop. 75,727,541), 106,052 sq mi (275,608 sq km), SE India, on the Bay of Bengal. The capital is Hyderabad. The state was created in 1956 from the Telugu-speaking portions of Madras (now Tamil Nadu) and Hyderabad states. Although the interior is mountainous, Andhra Pradesh is largely on a coastal plain drained by the Penner, Krishna, and Godavari rivers. Rice, sugarcane, peanuts, and cotton are raised; coal, chrome, and manganese are mined. India's largest shipyard is located in Vishakhapatnam, and a satellite launch center is on Sriharikota island. The state takes its name from the Andhra people, the indigenous inhabitants of the area. Among the political forces within Andhra Pradesh is a movement advocating separation from India. The state is governed by a chief minister and cabinet responsible to a bicameral legislature with one elected house and by a governor appointed by the president of India.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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