Madhya Pradesh

In Madhya Pradesh, more than 1,800 monuments and landmarks blend together to paint a picture of India's geographic center. Intricately carved temples and palaces, old forts, and statues of great poets and philosophers tell the story of the state that is called the "Heart of India."

Ruled by tribes in the 1500s through the early 1800s, the area was occupied by the British in 1820. Madhya Pradesh was formed as a state in 1956.

Most of the region is a plateau surrounded by the Vindhya and Satpura mountain ranges. Valuable trees-teak, sal, Indian ebony and rosewood-grow in its lush forests. Adequate rainfall and an abundance of good soil help create a prosperous agricultural economy. Grains, especially wheat, are the main crops grown in the north. It is not unusual for summer weather to be very hot and dry.

Sixty million people populate Madhya Pradesh's 184,547 square-mile area; nearly 75 percent live in rural areas. Madhya Pradesh has the largest population of tribals in the world at 11 million. Hindi is most commonly spoken (80%), and other languages include Gondi (10%), Marathi (2.3%), Urdu (2.2%) and Oriya (1.1%).

Although a state law prohibits conversion in any form, all the major Asian religions are represented. The majority of the people practice Hinduism (92%). Other religions are Islam (5%), Jainism (0.85%) and Sikhism (0.28%). Less than one percent of the population is Christian.