Gujarat is a state in northwestern India, on the border with Pakistan. The state takes its name from the Gujara, who ruled the area during the 700's and 800's. Agriculture is the principal economic activity but there is substantial industry, particularly around the textile city of Ahmedabad. The state is rich in minerals and, along with Assam, is the country's major petroleum producer.

Location and description. Gujarat has boundaries with Rajasthan to the north, Madhya Pradesh to the east, Maharashtra to the south, the Arabian Sea to the west, and Pakistan to the northwest. It has nearly 1,600 kilometres of coastline. No part of the state is more than about 200 kilometres from the sea.

Climate. The rainfall in the north and west is very low. The whole of Saurashtra receives less than 50 centimetres a year. At Ahmedabad, rainfall averages 70 centimetres per year, 88 per cent of this falling during the monsoon months of June to September. The daily winter maximum temperature is 27 °C, and the minimum 12 °C (although sub-zero cold snaps have been recorded). In summer, the daily maximum temperature can reach 48 °C, though 42 to 43 °C is more common. The summer minimum temperature is 25 °C. Rainfall is higher in the central region, and the range of temperature is narrower. The highlands in the south receive about 200

Tourist Centres: Following are brief descriptions of some of Gujarat's interesting places to visit:
Ahmedabad - The old city is divided into small, self-contained units called pols. Narrow lanes separate the houses which are decorated with beautifully carved wooden doors and screens. Each craft had its own pol-weavers, metalworkers, jewellers.The modern city has buildings designed by Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, and Charles Correa.The citadel is the original centre of Ahmad Shah's city.

The Jami Masjid (Friday Mosque) is particularly striking. Bhuj, a walled city, is the main town of Kutch. The Rao Pragmalji's Palace is beautifully decorated with wood and ivory inlay.Champaner has a Rajput fortress, captured by the Muslims in 1484. The Jami Masjid is ornamented in the Gujarati style.

Dabhoi Fort is called the birthplace of Hindu Gujarati architecture. It has four gates, a reservoir fed by an aqueduct, and farms to grow food in times of siege. It was built by the Solanki kings and dates from 1100. Inside the fort is the Mother Kali Temple, dating from 1225.
Dwarka: Rukmini Temple, built in the 1100's, and Dwarkanath Temple, dating from the 1500's, are visited by thousands of Hindu pilgrims every year.

Lothal is one of the most important sites of the Indus Valley civilization. There are substantial remains, including a dry dock, 214 metres long by 36 metres wide. The grid plan of the city can be clearly seen, with its underground drainage system, wells, and brick houses with baths and fireplaces.Rajkot was the childhood home of Mohandas Gandhi. His home has been converted into the Gandhi Museum.

Sasan Gir National Park is the last home of the Asiatic lion. In 1990, there were nearly 300 lions in Sasan Gir. The National Park also has several varieties of deer, leopards, and wild pig.Somnath is a major Hindu pilgrimage site. The temple is said to have been built out of gold by the Moon God. Surat, known as the British factory site of the East India Company settlement, is now in ruins. There are two Parsee fire temples, as well as several mosques.Vadodara (Baroda) contains an excellent example of British Indian architecture, the Laxmi Vilas Palace (1890). Seven kilometres south of the city is the Italianate Makarpura Palace.