Maharashtra and Gujarat are two large states in the western part of India. The following is a comparison between these two states. Let’s read.
Maharashtra vs Gujarat – Indian states comparison
Which state is larger in area, Maharashtra or Gujarat?
Maharashtra is roughly 1.6 times larger than Gujarat in terms of area. It is the third-largest state in India, while Gujarat ranks fifth by area.
- Area of Maharashtra – around 307,700 square kilometer
- Area of Gujarat – around 196,000 square kilometer
Which state is more populous, Maharashtra or Gujarat?
Maharashtra is both more populous and more densely populated than Gujarat. Both states rank among the most populous states in India.
- Population of Maharashtra – around 11.24 crore (2011 census)
- Population of Gujarat – around 6.04 crore (2011 census)
GDP
Maharashtra has a larger economy than Gujarat and is India’s largest state economy by Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). It is home to Mumbai, the country’s financial capital, and has a highly diversified economy driven by finance, manufacturing, information technology, trade, and services. Gujarat also has one of India’s strongest economies, ranking among the top state economies, with major strengths in manufacturing, petrochemicals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, ports, and exports.
| Maharashtra | Gujarat | |
|---|---|---|
| GDP rank in India (2025-26) | 1st | 5th |
Overview
| Maharashtra | Gujarat | |
|---|---|---|
| Area | around 307,700 square kilometer | around 196,000 square kilometer |
| Area rank in India | 3rd | 5th |
| Population (2011 census) | around 11.24 crore | around 6.04 crore |
| Population rank in India (2011 census) | 2nd | 9th |
| Capital city | Mumbai and Nagpur (winter capital) | Gandhinagar |
| Largest city | Mumbai | Ahmedabad |
| Statehood | 1 May 1960 | 1 May 1960 |
| Most spoken language | Marathi | Gujarati |
| Second most spoken language | Hindi | Hindi |
(Also read: Karnataka vs Tamil Nadu – Indian states comparison)
Geography
| Maharashtra | Gujarat | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Western India | Western India |
| Major rivers | Godavari, Bhima, Krishna, Tapi, Purna, etc. | Sabarmati, Narmada, Tapi, Mahi, Machchhu, Aji, Bhadar, Shetrunji, etc. |
| Borders | Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to the north, Chhattisgarh to the east, Telangana to the southeast, and Karnataka and Goa to the south | Rajasthan to the north and northeast, Madhya Pradesh to the east, Maharashtra to the southeast, and Pakistan to the northwest |
| Forest cover (2023) | 16.53% | 7.65% |
| Major soil type | Black soil | Alluvial and Black soil |
| Highest mountain peak | Kalsubai (1,646 m) | Girnal hill (1,100 m) |
| Largest district | Ahmednagar | Kutch (Kachchh) |
| Coastline | Yes, with the Arabian sea | Yes, with the Arabian sea |
| International border | No | Yes, with Pakistan |
(Also read: Uttar Pradesh and Bihar – Indian states comparison | UP vs Bihar)
State symbols
| Maharashtra | Gujarat | |
|---|---|---|
| State bird | Yellow-footed green pigeon | Greater flamingo |
| State animal | Indian giant squirrel | Asiatic lion |
| State tree | Mango | Banyan |
| State flower | Jarul | Marigold |
Tourism
| Maharashtra | Gujarat | |
|---|---|---|
| Popular places to visit | Mumbai, Pune, Ajanta and Ellora caves, Nagpur, Nashik, Mahabaleshwar, etc. | Somnath temple, Dwarka, Ahmedabad, Girnar, Surat, Vadodara, Gir National Park, etc. |
| Tourism ranking (domestic) (2024) | 6th | 8th |
| Tourism ranking (international) (2024) | 1st | 3rd |