Page 2532 - index

RAJASTHAN

Geographical position and climate

The State of Rajasthan, as an adobe of Rajput rulers, the princes and the heroic warriors is
located in the North-Western corner of India. Geographically, Rajasthan is located 23°3ˈ to
30°12ˈ North latitude and 69°30ˈ to 78°17ˈ East longitude, with the tropic of cancer passing
through the southernmost tip of the State. The state is situated in land-locked north-western part
of the Indian union covering arid Great Indian Desert and parts of semi-arid climate zone. The
-2
State has an area 342,239 km , which is around 10.4% of India. The state has 33 administrative
unites divided into 241 tehsils and 237 development blocks as of 2001 census of India. It is
surrounded by Punjab in north, Gujarat in south, Pakistan in west and Uttar Pradesh in east. It
has also borders with Haryana and Delhi in north-east and Madhya Pradesh in south east.

The hottest of all seasons, summer extends in Rajasthan from April to June (32 to 46°C). In
monsoon season in Rajasthan extends from July to September (35-40 °C). In this season, the
temperature lowers down but the place witnesses increased humidity. The post monsoon
season lasts from October to November (33-38°C). The winter season lasts from December
to March (4-28 °C). The average annual rainfall of Rajasthan state 200-400 mm. It is as low as
150 mm in extreme dry zones. In the south eastern part of Rajasthan, rainfall is as high as
1000mm. There are some parts in western Rajasthan which receive very little rain and on an
average; it is only 100 mm per year. Aravali range receives high rainfall and low

temperature throughout the year.

Soils
The Rajasthan soils have developed under the arid and humid climate over the bed rocks of
complex nature, predominantly under the process of laterisation. Under the harsh desert, soils are
generally classified as sandy. Major soil groups include desert, dunes and associated, brown,
sierozems, red, alluvial, hill and Saline-Sodic soils etc. In general soils of Rajasthan are deficient
most of the nutrient in arid zone. In semi arid zone by and large deficiency of N is most common
fallowed by P and K. Soils of the state specially of the western plains have low to marginal
deficiency of Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn.

Crops and cropping systems

In Kharif season, rice, jowar, bajra, maize, small millets, tur, mung, moth, urd, chowla, ground
nut, castor seed, sesamum, soyabean, cotton, gaur, sugar cane, sunhemp and chillies are the
major crops grown state. wheat, barley, small millet, gram, masoor, matala, batla, sunflower,
caster seed, tarameera, rape, mustard and linseed are predominantly grown in Rabi season.
orange, guava, lemon, pomegranates and mango are major fruit crops.