Andhra Pradesh

"Andhra" redirects here. For other uses, see Andhra (disambiguation).

Andhra Pradesh
State
Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple Undavalli Caves Dhyana Buddha statue Gandikota gorge Araku Valley Lepakshi Nandi Visakhapatnam Port
Emblem of Andhra Pradesh
Etymology: "Province of the Andhras"
Motto:  Satyameva Jayate (Sanskrit) "Truth Alone Triumphs"
Anthem: Ma Telugu Talliki "To/For Our Mother Telugu"
Location of Andhra Pradesh in India
Coordinates: 16.51°N 80.52°E / 16.51; 80.52
Country	India
Region	South India
Previously was	Undivided Andhra Pradesh
Bifurcation	2 June 2014 (12 years ago)
Consolidation	1 November 1956 (69 years ago)
Formation	1 October 1953 (72 years ago)
Capital	Amaravati
Largest city	Visakhapatnam
Districts	28
Government
• Body	Government of Andhra Pradesh
• Governor	Syed Abdul Nazeer
• Chief Minister	N. Chandrababu Naidu (TDP)
• Deputy Chief Minister	Pawan Kalyan (JSP)
• Chief Secretary	G. Sai Prasad
Area
• Total	162,975 km2 (62,925 sq mi)
• Rank	7th
Highest elevation (Arma Konda)	1,680 m (5,510 ft)
Lowest elevation (Bay of Bengal)	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	49,577,103
• Rank	10th
• Density	304/km2 (790/sq mi)
• Urban	37.69%
• Rural	62.31%
Demonym(s)	Andhrulu, Teluguvāru
Language
• Official	Telugu
• Additional official	Urdu
• Official script	Telugu script
GDP
• Total (2025-26)	₹17.62 trillion (US$180 billion) (nominal)
• Rank	8th
• Per capita	₹298,058 (US$3,100) (13th)
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
ISO 3166 code	IN-AP
Vehicle registration	AP
HDI (2023)	0.723 high (26th)
Literacy (2024)	72.6% (36th)
Sex ratio (2025)	993♀/1000 ♂ (20th)
Website	ap.gov.in
Symbols of Andhra Pradesh
Foundation day	Andhra Pradesh Day
Bird	Rose-ringed parakeet
Flower	Jasmine
Fruit	Banginapalle Mango
Mammal	Blackbuck
Tree	Neem
State highway mark
State highway of Andhra Pradesh AP SH1–AP SH240
List of Indian state symbols

Andhra Pradesh is a state on the east coast of southern India. The seventh largest Indian state by area and the tenth largest by population, it is bound by the Bay of Bengal to the east, and shares borders with the states of Odisha to the northeast, Chhattisgarh to the north, Telangana to northwest, Karnataka to the west, and Tamil Nadu to the south. Telugu, one of the classical languages of India, is the most widely spoken language in the state and serves as its official language. Amaravati is the state capital, and Visakhapatnam is the largest city.

Archaeological excavations have unearthed stone tools used by early hominins and later Neolithic settlements. The Andhras are mentioned in the Aitareya Brahmana (c. 800 BCE) of the Rigveda. In the 4th century BCE, Megasthenes described the Andhras living in the Godavari and Krishna River deltas, and the region later came under the control of the Mauryan Empire. The Satavahana dynasty ruled over most of the Deccan from the 1st to 3rd century CE, with their capital at Dhanyakataka. Subsequent major dynasties that ruled the region include the Vishnukundinas, Andhra Ikshvakus, Pallavas, Eastern Chalukyas, Cholas, Kakatiyas, Vijayanagara Empire, and Qutb Shahis. European colonisation began in the 17th century, with the British controlling much of the state as a part of the Madras Presidency for two centuries. After the Indian independence in 1947, Andhra State was carved out of Madras State in 1953. In 1956, it merged with the Telugu-speaking regions of the former Hyderabad State to form Andhra Pradesh. A new state of Telangana was bifurcated from it in 2014.

The Eastern Ghats separate the coastal plains from the Deccan Plateau. Major rivers include Godavari, Krishna, Tungabhadra, and Penna, which flow eastwards towards the Bay of Bengal. The state has significant reserves of limestone, bauxite, and a major proportion of India's baryte reserves. As of September 2020, agriculture and related activities employed 62.2% of the population, with rice as the staple crop. Fisheries is a major contributor to the economy, with the state accounting for 30% of the country's fish production in 2022-23. The Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota serves as India's primary satellite launch centre.

Andhra Pradesh has a diverse culture and is home to art forms like Kuchipudi, an Indian classical dance, and Carnatic music. It is the birthplace of the Amaravati school of art that influenced South and Southeast Asian art. The state is home to a number of pilgrimage centres including the Venkateswara temple in Tirumala and natural attractions. Unique geographical indications from the state include Bandar laddu, Banganapalle mango, Dharmavaram silk sari, Kondapalli toys, and Tirupati laddu.