Madhya Pradesh (MP) is a federated state in central India, literally meaning "Central Province" or "Central Region," and is often called the "Heart of India" due to its geographical location. It is the second-largest Indian state by area and the fifth largest by population, with its capital at Bhopal and its largest city being Indore.
The state was formally established on November 1, 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. This Act was a major reform aimed at reorganizing state boundaries, primarily on a linguistic basis, to create a cohesive administrative framework. The formation of MP involved merging territories from four distinct administrative units: Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh, Bhopal State, and the existing Madhya Pradesh (Central Provinces and Berar, excluding the Marathi-speaking Vidarbha region).
As a state, MP is characterized by its rich natural resources, holding India's largest reserves of diamond and copper. It is also known as the "Tiger State of India" due to having the highest number of tigers in the country, housed across its six tiger reserves, including Kanha and Bandhavgarh. The state's political and administrative structure is defined by its capital, Bhopal, which was selected for its administrative neutrality and readiness.
The most significant recent change occurred on November 1, 2000, when the southeastern region was separated to form the new state of Chhattisgarh under the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000. Before this bifurcation, MP was the largest state in India by area. The state connects geographically to Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.