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Gujarat is the westernmost state in India and its capital is Gandhinagar. Its largest city is Ahmedabad. Gujarat is home to the Gujarati speaking people of India. The state encompasses major sites of the Indus Valley Civilization such as Lothal and Dholavira. Gujarat played an important role in the economic history of India throughout the history of India. It is home to major ports in India’s ancient and modern history, leading it to become one of the main trade and commerce center of India. Lothal, one of the world’s first ports, is located in Gujarat. Gujarat has one of the fastest growing economies in India

Gujarat has some of the largest businesses in India. Major agricultural produce of the state include cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), dates, sugar cane, milk and milk products. Industrial products include cement and petrol.
39% of India’s industrial output
10% of its mineral production
80% of salt production
20% of India’s exports
25% of its textile production
40% of India’s pharmaceutical products
67% of petrochemical production
Longest shoreline — 1,670 kilometres (1,040 mi)

The world’s largest shipbreaking yard is in Gujarat near Bhavnagar at Alang. Reliance Petroleum Limited, one of the group companies of Reliance Industries Limited founded by Dhirubhai Ambani, operates the oil refinery at Jamnagar, which is the world’s largest grass-roots refineries. The company has also planned another SEZ (special economic zone) in Jamnagar.

Gujarat ranks first nationwide in gas-based thermal electricity generation with national market share of over 8% and second nationwide in nuclear electricity generation with national market share of over 1%.
Over 20% of the S&P CNX 500 conglomerates have corporate offices in Gujarat.

As per RBI report, in year 2006-07, 26% out of total bank finance in India was in Gujarat.

Gujarat’s major cities include Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda(Vadodara) and Rajkot. Surat is the fastest growing city and Ahmedabad is the third fastest growing city in India. Major resources produced by the state include cotton, peanuts, dates, sugarcane, and petrol. The state is rich in calcite, gypsum, manganese, lignite, bauxite, limestone, agate, feldspar and quartz sand, and successful mining of these minerals is done in their specified areas.

Gujarat produces about 90% of Indias required amount of Soda Ash and gives the country about 66% of its national requirement of salt. It is one of India’s most prosperous states, having a per-capita GDP significantly above India’s average. Kalol Khambat and Ankaleshwar are today known for their oil and natural gas production. Dhuvaran has a thermal power station, which uses coal, oil and gas. The Tarapur nuclear station in Maharashtra supplies the main power. Also, on the Gulf of Khambat, 50 kilometres (31 mi) southeast of Bhavnagar, is the Alang Ship Recycling Yard (the world’s largest). General Motors produces the Astra car at Halol near Vadodara. Jalalpur is a large town of Gujarat, where several small and large textile industrial units have been established. Surat, a city by the Gulf of Khambat, is a hub of the global diamond trade. In 2003, 92% of the world’s diamonds were cut and polished in Surat.

During the period of 1960-90, Gujarat established itself as a leader in various industrial sectors including textiles, engineering, chemicals, petrochemicals, drugs and pharmaceuticals, dairy, cement and ceramics, and gems and jewellery, amongst others. A post-liberalization period saw Gujarat’s State Domestic Product (SDP) rising at an average growth rate of 14% per annum in real terms (from 1994-2002). Gujarat achieved as much as 35% of augmentation in its power generation capacity during the periods 1995-96 and 2000-01. The producers (IPPs) have contributed significantly in this addition. Gujarat is one of the first few states in India to have encouraged private sector investment, some of which are already in operation.

Animal husbandry and dairying have played a vital role in the rural economy of Gujarat. Dairy farming, primarily concerned with milk production, functions on a cooperative basis and has more than a million members. Gujarat is the largest producer of milk in India. Amul milk co-operative federation products are well known all over India, and it is Asia’s biggest dairy. Among livestock raised are buffalo and other cattle, sheep, and goats. As per the results of livestock census 1997, there were 209.70 lakh livestock in Gujarat State. As per the estimates of the survey of major livestock products, during the year 2002-03, the Gujarat produced 6.09 million tonnes of milk, 385 million eggs and 2.71 million kg of wool. Gujarat also contributes inputs to industries like textiles, oil, and soap.

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