Madhya Pradesh is a state in central India with its capital at Bhopal. This article covers its map, tigers, heritage, leaders and the facts that exams ask about.
At a glance
Four key facts on this topic
Contents
Where Madhya Pradesh stands
Short Answer
1.1 What is the short answer on Madhya Pradesh?
Madhya Pradesh is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal. It was formed on 1 November 1956. It is the second-largest state by area, after Rajasthan. It has more wild tigers than any other state.
1.2 Who runs the state?
The Chief Minister is Dr Mohan Yadav. His government completed one year in office on 13 December 2024, so he took charge in December 2023. The Governor is Mangubhai Patel. He has held the post since 8 July 2021. He was still Governor in September 2026.
Think it through: What is the difference between a Governor and a Chief Minister?
The Governor is the formal head of the state. The Chief Minister leads the elected government and runs day-to-day work. Exam questions often ask who holds each post.
Formation and the Chhattisgarh Split
2.1 How was the state formed?
The States Reorganisation of 1956 redrew India’s map. On 1 November 1956 a new Madhya Pradesh came into being. It joined four units. These were the old Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh and Bhopal.
Ravi Shankar Shukla became the first Chief Minister of the new state. You can read more in Ravi Shankar Shukla.
2.2 What happened in 2000?
The Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 came into force on 1 November 2000. It created the new state of Chhattisgarh. Today it is the second largest, after Rajasthan.
Think it through: Why does the same date, 1 November, appear twice?
Madhya Pradesh was formed on 1 November 1956. Chhattisgarh was split from it on 1 November 2000. The two dates are exactly 44 years apart.
People, tigers and wetlands
Size, People and the Narmada
3.1 How big is the state?
Madhya Pradesh covers about 3.08 lakh sq km. A lakh is one hundred thousand. Only Rajasthan is larger.
3.2 How many people live there?
A census is the full count of a country’s people. Census 2011 counted 7,25,97,565 people. That is 6.00 per cent of India.
The sex ratio is the number of females for every 1,000 males. It was 931 in Census 2011. Literacy was 69.3 per cent. Male literacy was 78.7 per cent and female literacy 59.2 per cent.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population | 7,25,97,565 |
| Share of India | 6.00 per cent |
| Sex ratio | 931 |
| Literacy | 69.3 per cent |
Population, sex ratio and literacy are Census 2011 figures.
3.3 What about the Narmada?
The Narmada is a river of central India. It is 1,312 km long in all.
Think it through: Why do sources sometimes quote a different population figure?
Different publications may use the first release or the final tables. Always check which figure a question wants.
Tigers and Tiger Reserves
4.1 How many tigers does the state have?
The 2022 count found 785 tigers in Madhya Pradesh. That was the highest of any state. Karnataka had 563, Uttarakhand 560 and Maharashtra 444. India as a whole had an average of 3,682.
The state’s own count has grown from 300 in the first cycle in the table to 785 in 2022. No newer national result has been published yet.
4.2 How many tiger reserves are there?
A tiger reserve is a protected area kept mainly for tigers. Madhya Pradesh now has nine. They are Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Madhav, Panna, Pench, Ratapani, Sanjay-Dubri, Satpura and Veerangana Durgavati.
Ratapani was the eighth. It was notified in December 2024. Madhav National Park became the ninth in March 2025.
| No. | Reserve |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bandhavgarh |
| 2 | Kanha |
| 3 | Madhav (ninth) |
| 4 | Panna |
| 5 | Pench |
| 6 | Ratapani (eighth) |
| 7 | Sanjay-Dubri |
| 8 | Satpura |
| 9 | Veerangana Durgavati |
Names are from the National Tiger Conservation Authority list. The order here is alphabetical.
Think it through: Why does a state with the most tigers still add new reserves?
More protected land gives tigers more room to live and breed.
Wetlands and Bhopal's Lakes
6.1 What is a Ramsar site?
A Ramsar site is a wetland of international importance. Madhya Pradesh has five. These are Bhoj Wetland, Sirpur, Sakhya Sagar, Yashwant Sagar and Tawa Reservoir.
6.2 What is the Bhoj Wetland?
The Bhoj Wetland is made up of the lakes of Bhopal. It was listed as a Ramsar site on 19 August 2002. It covers 3,201 hectares. Yashwant Sagar was listed in 2022 and Tawa Reservoir in 2024.
Think it through: Is Bhopal’s wetland the newest Ramsar site in the state?
No. It is the oldest of the five. It was listed in 2002, while Tawa Reservoir came in 2024.
Heritage, schemes and the exam link
Khajuraho, Sanchi and Bhimbetka
5.1 Which World Heritage Sites are in the state?
A World Heritage Site is a place that UNESCO treats as valuable to all humanity. Madhya Pradesh has exactly three. They are Khajuraho (1986), Sanchi (1989) and Bhimbetka (2003).
5.2 Who built Khajuraho?
The Khajuraho temples were built by the Chandella dynasty. The Chandellas ruled the region in the 10th and 11th centuries CE. The Kandariya Mahadeva temple is among its greatest works. You can read about the dynasty in Post-Gupta Regional Dynasties of North India.
| Site | Year inscribed |
|---|---|
| Khajuraho Group of Monuments | 1986 |
| Sanchi Buddhist Monuments | 1989 |
| Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka | 2003 |
Years are from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
Think it through: Which of the three was listed last?
Bhimbetka, in 2003. Khajuraho came first in 1986 and Sanchi followed in 1989.
Ladli Behna Yojana
7.1 What is the Ladli Behna scheme?
Ladli Behna Yojana is a cash-transfer scheme for women. Each eligible woman gets Rs 1,500 a month. The money goes straight to her bank account by Direct Benefit Transfer. Women aged 21 to under 60 are eligible.
In June 2026 the Chief Minister released the 37th instalment. You can read more in Ladli Behna Yojana.
Think it through: What does Direct Benefit Transfer mean?
The government pays the money directly into the bank account of the person who qualifies. No middleman handles the cash.
Exam Traps
8.1 Which real exam questions came from this topic?
UPSC CSP 2026, General Studies Paper I, Q32
With reference to Madhav National Park, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It was declared a Tiger Reserve in India in 2025. 2. Sakhya Sagar, which is designated as a Ramsar Site, is situated within this National Park. 3. Its area is shared between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 2
- (c) 2 and 3
- (d) 3 only
Answer: (b) 1 and 2
Madhav became a tiger reserve in 2025. Its area is not shared with Rajasthan.
CDS II 2025, General Knowledge, Q100
Indore city in Madhya Pradesh is situated in which one of the following regions?
- (a) Bundelkhand
- (b) Mahakoshal
- (c) Malwa Plateau
- (d) Nimar Region
Answer: (c) Malwa Plateau
Indore lies on the Malwa Plateau.
CDS I 2021, General Knowledge, Q89
In the year 2020 which one of the following tiger reserves of India was declared by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve?
- (a) Panna Tiger Reserve
- (b) Namdapha Tiger Reserve
- (c) Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
- (d) Pench Tiger Reserve
Answer: (a) Panna Tiger Reserve
Panna is one of the nine tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh.
CAPF (ACs) 2020, General Ability and Intelligence, Q77
Which one of the following is the correct description of Kandaria Mahadeo?
- (a) A Shiva temple at Elephanta
- (b) The title of a work by Bhatti
- (c) The capital of Chandella kings
- (d) A temple at Khajuraho
Answer: (d) A temple at Khajuraho
The Chandellas built it, but it is a temple, not their capital.
NDA and NA II 2017, General Ability Test, Q144
Which one of the following States in India has the largest area under forest cover?
- (a) Maharashtra
- (b) Chhattisgarh
- (c) Madhya Pradesh
- (d) Andhra Pradesh
Answer: (c) Madhya Pradesh
The question was set in 2017. Check the latest report before using the answer for a current-affairs question.
CDS II 2016, General Knowledge, Q15
Which of the following pairs of Indian State and tribal population are correct? 1. Madhya Pradesh : Largest tribal population 2. Mizoram : Highest percentage of tribal population out of the total population of the State 3. Chhattisgarh : Second largest tribal population after Madhya Pradesh 4. Arunachal Pradesh : Second highest percentage of tribal population … after Mizoram.
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 4 only
- (c) 1, 2 and 3
- (d) 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Madhya Pradesh has the largest tribal population. Mizoram has the highest share.
8.2 Which facts do students mix up?
- Madhya Pradesh has nine tiger reserves, not five.
- Khajuraho 1986, Sanchi 1989, Bhimbetka 2003.
- The state was formed in 1956. Chhattisgarh left in 2000.
- 785 is the 2022 tiger count, not a newer one.
Remember this
- Formation: 1 November 1956. Chhattisgarh left on 1 November 2000.
- Leaders: Chief Minister Mohan Yadav; Governor Mangubhai Patel since 8 July 2021.
- Tigers: 785 in 2022, the most in India. Nine tiger reserves.
- Heritage: Khajuraho 1986, Sanchi 1989, Bhimbetka 2003.
- Wetland: Bhoj Wetland, Ramsar site since 2002.
Explain it back: What happened in 2000 that made Madhya Pradesh smaller?
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