A summer that lasts from March to June, a season of tropical rains that runs from July to September, and a
winter that lasts from October to February constitute the three seasons of Andhra Pradesh. Summers are
extraordinarily hot and humid, with maximum daily temperatures exceeding 95 °F (35 °C) and even surpassing 104
°F (40 °C) in the central portion of the state. Summer nightly minimums drop to below about 70 °F (20 °C) only
in the far southwest. Winters are somewhat cooler, with January maximum temperatures between 86 and 95 °F (30
and 35 °C) in all but the northeastern portion of the state. Winter lows drop below about 60 °F (15 °C) only in
the extreme northeast.
Annual precipitation, which derives largely from the southwest monsoon rains, generally decreases toward the
southwestern plateau area. Coastal areas receive about 40 to 47 inches (1,000 to 1,200 mm) per year, while the
westernmost part of the plateau may receive only half that much. Rainfall totals in portions of the northeastern
mountains exceed 47 inches and can be as high as 55 inches (1,400 mm).
Mangrove swamps and palm trees fringe the coastal plain of Andhra Pradesh, while thorny vegetation covers the
scattered hills of the plateau. About one-fifth of the state’s total area is forest-covered, with dense
woodlands occurring primarily in the Eastern Ghats. The forests consist of both moist deciduous and dry savanna
vegetation; teak, rosewood, wild fruit trees, and bamboo are plentiful. Elsewhere in the state, neem (which
produces an aromatic oil), banyan, mango, and pipal (or Bo; Ficus religiosa) are among the common trees. Andhra
Pradesh also has an array of flowering vegetation, including jasmine, rose, and a number of endemic
species—particularly in the hilly region of the Eastern Ghats.
Animal life, apart from common domestic types (dogs, cats, and cattle), includes tigers, blackbucks, hyenas,
sloth bears, gaurs, and chital, which abound in the hills and forest areas. There also are dozens of species of
birds, including flamingos and pelicans as well as some rare varieties, such as the Jerdon’s courser
(Rhinoptilus bitorquatus), which is found in the thorny or scrub-covered areas surrounding the Eastern Ghats.
The eastern coast is a nesting ground for sea turtles.
The population of Andhra Pradesh, like that of the other states of India, is highly diverse. In general, the
state’s various communities are identified more readily by a combination of language, religion, and social class
or caste than they are by specific ethnic affiliation. Telugu is the official and most widely spoken language in
the state. A small minority speaks Urdu, a language primarily of northern India and Pakistan. Most of the
remaining groups speak border-area languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, and Oriya. Lambadi
(Banjari) and a number of other languages are spoken by the state’s Scheduled Tribes (the official designation
for indigenous minority peoples who are outside of India’s caste hierarchy). Members of the Scheduled Tribes and
the Scheduled Castes (the official designation for those formerly called “untouchables”) constitute more than
one-fifth of Andhra Pradesh’s total population.
The great majority of the residents of Andhra Pradesh practice Hinduism. Smaller segments of the population
follow Islam or Christianity. Christians live mostly in the urban centres and coastal areas, while Muslims are
concentrated in the Rayalaseema region.
Nearly one-third of the population lives in urban areas. Of the urban dwellers, about half live in the state’s
10 most-populous urban areas, notably the industrial and manufacturing regions around Visakhapatnam and
Vijayawada in the northeast. Other large cities in Andhra Pradesh include Guntur, Kurnool, and Rajahmundry.
Agriculture, dominated by the production of food grains, is a major, although declining, sector of the state’s
economy, in terms of value. Andhra Pradesh is one of the leading rice-growing states in the country and is a
major producer of India’s tobacco. The state’s rivers—particularly the Godavari and the Krishna, but also the
Penneru—account for its agricultural importance.
For a long time the rivers’ benefits were restricted to the coastal districts of the Andhra region, which had
the best irrigation facilities. Beginning in the mid-20th century, however, great efforts were made to tap the
waters of the Godavari, Krishna, Penneru, and other rivers by constructing dams and reservoirs that benefit both
coastal and drier upland regions. Canal irrigation in the Rayalaseema region of the plateau has given rise to
agro-industrial complexes rivaling those of coastal Andhra Pradesh. The Nagarjuna Sagar multipurpose project,
diverting the waters of the Krishna for irrigation, has substantially increased the production of rice and
sugarcane. Rice flour, rice-bran oil, paints and varnishes, soaps and detergents, cardboard and other packaging
materials, and cattle feed are all produced from local paddy rice. Other agricultural commodities grown
statewide include other cereal grains, pulses (peas, beans, and lentils), peanuts (groundnuts), corn (maize),
and cotton—all of which are processed locally as well—and a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Animal husbandry has increased significantly in Andhra Pradesh, especially since the start of the 21st century.
Livestock raising contributes roughly half as much in overall value as crop production. Animals raised include
cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry. Dairy and egg production have grown dramatically.
The woodlands of Andhra Pradesh annually yield high-quality timber, such as teak and eucalyptus. Non-timber
forest products—including sal seeds (from which an edible oil is extracted), tendu leaves (for rolling
cigarettes), gum karaya (a type of emulsifier), and bamboo—are also important.
With its long coastline and many rivers, the state has a significant and expanding fishing industry. Much of the
yield is drawn from freshwater and marine aquaculture, but open-sea fisheries are significant as well. Prawns
and shrimp are among the main products of the industry.
Among the state’s principal mineral resources are asbestos, mica, manganese, barite, and high-grade coal.
Low-grade iron ore is found in the southern parts of the state. Andhra Pradesh produces a major share of the
country’s barite. It is the only state in southern India that possesses significant coal reserves. In the early
21st century, large deposits of natural gas were discovered onshore and offshore in the basins of the Godavari
and Krishna rivers. The diamond mines of Golconda were once renowned worldwide for producing the Koh-i-noor
diamond and other famous stones; efforts have been made to revive production in the area. Quartz, limestone, and
graphite also occur. The state has established a mining and metal-trading corporation to lead the exploitation
of its mineral resources.
Most of Andhra Pradesh’s energy is produced by thermal generators in the public sector. Hydroelectric power
stations—notably those on the Krishna River along the Telangana border at Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar—provide
an important secondary source of energy. In addition, the government has established several wind farms. A
number of private companies operate generators powered by natural gas; they also have worked to develop wind,
biomass, and other nonconventional power sources.
There are several airports in the state, notably at Vijayawada, Tirupati, and Visakhapatnam. An extensive road and rail system connects Andhra Pradesh with most other parts of India. Bus transportation, a large share of which is privately operated, offers facilities for express travel between various cities. The river canals in coastal areas, especially the saltwater Kommamur (Buckingham) Canal running parallel to the coast from the Krishna River south to Chennai (Madras) in Tamil Nadu, are used for cargo transportation. Visakhapatnam is a major international seaport.
Andhra Pradesh is a constituent unit of the Republic of India, and, as such, its government structure, like that
of most Indian states, is defined by the national constitution of 1950. A governor, appointed by the president
of India, is the executive head of the state administration, but the real power is in the hands of a chief
minister and a Council of Ministers responsible to the state legislature. The state has a unicameral
legislature, the Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha), which is elected by adult suffrage from territorial
constituencies. Members of the assembly serve for five-year terms, unless the assembly is dissolved prior to the
next elections.
The administration is conducted by various ministries and departments, each under the direction of a minister
assisted by a staff of permanent civil servants. The State Secretariat at Hyderabad supervises the
administration of the state’s 13 districts. Local administration in each district is the responsibility of a
district collector. Rural local government has been democratically decentralized by the introduction of a system
in which local authorities operate at the village, block (a unit consisting of a group of villages), and
district levels. Municipal bodies govern the urban areas.
The state judiciary is headed by a High Court, located in Hyderabad, which has jurisdiction for both Andhra
Pradesh and Telangana; the High Court has original jurisdiction in some cases and exercises appellate and
administrative control over the district and lower level courts. The High Court is itself subject to the
appellate authority of the Supreme Court of India in certain matters. Visakhapatnam is the headquarters of the
Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command.
Government-supported health facilities expanded rapidly starting in the late 20th century. Under the Primary
Health Centres program, medical help, both curative and preventive, was brought to many rural areas. Urban
public medical centres, such as the King George Hospital at Visakhapatnam, have been expanded and upgraded, and
specialized institutes, including those for treating specific diseases, have been opened. There is also a
family-planning program. Medical aid is free to low-income groups, and several medical insurance plans cover
various categories of employees.
Before the establishment of Andhra Pradesh, social welfare work in the region was mainly undertaken by private
agencies. Since the mid-20th century, however, the magnitude of need and the scarcity of resources, both
organizational and financial, led the state government to accept primary responsibility in that field. Public
investment in social welfare accounts for a large proportion of the total amount spent on planning. There are
social welfare programs for people with disabilities, for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and for other
groups that are not fully integrated into the social structure. Such programs include, among others, those that
reserve places in educational institutions, those that provide employment, and housing and land-distribution
programs. A separate government department addresses women’s concerns. There remain, nevertheless, many
privately run social organizations that operate alongside those of the government; the Andhra Mahila Sabha, for
instance, broadly promotes women’s welfare.
The state’s educational system provides for 10 years of schooling followed by a two-year junior college course
leading to undergraduate and postgraduate education. Primary school has been compulsory since 1961, and both
primary and secondary school are provided free of charge. In the early 21st century the literacy rate exceeds
two-thirds of the population, although male literacy is considerably higher than female.
Andhra Pradesh has dozens of colleges and universities, a number of which provide postgraduate instruction and
research facilities. Many of them—including the English and Foreign Languages University (founded 1958), which
is a nationally prominent institution, and the University of Hyderabad (1974)—are located in Hyderabad, the
joint state capital. Since the late 20th century, technical education has received special attention in order to
meet the demands of industrialization. Various industrial-training institutes offer vocational training, while
the engineering colleges of the universities train advanced technical personnel. Scholarship programs are
available for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other disadvantaged groups in all educational institutions
that receive substantial financial assistance from state and federal agencies. Privately run facilities also
operate at all levels.
The Andhras’ contribution to India’s cultural heritage is substantial. Architecture and painting have been
highly developed arts in the region since ancient times. The kuchipudi style of dance is unique in the Indian
tradition, while Karnatak (South Indian) music has derived much from Andhra roots. Many of southern India’s
major composers of classical Indian music have been Andhras, and Telugu has been the language of most of the
compositions. Telugu, one of the four literary languages of the Dravidian family, occupies a prestigious place
among Indian languages, being renowned for its antiquity and admired by many for its mellifluous quality. Telugu
literature was prominent in the Indian literary renaissance of the 19th and 20th centuries, as the writing
resonated with a revolution in literary forms and expression, stimulated to a large degree by Western genres.
Andhra Pradesh has many periodicals in English, Telugu, and Urdu. Muslim culture in the Telangana region further
enriches the state’s cultural diversity.
Before Indian independence, arts and literature thrived mostly under the sponsorship of royal patrons and
private organizations, many of which still function. Since independence, the state has created autonomous
academies to revive, popularize, and promote fine arts, dance, drama, music, and literature. The conscious
cultivation of cultural expression is more an urban than a rural phenomenon, for cultural performances, literary
meetings, and religious discussions occur mostly in towns or cities. Cultural development in different parts of
the state under different historical circumstances resulted in the occurrence of recognizable variations in
dialect, in caste structure, and in other traditions, all of which ultimately served to diversify the rural
arts. Rural cultural media such as balladry, puppetry, and storytelling are indigenous to the area; use of those
media in social and political communication is also common. The penetration of the mass media, especially radio
and television, and of Internet access into rural areas helped to bring an awareness of classical traditions to
the rural communities and of rural arts to the urban population.