Andhra Pradesh [key], state, 61,855 sq mi (160,205 sq km), SE India, on the Bay of Bengal. The state was created in 1956 from the Telugu-speaking portions of Madras (now Tamil Nadu) and Hyderabad states. In 2014 the northwestern portion of the state was separated as the state of Telangana. The capital is Hyderabad, which is now located in Telangana; it will be joint capital of the two states for 10 years. A new capital for Andhra Pradesh is planned for Amaravati, in the central section of the state. Andhra Pradesh is largely on a coastal plain drained by the Penner, Krishna, and Godavari rivers. Rice, sugarcane, peanuts, and cotton are raised; coal, chrome, and manganese are mined. India's largest shipyard is located in Vishakhapatnam, and a satellite launch center is on Sriharikota island in the southeast. The state takes its name from the Andhra people, the indigenous inhabitants of the area. After the state's creation, there was sentiment in the section that had been part of Hyderabad in favor of a separate state, and recurring strikes and demonstrations on the issue at times have led to deadly violence. In 2009 the Indian government announced it would began the process of creating the state of Telangana, but it then backtracked in the face of opposition. In 2013, however, the government agreed to a proposal for formation of the state. Andhra Pradesh is governed by a chief minister and cabinet responsible to a bicameral legislature with one elected house and by a governor appointed by the president of India.
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