The district of Raigad is located in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. The name of district is kept on the name of Raigad fort which was erstwhile the capital of Maratha leader Shivaji. The population of the district is according to census of 2001 is 2,207,929.
The district is surrounded by Mumbai Harbour, Thane to the north, Pune in the east, Ratnagiri to the south and Arabian Sea in the west.
The District Head Quarter of Raigad District is Alibag. Alibag is situated on western coast of India and on shore of Arabian Sea.
Statistical Information about the district:
Facts & Figures
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Area
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7,148000 Hectares
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Latitude
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17.51 to 19.80 N
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Longitude
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72.51 to 73.40 E
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Temperature
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Max.: 40.4 °C; Min.: 16.1 °C
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Average Rainfall
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3884.3 mm
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Population
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22.07 lacs (2001 census)
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Population Density
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308 per sq. km.
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Literacy Rate
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77%
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Sex Ratio
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976 females per 1000 males
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No. of Subdivisions
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4
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No. of Tehsils
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15
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Panchayat Samiti
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15
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No. of Villages
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1919
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STD Code
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02141
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Tourist Destination: The major tourist destinations of the district are:
Raigad Fort: It was the place where Shivaji developed his capital in the 14th century and crowned himself as Chhatrapati. After his death for six years Raigad remained the capital of the Marathas with some fascinating monuments. Though now the fort is on the way of decline and government of Maharashtra is endeavoring to protect the fort, but its aura still fascinates the tourists towards itself.
Ballaleshwar Ganpati: According to belief lord Ganesha appeared after being pleased with the adoring of devotee Ballal who was son of Kalyan Shresthi. Since then the name of temple was kept on his name Ballaleshwar meaning God of Ballal. Earlier the sculpture of Lord Ganesha was kept in the wooden temple and the temple was designed is such a way that the rays of sun directly fall inside the picture of Lord Ganesha.
Mandwa and Kihim Beach at Alibag: These two beaches are located 12 miles on the north coast and easily reachable from Mumbai. Mandwa is a beautiful beach. On a clear day one can enjoy a long, breathtaking view across the bay, up to the Gateway of India. The village of Mandwa has its own charm having beautiful groves of coconut palms.
The beach of Kihim is paradise for beauty lovers. The beautiful beach of Kihim has some beautiful options to offer the visitors viz., wild flowers and rare butterflies and birds.
Apart from this there are several other tourist destinations which attract tourist themselves.
Connectivity: The district of Raigad is well connected by all the means of transport i.e, airways, roadways and railways.
Air: Nearest airport is at Mumbai (39 kms)..
Rail: Well connected by rail too.
Road: State highways and roads link district headquarters at Raigad to all 15 tehsils and towns. National highway No 17 connects the state. Direct ST Bus services are available from Alibag / Pen / Ramwadi ST Stand to mostly all adjoining cities and Districts of Raigad e.g.Mumbai, Borivali, Kalyan, Thane, Pune, Ratnagiri, Kolhapur, Solapur, Satara, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Shirdi, Nashik etc.
Distance from Raigad:
- Mumbai: 39 kms
- Pune: 100 kms
For more information about Raigad, explore here