Gujarat: Relief and Structure | Gujarat State PSC (GPSC) Preparation: All subjects - GPSC (Gujarat) PDF Download

Geographical Regions of the State

The state can be divided into three distinct geographical regions:

• Saurashtra Peninsula
• Rann of Kutch
• Fertile Plains

1. Saurashtra Peninsula

• The Saurashtra Peninsula, a rocky area interspersed with low-lying mountains, is also known as Kathiawar, named after the Kathi Darbar who once ruled parts of this region. The southern portion of the peninsula is referred to as Sorath.
• Geographically, the Saurashtra Peninsula is surrounded by the Arabian Sea on the south and southwest, the Gulf of Kutch on the northwest, and the Gulf of Khambhat on the east. From the apex of these two gulfs, the Little Rann of Kutch and the Khambhat extend inland as waste tracts, comprising half salt marsh and half sandy desert, further isolating Kathiawar except for a narrow connection to the northeast with the mainland of Gujarat.
• The Saurashtra region encompasses the southwestern part of modern Gujarat, including the districts of Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Porbandar, Amreli, Surendranagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Morbi, Gir Somnath, and portions of Ahmedabad and Botad Districts. Historically, the region also included the Diu district, which is part of the union territory of Daman and Diu.

2. Rann of Kutch

• Kutch, located in the northeastern part of Gujarat, is characterized by a rough, rocky terrain and is the location of the Rann (desert). The Rann of Kutch is divided into two parts: the Great Rann to the north and the Little Rann to the east.
• This region is a seasonally marshy saline clay desert within the Thar Desert biogeographic zone, lying between Sindh province in Pakistan and Gujarat state in India. It is located about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from Kharaghoda village in Surendranagar District and Sindh province. The name "Rann" derives from the Hindi word "ran," meaning "salt marsh."
• The district of Kutch in Gujarat houses this region, with the marsh covering an extensive area of approximately 10,000 square miles, situated between the Gulf of Kutch and the mouth of the Indus River in southern Pakistan. To the northeast of the Rann of Kutch lies the Luni River, which originates in Rajasthan.

3. Fertile Plains

• The mainland of Gujarat is characterized by fertile plains formed of alluvial soil, lying between the Rann of Kutch and the Damanganga River. Major rivers such as the Narmada, Tapti, Mahi, and Sabarmati flow through these plains, contributing to the region's fertile soil. 
• The topography of this area is notably uniform, providing an ideal environment for growing a variety of crops, supported by year-round irrigation.