Districts of Maharashtra are well known for its rich distinct cultural heritage and the numerous ancient monuments bear ample testimony to this fact. It has the largest number of cotton textile industries. It is the nucleus of all commercial activities in India. The capital, Mumbai, is an island city, which is called the Gateway of India.

The state is divided into thirty-five districts.
Ahmednagar district is largely based on agriculture and the chief crops produced here are sugarcane, bajra, jowar and wheat. Bhandardara, is a beautiful holiday resort in Ahmednagar district.

Akola district is located in the north of Maharashtra. It is situated on the banks of the Murna River and is spread over an area of 5,431 sq. km. A major attraction of this place is the Antariksh temple.

Amaravati district is spread over an area of 12, 626 sq. km. River Purna arising in the hills of Satpura flows through the district. The major attractions include the Chikaldara Wildlife Sanctuary, Gugamal National Park, Melghat Tiger Reserve and Wan Sanctuary.

Aurangabad district is surrounded by the hills of the Vindhya ranges. The major attractions of the district are the Ajanta and the Ellora caves, the epitome of Indian art and sculpture. Aurangabad has several big and small industries, silk textiles and exquisite hand woven brocades of silver and gold fabrics.

A major attraction of the Beed district is the famous Naigaon Peacock sanctuary.

Bhandara district is located in the basin of the Wainganga River with dense forests and surrounded with the Satpura mountain ranges in the northern side. The major crops produced here are rice, wheat, sugarcane, soyabean, jowar, tur, moong, udad, chilies, sesame and mustard.

The climate of the Buldhana district is favourable for the cultivation of cotton, jowar, soyabean, tur, groundnut and moong. Along with agriculture, the district has a number of industrial towns, which are Mehkar, Deulgaon Raja, Sangrampur and Motala.

Chandrapur district is an industrial district of Maharastra. Some of the important industries of Chandrapur are India`s largest thermal power plant, coalmines, cement and paper factories, huge limestone deposits and bauxite, iron and chromate mines. Rice, cotton and soyabean are also cultivated here.

Dhule district is situated on the banks of the Panjhra River in the north-western part of Maharastra. Bajra, jowar, cotton, wheat and sugarcane are the main crops.

Gadchiroli district is located in the north-eastern part of Maharashtra. Markandeshwar and Chaprala sanctuary are the major tourist attractions.

Gondiya district is a major tourist destination. The Nagzira Sanctuary offers a scintillating sight of rare wild animals. The Chulbandh and Navegaon National Park are other tourist interest. Greater Mumbai district has one of the largest harbours in the world. Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra is a part of this district. Mumbai is the nucleus of commercial activities in India. It is a major tourist destination as it houses many historical monuments like the Elephanta Cave temple. The other attractions of the district are the Hanging Gardens and the Kamala Nehru Park.

Hingoli district is a newly formed district and is well known for the production of jowar and cotton.

Jalgaon district is located in the northwest region of Maharashtra and is surrounded by cultural establishments and temples. The prominent temples of the district are Patnadevi temple, Muktabai temple at Kothali, Changdev temple at the convergence of Tapi and Purna River and the Grand Philosophical Temple at Amalner.

Jalna district is located in the centre of Maharashtra and has a subtropical climate, which favours the cultivation of jowar, bajra, cotton, sugarcane, tur, maize and moong. The district is also famous for the hybrid seed processing industries, steel rolling mills and agro based industries.

Kolhapur district is an important hub of Marathi Cinema and famous for tobacco and its leather chappals. Located in the southern part of Maharashtra it is situated on the banks of river Panchganga. Kolhapur town is the district headquarters and comes under sugarcane belt.

Latur district is located in the south-eastern part of Maharashtra and is an important centre of trade and commerce. The district is dotted with numerous temples. The prominent ones are temples of Ashtavinayak and Parshwanath. Sai, Udgir, Ausa, Kharosa and Nilanga are the tourist places in the district.

Mumbai Suburban district has beautiful long beaches like the Juhu beach, Marve beach and the Manori beach, which are popular tourist destinations. The district headquarters are located at Bandra.

Nagpur district is located in the north-eastern part of Maharashtra. The district is famous for its oranges.

Nanded district is situated on the northern bank of the Godavari River in the southeastern part of Maharashtra. The major industries of the district are cotton and oilseed processing. The Godavari, Manjra and Penganga are the major rivers traversing the district. Toranmal hill station The Toranmal hill station is the major tourist attraction of the Nandurbar district. The other attractions of the district are Hidimba`s forest, Machhindranath cave and the fort of Akka Rani.

The climatic conditions of the Nasik district favour the cultivation of millet, wheat, oilseeds, cotton and sugarcane. The major attractions of the district are the old hill forts.

Osamanabad district has its headquarters in the town of Osamanabad. With a dry climate the chief crops produced here are jowar, bajra and tur.

Parbhani district has fertile lands and the major crops produced here are jowar and cotton. Gondhal, Shahiri and Bharud are the major folk arts of the district.

With some of the famous educational and research institutions Pune district is the educational district of the state. It covers an area of 15,637 sq km. and is also regarded as the cultural capital of Maharashtra. The major tourist destinations in the district are Aga Khan Palace, Lal Mahal, Kelkar Museum, Vishrambag Wada, Ambedkar Museum, Osho Garden, Katraj Snake Park and the Sambhaji Park.

Raigad district is one of the industrial districts of the state. Some of the prominent towns of the district are New Panvel, Navi Mumbai, Alibag, Khalapur and Mahad. Some of the major attractions of the district are Ganapatipule and Pawas.

Sangli district is located in the western region of Maharastra on the banks of the river Krishna. The district has Ganesh temple at Sangli and Tasgaon, Darga of Khwaja Shamshoddin Mirasaheb at Miraj, Sagareshwar sanctuary, Dandoba hill station and Chandoli dam which are some of the major tourist spots.

Satara district is situated in the western part of Maharashtra and was the capital of the Maratha kingdom. Karad is an ancient city of the district where there are temples and Buddhist caves. It is dotted with numerous temples; prominent among them are Kuraneshwar Temple, Yevateshwar Temple, Shikhar Shinganapur Temple, Siddhanath Temple at Mhaswad, Yamai Devi Temple at Aundh and Bhavani Temple on Pratapgad. Other attractions of the district are the Shivaji Museum at Satara and Bhavani Museum at Aundh.

Harbours, pilgrim centres and caves characterize the Ratnagiri district. Coconut is a major agricultural product of the district. It is located in the south-western part of Maharashtra.

Sindhudurg district is dominantly rural and the major folk arts include Dashavatar, Chitrakathi, Pangul, Keertan and Dhangiri dance. The district is well known for its cottage industries some of which are handloom weaving, pottery and painted woodwork. The district is an idyllic tourist destination because of its beautiful seashore, undulating mountains and panoramic beauty.

Solapur district is situated in the southeast border of Maharastra and is famous for its handloom, power loom and beedi industries. River Bhima flows through the district. The major tourist attractions are Shri Siddheshwar Temple, Maldhok Wildlife Sanctuary, Kudal Sangam, Ramling and Velapur.

Thane district is an industrially advanced district. The prominent industries are paper mill, paint and chemical industries and pharmaceutical industries at Thane, matchbox factories at Ambernath and paint and chemical factories at Bhaindar. Tribal, koli, tarpa and drum dances are the folk-arts of the district. A major attraction of the district is the Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary, which offers a sight of rare wild animals.

Wardha district has a number of cotton mills. They are mostly located in Hinganghat and there are also many factories for ginning and pressing cotton. It is spread over an area of 6,310 sq. km. Bhajan, Dandar, Gondhal and Powada are the major folk arts of the district.

Washim district is famous for its Hemadpanthi temples. Bhajan, keertan, shahiri, powada, gondhal, bharud and dandar are the principal folk arts of the district. Cotton, wheat, jowar, bajra, tur, mango, sugarcane and rice are the chief crops that are grown here.

Yavatmal district is located in the eastern part of Maharashtra. It has substantial deposits of coal. Some of the major tourist attractions of the district are Chintamani of Kalamb, Tipeshwar sanctuary and Sahstrakund waterfalls near Umarkhed. The major rivers flowing through the district are Wardha and Penganga.