Rajasthan is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert (Thar Desert), which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with Pakistan. The region borders Pakistan to the west, Gujarat to the southwest, Madhya Pradesh to the southeast, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to the northeast and Punjab to the north. The state capital is Jaipur.

Economy
Agriculture
Rajasthan's economy is primarily agricultural and pastoral. Wheat and barley are cultivated over large areas, as are pulses, sugarcane, and oilseeds. Cotton and tobacco are cash crops. Rajasthan is among the largest producers of edible oils in India and the second largest producer of oilseeds. Rajasthan is also the biggest wool-producing state in India. There are mainly two crop seasons. The water for irrigation comes from wells and tanks. The Indira Gandhi Canal irrigates northwestern Rajasthan.

Industries
The industrialisation of Rajasthan slowly began in 1960s. The main industries are mineral based, agriculture based, and textiles. Textiles - Rajasthan is the second largest producer of polyester fibre in India. Bhilwara District produces more cloth than Bhiwandi in Maharashtra.

Mining
Rajasthan is pre-eminent in quarrying and mining in India. The state is the second largest source of cement. It has rich salt deposits at Sambhar, copper mines at Khetri and zinc mines at Dariba, Zawar mines at Zawarmala for zinc, rampura aghucha (opencast) near Bhilwara.
Dimensional stone mining is also undertaken in Rajasthan: Jodhpur sandstone is mostly used in monuments, important buildings, residential buildings, etc. This stone is termed "chittar patthar".

Tourism
Endowed with natural beauty and a great history, tourism is flourishing in Rajasthan. The palaces of Jaipur, lakes of Udaipur, and desert forts of Jodhpur, Bikaner & Jaisalmer are among the most preferred destination of many tourists, Indian and foreign. Tourism accounts for eight percent of the state's domestic product. Many old and neglected palaces and forts have been converted into heritage hotels. Tourism has increased employment in the hospitality sector.

Handicrafts
A spin-off of tourism has been the growth of the handicrafts industry.

Divisions
Rajasthan has 32 districts: Ajmer, Alwar, Banswara, Baran, Barmer, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Bharatpur, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Churu, Dausa, Dholpur, Dungarpur, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jhalawar, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Karauli, Kota, Nagaur, Pali, Rajsamand, Sawai Madhopur, Sikar, Sirohi, Tonk, and Udaipur.
These districts are grouped into seven divisions:

Ajmer Division: Ajmer, Bhilwara, Nagaur, Tonk.
Bharatpur Division: Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karuali, Swai Madhopur.
Bikaner Division: Bikaner, Churu, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh.
Jaipur Division: Jaipur, Alwar, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Dausa.
Jodhpur Division: Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jodhpur, Pali, Sirohi.
Kota Division: Baran, Bundi, Jhalawar, Kota.
Udaipur Division: Banswara, Chittorgarh, Dungarpur, Udaipur, Rajsamand.