RajasthanisIndia'slargest state.It is located on the north-western side of the country, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitableThar Desert(also known as the "Rajasthan Desert" and "Great Indian Desert") and shares a border with the Pakistani provinces ofPunjabto the northwest andSindhto the west, along theSutlej-Indusriver valley.
Major features include the ruins of theIndus Valley CivilizationatKalibanga; theDilwara Temples, aJainpilgrimage site at Rajasthan's onlyhill station,Mount Abu, in the ancientAravalli mountain range; and, in eastern Rajasthan, theKeoladeo National ParknearBharatpur, aWorld Heritage Siteknown for its bird life. Rajasthan is also home to two national tiger reserves, theRanthambore National ParkinSawai MadhopurandSariska Tiger ReserveinAlwar.
Itscapitaland largest city isJaipur, also known as Pink City, located on the state's eastern side. Other important cities areJodhpur,Udaipur,Bikaner,Kota, andAjmer.