Andhra Pradesh (English: , Telugu: [ãːndʱrɐ prɐdeːʃ] (listen) abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of 162,975 km2 (62,925 sq mi) and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants,. It is bordered by Telangana to the north-west, Chhattisgarh to the north, Odisha to the north-east, Tamil Nadu to the south, Karnataka to the west and the Bay of Bengal to the east. It has the second longest coastline in India after Gujarat, of about 974 km (605 mi). Andhra Pradesh was the first state to be formed on a linguistic basis in India on 1 October 1953. On 1 November 1956, Andhra State was merged with the Telugu-speaking areas of the Hyderabad State to form Andhra Pradesh. Amaravati serves as the capital with the largest city being Visakhapatnam.Andhra Pradesh was once a major Buddhist pilgrimage site in the country and a Buddhist learning center which can be seen in many sites in the state in the form of monastery ruins, chaityas and stupas. It is also known for being the land of Koh-i-Noor and other globally known diamonds from Kollur Mine. It is also a major producer of rice known as the "Rice bowl of India". Its official language is Telugu; one of the classical languages of India, the fourth most spoken language in India and the 13th-most spoken language in the world. Andhra Pradesh's second official language is Urdu.Early inhabitants were known as the Andhras, tracing their history back to the Vedic period, when they were mentioned in the 8th century BCE Rigvedic text Aitareya Brahmana. According to the Aitareya Brahmana, the Andhras left North India from the banks of the Yamuna river and migrated to South India. The Assaka Mahajanapada (700–300 BCE) was an ancient kingdom located between the Godavari and Krishna rivers in southeastern India. Accounts that people in the region are descended from the Viswamitra are found in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. The region also derives its name from the Satavahanas, who are also known as Andhras, the earliest kings of Andhra Pradesh and India.People of the said era supported local art and culture by building temples and sculptures of the Buddhist monuments in the state. It was ruled by the Mauryan Empire, Satavahana dynasty, Salankayanas, Andhra Ikshvakus, Pallavas, Vishnukundinas, Eastern Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Cholas, Kakatiyas, Vijayanagara Empire, Gajapati Empire, Mughal Empire, Deccan sultanates, Qutb Shahi dynasty, and Asaf Jahis. In the 3rd century BCE, Andhra was a vassal kingdom of Ashoka, but after his death Andhra became powerful and extended its empire to the whole of Maratha country and beyond.Andhra Pradesh comprises three major regions namely Rayalaseema in the south-west, Coastal Andhra bordering the Bay of Bengal in the east and Uttarandhra at north-east. The state has 26 districts, 6 in Uttarandhra, 12 in Coastal Andhra and 8 in Rayalaseema. The state also borders a union territory, Yanam – a district of Puducherry, which lies to the south of Kakinada in the Godavari delta on the eastern side of the state. The economy of Andhra Pradesh is the 8th largest in India, with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of ₹8.84 trillion (US$110 billion) and has the country's 17th-highest GSDP per capita of ₹170,000 (US$2,100). Andhra Pradesh ranks 27th among Indian states in Human Development Index (HDI). It has a jurisdiction over almost 15,000 square kilometres (5,800 sq mi) of territorial waters.Andhra Pradesh hosted 121.8 million visitors in 2015, a 30% growth in tourist arrivals over the previous year, making it the third most-visited state in India. The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati is one of the world's most visited religious sites, with 18.25 million visitors per year. The region is also home to a variety of other pilgrimage centres, such as the Pancharama Kshetras, Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga and Kodanda Rama Temple. The state's natural attractions include the beaches of Visakhapatnam, hill stations such as the Araku Valley and Horsley Hills, and the deltas of Konaseema in the Godavari river, and Diviseema in the Krishna river.

Guntur (pronunciation ) is a city and the administrative headquarters of Guntur district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.: 9  Guntur City is spread across 168.49 km square and is the third-largest City in the state. It is situated 64 kilometres (40 mi) to the west of the Bay of Bengal, on the Eastern Coastal Plains. The city is the heartland of the state, located in the centre of Andhra Pradesh and making it a central part connecting different regions. It serves as a major hub for exports chilli, cotton and tobacco and has the largest chili market yard in Asia. It is a major transportation, education and commercial hub for the state.Guntur city is a municipal corporation and also the headquarters of Guntur East and Guntur West mandals in Guntur revenue division. The city region is a major part of Amaravati Metropolitan Region. As of 2011 census of India the city is the third most populous in the state with a population of 743,354. It is classified as a Y-grade city as per the Seventh Central Pay Commission. It is the 24th most densely populated city in the world and 11th in India. Guntur is estimated to have current population of around 0.9 million.The city forms a part of the East Coast Economic Corridor, an important industrial corridor in the country. It hosts many state offices and agencies, being part of the district capital and being in close proximity to the state legislative capital Amaravati. The city is about 1100 miles south of the national capital New Delhi. Guntur is known for its chilli, cotton and tobacco exports and has the largest chilli market yard in Asia. The city region is surrounded by many ancient temples and sites that include Kondavidu, Amararama, Caves, Pedakakani.