Some interesting facts about gujarat and gujarati

Some interesting facts about Gujarat and Gujarati

There are about 46.1 Million people speaking 'Gujarati' language worldwide, making it the 26th most spoken native language in the world. 

The Champaner-Pavagadh Archeological Park near the Pavagadh Hills in Panchmahal district has been recognized by UNESCO as a "World Heritage Site".

Dholavira in Kutch district is the site of the world's oldest reservoir and Lothal near Ahmedabad contains the ancient ruins of the world's first dockyard. Both are in Gujarat. 

Out of the 562 princely states in India prior to Independence, as many as 366 states were in Gujarat. 

The Rann of Kutch is famous for its white salt desert, rare ecosystem, fossils and wildlife. The Indian Wild Ass, called the Ghor Khur resides here.

Gujarat is the exclusive natural habitat of lions outside Africa. According to the 13th Asiatic Lions population estimate, conducted in 2010, a total of 411 lions dwell in the Gir Forest National Park and the surrounding areas called Sasan Forest. 

India's first Marina Wildlife Sanctuary and first Marine National Park were created in the Gulf of Kutch off the Gujarat coast in 1980 and 1982 respectively. 

Gujarat is known as the land of fairs and festivals' because over 2000 festivals are celebrated here. 

Gujarat has the most, 44 of the 205 to be precise, protected mosques of the country according to the Archeological Survey of India.

At the height of about 2000 feet, Palitana in Bhavnagar district is the only place in the world with more than 900 Jain temples on its mountain. 

Over 25% of the Indian population in North America is Gujarati. 

Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat is the greenest capital of Indian and one of the greenest of the world. It has 32,00,000 trees and a 22 trees per person ratio. 

Gujarat has the highest rate of eye donation in India. It contributes 25% of the total eye donations in the country. 

Every minute, on average, one person in Gujarat donates blood. 

The Government of Gujarat was the first State Government in Asia to set up a separate Department of Climate Chance and only the fourth such state/province in the world. 

On 31st July 2010, Ahmedabad set a world record planting 7.5 lakh saplings in a day by public participation in 12 hours, breaking the earlier record of 5.5 lakh saplings planted in a day in whole Pakistan. 

Ahmedabad's BRTS Project (Bus Rapid Transit System) was awarded the best sustainable transport system in the world by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy in January 2010. 

Gujarat state is home to the world's largest ship breaking and recycling yard in Alang, near Bhavnagar. 

Tata Motor's Nano Car - the world's cheapest car, is manufactured in Sanand, Near Ahmedabad. 

Ahmedabad City ranked the third fastest growing city in the world by Forbes. 

Madhapar village near Bhuj in Kutch district is Asia's richest village. The population of 15,000 in 2009 reputedly have per capita fixed deposits in the bank averaging 1,200,000 pounds.