Madhya Pradesh often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal.  Madhya Pradesh was the largest state in India until 1 November 2000, when the state of Chhattisgarh was carved out. It borders the states Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The state has an area of 308,252 km2 (119,017 sq mi).