Not to be confused with the West Indies, also known as the Caribbean.
Western India comprises three large states, one small state and one small union territory. It is bounded by Pakistan and the Arabian Sea to its west and the Gangetic Plains to its east. This is the most heterogeneous of India's regions, with the states differing dramatically from one another in language, culture and levels of economic development. Maharashtra and Gujarat are among the most industrialised states of India, while Rajasthan and Goa are magnets for tourists, though for different reasons.