Maharashtra is the third largest and the second most populous state in the country. It accounts for 9.4% of the total geographical area and occupies a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau in the western peninsular of the subcontinent. The Western Ghats, which run parallel to the coast at an average elevation of 1200 metres form one of the three watersheds of the country, from which originate several important rivers, the most notable being Godavari and Krishna. To the north of the state, the rivers Tapi and Narmada flow westwards into the Arabian Sea. Administratively, the state is divided into 35 districts, Based on socio-political and other geographical considerations, the state is divided into five main regions: Vidarbha (north-eastern region), Marathwada, Khandesh, Northern Maharashtra (Desh) and Western Maharashtra (Konkan). Covering the entire Western Ghats, the Konkan region is known to receive the maximum rainfall in the state.