Covering an area of 307,713 km2, Maharashtra shares its borders with 6 states (Madhya Pradesh to the north, Chhattisgarh to the east, Telangana to the southeast, Karnataka to the south, Goa to the southwest and Gujarat to the northwest). The Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli lies in between the borders of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Landscapes and physiological features in the state vary from the vast shores of the Arabian Sea, to the Sahyadri in the east, and the tableland of the Deccan plateau to the Satpuda ranges in the west.

It is due to such varied relief divisions that the state is home to many wild plant and animal species and popular tribes found in India. Hills, seashore, plateaus and valleys make for natural places of residence for different wildlife and cultures, to which Maharashtra owes its biodiversity. Sharing borders with other major states, the state of Maharashtra also forms the centre-point of some major wildlife corridors of the country. The Royal Bengal Tiger finds its home in some of the most sought-after wildlife reserves located amidst difficult terrains of Maharashtra.