This paper presents estimates of rural and urban poverty and inequality for the 61 constituent "regions" of India's 16 major states in 1987-88, based on National Sample Survey data. The estimates are also used for preliminary investigation of selected issues, including the regional patters of poverty decline since 1972-3, the hypothesis of inter-regional "convergence" in poverty levels, the evolution of intra-regional and inter-regional inequality in consumer expenditure, and the relationship between poverty decline and regional characteristics.