Ratlam (or Rijtlam), is a city and district in Madhya Pradesh state of central India. The town of Ratlam is 1577 ft. above sea-level.

Ratlam was a princely state in British India, part of Malwa agency of Central India. It had an area of 902 sq. mi. Its territory was closely interlaced with that of Sailana . It was held as tributary to the Sindhia rulers of Gwalior; but in 1819 an arrangement was made by which Sindhia engaged never to send any troops into the country or to interfere with the internal administration, and in 1861 the tribute was assigned to the British government in part payment of the Gwalior contingent. The population in 1901 was 83,773; estimated revenue, 34,000; tribute, 2850. The raja was a Rahtor Rajput of the Jodhpur family. Sujjan Singh succeeded in 1893, and attained full powers in 1898. The town of Ratlam had a population of 36,321 in 1901. It was a junction on the Rajputana-Malwa railway, and an important centre of trade, especially in opium.

Ratlam District

Ratlam district has an area of 4,861 sq. km, and a population of 971,309 in 1991. It is bounded Mandsaur District to the north, Jhalawar District of Rajasthan state to the northwest, Ujjain District to the west, Dhar District to the south, Jhabua District to the southeast, and Chittaurgharh District of Rajasthan to the east. It is divided into five tehsils, and is home to nine towns and 1077 villages (1991).

Ratlam District was created after 1947 out of the territory of several princely states, including Ratlam, as part of the new state of Madhya Bharat. In 1956 Madhya Bharat was merged into Madhya Pradesh state.