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Uttarakhand
State in northern India / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Uttarakhand (English: /ˈʊtərɑːkʌnd/,[18] /ˌʊtərəˈkʌnd/[19] or /ˌʊtəˈrækənd/;[20] Hindi: [ˈʊtːərɑːkʰəɳɖ], lit. 'Northern Land'), formerly known as Uttaranchal (English: /ˌʊtəˈræntʃʌl/; the official name until 2007),[21] is a state in northern India. The state is bordered by Himachal Pradesh to the northwest, Tibet to the north, Nepal to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the south and southeast, with small borders also touching Haryana and Rajasthan in the southwest. Uttarakhand has a total area of 53,566 km2 (20,682 sq mi), equal to 1.6 per cent of the total area of India. Dehradun serves as the state capital, with Nainital being the judicial capital. The state is divided into two divisions, Garhwal and Kumaon, with a total of 13 districts. The forest cover in the state is 45.4 per cent of the state's geographical area. The cultivable area is 16 per cent of the total geographical area. The two major rivers of the state, the Ganges and its tributary Yamuna, originate from the Gangotri and Yamunotri glaciers respectively.
Uttarakhand | |
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State of Uttarakhand | |
Etymology: Northern Land | |
Nickname: "Devbhumi" (Land of Gods) | |
Motto: Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone triumphs) | |
Anthem: Uttarakhand Devbhumi Matribhumi ("Uttarakhand, Land of the Gods, O Motherland!")[1] | |
![]() Location of Uttarakhand in India | |
Coordinates: 30.33°N 78.06°E / 30.33; 78.06 (Dehradun) | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | North India |
Before was | Part of Uttar Pradesh |
As state | 9 November 2000 |
Formation (by bifurcation) | 9 November 2000 |
Capital | Bhararisain Dehradun (winter) |
Largest city | Dehradun |
Districts | 13 |
Government | |
• Body | Government of Uttarakhand |
• Governor | Gurmit Singh |
• Chief minister | Pushkar Singh Dhami[2] (BJP) |
State Legislature | Unicameral |
• Assembly | Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly (70 seats) |
National Parliament | Parliament of India |
• Rajya Sabha | 3 seats |
• Lok Sabha | 5 seats |
High Court | Uttarakhand High Court |
Area | |
• Total | 53,483 km2 (20,650 sq mi) |
• Rank | 19th |
Dimensions | |
• Length | 320 km (200 mi) |
• Width | 385 km (239 mi) |
Highest elevation | 7,816 m (25,643 ft) |
Lowest elevation | 187 m (614 ft) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | ![]() |
• Rank | 21st |
• Density | 189/km2 (490/sq mi) |
• Urban | 30.23% |
• Rural | 69.77% |
Demonyms | Uttarakhandi |
Language | |
• Official | Hindi[3] |
• Additional official | Sanskrit[4][5] |
• Official script | Devanagari script |
GDP | |
• Total (2024–2025) | ![]() |
• Rank | 20th |
• Per capita | ![]() |
Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
ISO 3166 code | IN-UK[8] |
Vehicle registration | UK |
HDI (2022) | ![]() |
Literacy (2011) | ![]() |
Sex ratio (2011) | 963♀/1000 ♂[10] (4th) |
Website | uk |
Symbols of Uttarakhand | |
![]() | |
Song | Uttarakhand Devbhumi Matribhumi ("Uttarakhand, Land of the Gods, O Motherland!")[11] |
Foundation day | Uttarakhand Day |
Bird | Himalayan monal |
Butterfly | West Himalayan Common Peacock[12][13] |
Fish | Golden Mahseer[14][15] |
Flower | Brahma Kamal[16] |
Mammal | Alpine musk deer[17] |
Tree | Burans |
State highway mark | |
![]() | |
State highway of Uttarakhand | |
List of Indian state symbols | |
Uttarakhand's history dates back to prehistoric times, with archaeological evidence showcasing human habitation. It was part of the ancient Kuru and the Panchal kingdoms during the Vedic age, and later saw the rise of dynasties like the Kunindas and influence of Buddhism as evidenced by Ashokan edicts. Though primarily driven by agriculture and hydropower, the state's economy is now dominated by the service industry. The service sector comprises primarily travel, tourism, and hotel industry.The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Uttarakhand is ₹2.87 lakh crore (US$34 billion). The state contributes five seats to the lower house Lok Sabha and three seats and the upper house Rajya Sabha.
Inhabitants of the state are called either Garhwali or Kumaoni depending on their region of origin. Hinduism practised by more than three-fourths of the population, with Islam being the next-largest religious group. Hindi is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state, along with native regional languages include Garhwali, Jaunsari and Kumaoni. The state is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (lit. 'Land of the Gods'), due to its religious significance and numerous Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres found throughout the state. Along with several historical, natural and religious tourist destinations, including Char Dham, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Panch Kedar, Himalayas, and Sapta Badri. Uttarakhand is also home to two World Heritage sites.