Explore the Uttarakhand political map showing the 13 districts, district headquarters and capital of Uttarakhand state of India.
Districts of Uttarakhand
S.N.
District Name
District Headquarter
1
Almora
Almora
2
Bageshwar
Bageshwar
3
Chamoli
Gopeshwar
4
Champawat
Champawat
5
Dehradun
Dehradun
6
Haridwar
Haridwar
7
Nainital
Nainital
8
Pauri Garhwal
Pauri
9
Pithoragarh
Pithoragarh
10
Rudraprayag
Rudraprayag
11
Tehri Garhwal
Tehri
12
Udham Singh Nagar
Rudrapur
13
Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi
About Uttarakhand
The northern Indian state of Uttarakhand exists within the Himalayan range as a sacred place featuring dramatic landscapes and holy rivers. The new state of Uttarakhand separated from Uttar Pradesh on November 9th 2000 and people call it "Devbhumi" or "Land of the Gods" because it contains numerous sacred pilgrimage sites. The state extends across 53,483 square kilometers (20,650 square miles) of land which borders China's Tibet region to the north and Nepal to the east while Himachal Pradesh lies to the west and Uttar Pradesh to the south.
Uttarakhand is split into two areas. Garhwal, to the west and Kumaon to the east. With landscapes ranging from snowy peaks in the north to lush forests in the south where renowned rivers like the Ganges and Yamuna begin their journey from glaciers like Gangotri and Yamunotri that hold great significance for people all, over India. The altitude changes greatly across the land, in Nepal. It ranges from the Terai area to mountains reaching heights of over 7.000 meters. A notable peak is Nanda Devi standing at 7.816 meters (25.643 feet) making it the second tallest mountain, in India.
The state has a variety of weather patterns depending on the altitude level it encompasses. At altitudes, in the area experience cold alpine conditions and significant snowfall in winter seasons while regions at elevations enjoy a tropical climate with high humidity. Forests encompass around 65 percent of the states territory resulting in a diversity of flora and fauna. Prominent protected areas include Jim Corbett National Park, the park, in India and Valley of Flowers National Park, a site recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage location.
Historical Overview
The history of Uttarakhand has connections, to mythology and religious customs that go way back in time. Ancient scriptures like the Vedas and the Puranas frequently mention this region. Legend has it that revered sages like Vyasa, the esteemed author of the Mahabharata and Adi Shankaracharya journeyed through these lands. Throughout centuries many towns and temples in the state such as Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri. Collectively known as the Char Dham. Have been pilgrimage sites, for devotees.
Throughout history various dynasties such, as the Katyuri and Chand dynasties in Kumaon and the Panwar dynasty in Garhwal governed the region. During the era certain parts of present day Uttarakhand fell under control leading to the growth of popular hill stations like Nainital and Mussoorie. Following Indias independence in 1947 the area remained part of Uttar Pradesh until a movement for statehood arose due, to its cultural and geographic characteristics. Uttarakhand became Indias state in the year 2000 marking a milestone in its formation.
Economic Landscape
The economy of Uttarakhand is influenced by its geographical features. Agriculture and tourism are drivers of growth, along with hydropower production playing a significant role too. Even though the regions landscape is mostly mountainous and not conducive to farming operations the practice of terrace farming is common in the areas where crops like rice, wheat, barley and millets are cultivated; while sugarcane along with fruits such, as litchis, mangoes and guavas are grown in the plains.
Tourism plays a role, in the states economy as it welcomes millions of visitors every year with a mix of tourism options like the Char Dham Yatra and adventure activities such as trekking and river raftings in destinations, like Rishikesh and Haridwar known for yoga and spirituality.