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Uttar Pradesh (/ ˌʊtərprəˈdɛʃ / UUT-ər prə-DESH; [ 13 ]Hindi: [ˈʊtːəɾ pɾəˈdeːʃ]; lit.'North Province') is a state in northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world – more populous than all but four other countries ...
6 days ago · Main attractions: Dhamek Stupa, Ashoka Pillar (India’s national symbol), Sarnath Museum, Mulagandhakuti Vihara (a Buddist monastery), Deer Park, (most popular tourist place in Uttar Pradesh) Sarnath Archaeological Site, Mahabodhi Society Temple and Chaukhandi Stupa. Best restaurants: Restaurant UP-65, Shaakya Restaurant and Cilantro Restaurant.
- Overview
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
- People
- Population composition
- Settlement patterns
Uttar Pradesh, the most populous and fourth largest state of India. It lies in the north-central part of the country.
Uttar Pradesh is bordered by the state of Uttarakhand and the country of Nepal to the north, the state of Bihar to the east, the states of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh to the southeast, the state of Madhya Pradesh to the south, and the states of Rajasthan and Haryana and the national capital territory of Delhi to the west. On January 26, 1950, when India became a republic, the state was given its present name, Uttar Pradesh (literally, “Northern State”). Its capital is Lucknow, in the west-central part of the state. Area 93,933 square miles (243,286 square km). Pop. (2011) 199,581,477.
The state can be divided into two physiographic regions: the central plains of the Ganges (Ganga) River and its tributaries (part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain) and the southern uplands. The vast majority of Uttar Pradesh lies within the Gangetic Plain, which is composed of alluvial deposits brought down from the Himalayas to the north by the vast Gan...
The state is well drained by a number of rivers originating in either the Himalayas to the north or the Vindhya Range to the south. The Ganges and its main tributaries—the Yamuna, the Ramganga, the Gomati, the Ghaghara, and the Gandak rivers—are fed by the perpetual snows of the Himalayas. The Chambal, the Betwa, and the Ken, originating from the Vindhya Range, drain the southwestern part of the state before joining the Yamuna. The Son, also originating in the Vindhya Range, drains the southeastern part of the state and joins the Ganges beyond the state borders (in Bihar).
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Much of the area of Uttar Pradesh is covered by a deep layer of alluvium spread by the slow-moving rivers of the Ganges system. Those extremely fertile alluvial soils range from sandy to clayey loam. The soils in the southern part of the state are generally mixed red and black or red-to-yellow.
The climate of Uttar Pradesh is the tropical monsoon type, with warm weather year-round. Average high temperatures in Lucknow range from about 70 °F (low 20s C) in January to over 100 °F (38 °C) in May and June. High temperatures of about 120 °F (50 °C) have been recorded at Gonda, northwest of Faizabad.
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Annual rainfall in the state ranges from 40–80 inches (1,000–2,000 mm) in the east to 24–40 inches (600–1,000 mm) in the west. About 90 percent of the rainfall occurs during the southwest monsoon, lasting from about June to September. With most of the rainfall concentrated during that four-month period, floods are a recurring problem and can cause fatalities and heavy damage to crops and property, particularly in the eastern part of the state. Periodic failure of monsoons results in drought conditions.
The vegetation of Uttar Pradesh consists mostly of scrub. Forests are generally concentrated in the southern uplands. Animals of the region include tigers, leopards, elephants, wild boars, and crocodiles, as well as pigeons, doves, wild ducks, partridges, peafowls, blue jays, quails, and woodpeckers. Several species, such as lions from the Gangetic...
Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India. In the early 21st century it had an overall population density of more than twice the national average. The Gangetic Plain supports the overwhelming majority of the state’s population.
Some one-fifth of the state’s people are classified officially as Scheduled Castes (formerly called “untouchables”; groups that officially occupy a low position within the caste system). A much tinier proportion of the people are officially classified as Scheduled Tribes (generally applied to indigenous peoples who fall outside the predominant Indi...
The majority of the state’s population lives in rural areas. The rural settlements are characterized by compact villages in the western part of the state, groupings of hamlets in the eastern part, and a combination of the two in the central part. A traditional village in Uttar Pradesh is a cluster of mud huts with roofs made of thatch (such as straw) or clay tiles and few amenities of modern living. Villages near the cities, however, are likely to have cement-plastered homes, paved roads, and electricity.
Most urbanites live in cities with populations of more than 100,000. Among the largest cities of Uttar Pradesh are Kanpur, Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Meerut, and Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad). Kanpur, located in the central portion of the state, is the premier industrial city of Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow, the state capital, is about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Kanpur. Agra, in the western part of the state, is the site of the Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahān (ruled 1628–58) in memory of his wife; it is the most famous tourist attraction in India. Varanasi, the city most sacred to Hindus, is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. Meerut, northeast of Delhi, is an important centre of transportation, trade, and industry. Prayagraj (on the site of the ancient holy city of Prayag), located at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, is another city sacred to Hindus.
Sep 10, 2024 · Agra is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is 378 kilometres west of the state capital, Lucknow, 206 kilometres south of the national capital New Delhi, 58 kilometres south from Mathura and 125 kilometres north of Gwalior.
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4 days ago · Uttar Pradesh is the springhead of the ancient civilization of the Hindus. A substantial portion of the subcontinent’s ancient Vedic literature had its origin in the area’s many hermitages, as did the great Indian epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata (which includes the Bhagavadgita [Sanskrit: “Song of the Lord”]).
Explore the rich history, culture and diversity of Uttar Pradesh, one of the states that defines India. Visit the spiritual capital Varanasi, the Taj Mahal in Agra, the Mughal architecture in Lucknow and more.
Explore the historic and religious roots of Uttar Pradesh, a state with sacred rivers and vast plains. Discover the attractions of Agra, Varanasi, Lucknow and more, and plan your trip with a local expert.
