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Uttar Pradesh

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Revision as of 08:08, 23 August 2025 by Mr.x (talk | contribs)
Uttar Pradesh
Map showing the location of Uttar Pradesh
Capital Lucknow
Largest city Kanpur
Official languages Hindi (Additional: Urdu)
Area 240,928 km²
Population 199,812,341 (2011 Census)
Established 24 January 1950
Time zone IST (UTC+05:30)
Vehicle code UP
Website Official site


Uttar Pradesh (UP) is a state in northern India. With over 241 million people, it is the most populated state in India and also the most populated region in the world. Its population is larger than all countries except China, United States, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Uttar Pradesh has 16.5% of India’s population and about 3% of the world’s population.

The state is bordered by Rajasthan in the west, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi in the northwest, Uttarakhand and Nepal in the north, Bihar in the east, and Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand in the south. It is the fourth-largest state in India with an area of 243,286 km² (93,933 sq mi), which is 7.3% of India’s total area. Lucknow is the capital, and Prayagraj is the judicial capital. The state has 18 divisions and 75 districts.

Uttar Pradesh was formed in 1950 after India became a republic. Earlier it was called the United Provinces (1935), which came from the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (1902), created from the North-Western Provinces and Oudh Province.

The state was once known for sugar production, but now the economy is led by the service industry, which includes tourism, hotels, real estate, insurance, and finance. Uttar Pradesh has the third-largest economy in India, with a GDP of ₹18.63 lakh crore (US$220 billion) and a per capita income of ₹68,810 (US$810). The High Court is in Prayagraj. Politically, UP sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha and 31 members to the Rajya Sabha.

On 9 November 2000, a new state Uttarakhand (earlier called Uttaranchal) was carved out of UP’s Himalayan hill region. The two main rivers, the Ganga and Yamuna, meet at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, an important Hindu pilgrimage place. Other rivers include the Gomti and Sarayu. The state has 6.1% forest cover, 82% cultivable land, and 68.5% net sown area.

People of the state are called Awadhi, Bagheli, Bhojpuri, Brajwasi, Bundeli, or Kannauji, depending on their region. Most people follow Hinduism, followed by Islam. Hindi is the main language and official language, along with Urdu.

Uttar Pradesh has a long history and was home to great empires like the Maurya, Harsha, Gupta, Pala, Delhi Sultanate, and Mughal Empires. In the early 20th century, during the Indian independence movement, the princely states of Ramgadi, Rampur, and Benares were in UP. The state was also a key place in the 1857 revolt against British rule.

Uttar Pradesh has many Hindu temples and pilgrimage sites, as well as historical, natural, and religious tourist places such as Agra, Aligarh, Ayodhya, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Kushinagar, Lucknow, Mathura, Meerut, Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Vrindavan. The state also has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

History

Prehistory

Modern human hunter-gatherers lived in Uttar Pradesh between 85,000 and 72,000 years ago. Prehistoric tools and remains from the Middle and Upper Paleolithic period (21,000–31,000 years ago) have been found in the state. Evidence of Mesolithic/Microlithic hunter-gatherer settlements was also discovered near Pratapgarh, dating to around 10,550–9,550 BCE.

By 6000 BCE, people started living in villages with domesticated cattle, sheep, and goats, and also began practicing agriculture. From about 4000 to 1500 BCE, these settlements developed further, starting with the Indus Valley and Harappan culture, then moving into the Vedic period and later the Iron Age.

Geography

Uttar Pradesh, covering 240,928 square kilometres (93,023 sq mi), is the fourth-largest state in India and is roughly the size of the United Kingdom. It is located in northern India and shares a border with Nepal. The Himalayas are to the north, but most of the state is flat plains. The northern part has the Gangetic Plain, which includes the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, Ghaghra plains, Ganges plains, and the Terai region. The southern part has the smaller Vindhya Range and plateau. The state has hills, valleys, plateaus, and hard rock areas.

The Bhabhar area gradually changes into the Terai, which has tall grass, forests, marshes, and swamps. Rivers in the Bhabhar flow slowly through dense vegetation, and the Terai runs parallel to it in a narrow strip. The alluvial plains are divided into three regions: the eastern region has 14 districts prone to floods and droughts and has high population density, leading to less land per person. The central and western regions are better with more irrigation but sometimes face waterlogging.

Uttar Pradesh has over 32 rivers, with the Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Sarayu, Betwa, and Ghaghara being the largest and important in Hinduism. Farming is widely practiced. The state has three main agricultural zones: Middle Gangetic Plains (Zone IV), Upper Gangetic Plains (Zone V), and Central Plateau and Hills (Zone VIII). The valley areas have rich soil, while some hill slopes are farmed with limited irrigation. The Siwalik Range forms the southern Himalayan foothills, sloping into the Bhabhar. The Terai-Bhabhar belt runs along the state, with dense forests and many streams that swell during the monsoon.

Culture

Uttar Pradesh is often referred to as the "Hindi heartland":

Language and literature

Many texts and hymns of the Vedic literature were written in Uttar Pradesh. Famous Indian writers from the state include Kabir, Ravidas, and Tulsidas, who wrote much of his Ram Charit Manas in Varanasi. The festival of Guru Purnima, also called Vyasa Purnima, celebrates Sage Vyasa’s birthday and the day he is believed to have divided the Vedas.

Hindi became the official language of the state with the Uttar Pradesh Official Language Act of 1951. In 1989, Urdu was added as an additional official language. The state’s languages belong to the Central, East-Central, and Eastern zones of Indo-Aryan languages. Major Hindi dialects in the state include Awadhi, Bagheli, Bundeli, Braj Bhasha, Kannauji, and Hindustani. Bhojpuri, an Eastern Indo-Aryan language, is also spoken in the state.

Music and Dance

Each district of Uttar Pradesh has its own unique music and traditions. Traditional folk music in the state is classified into three types: music passed down orally, music with unknown composers, and music performed according to custom. During the medieval period, two main types of music developed: courtly music, supported in cities like Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lucknow, Jaunpur, Varanasi, and Banda, and religious music from the Bhakti movement, which grew in Mathura, Vrindavan, and Ayodhya.

Popular folk music includes Sohar, sung to celebrate a child’s birth; Kajari, a semi-classical song sung in the rainy season and linked to the Benares gharana; Ghazal, Thumri, and Qawwali, which are popular in Awadh; Rasiya, especially in Braj, celebrating Radha and Krishna’s divine love; and Khayal, a semi-classical form from the Awadh courts. Other forms include Biraha, Chaiti, Chowtal, Alha, and Sawani.

Kathak, a classical dance form, originated in Uttar Pradesh. Ramlila, a traditional folk dance depicting Lord Rama’s life, is performed during festivals like Vijayadashami. Nautanki is a folk theatre from the state that shows historical, mythological, social, and political stories. The Lucknow and Benares gharanas are famous for Kathak dance. Charkula is a popular dance in the Braj region.

Fairs and Festivals

Chhath Puja is the biggest festival in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The Kumbh Mela, held every twelve years in Prayagraj on the Ganges during the month of Maagha (February–March), is another major festival. Lathmar Holi is a local Holi celebration in Barsana near Mathura, taking place before the main Holi festival. Taj Mahotsav, held every year in Agra, showcases the vibrant culture of the Braj region. Ganga Mahotsav is celebrated on Kartik Purnima, fifteen days after Diwali.

Economy

Uttar Pradesh is the fourth-largest economy in India based on net state domestic product (NSDP), with an estimated GDP of ₹14.89 lakh crore (US$180 billion), contributing 8.4% of India’s total GDP. In 2014–15, the state produced 19% of India’s total food grains, and about 70% of the country’s sugar comes from here, making sugarcane the most important cash crop. Uttar Pradesh is the largest sugar-producing state in India.

The state has 359 manufacturing clusters, with cement being the top small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. The Uttar Pradesh Financial Corporation (UPFC), set up in 1954, helps develop small- and medium-scale industries and provides working capital. Private investment in the state between 2012 and 2016 was over ₹25,081 crores. In 2015, the World Bank ranked Uttar Pradesh among the top 10 states in India for ease of doing business, and first among northern states.

Uttar Pradesh’s debt in 2019–20 was 29.8% of its GDP, totaling ₹2.09 lakh crore (US$25 billion) in 2011. The state has not seen double-digit economic growth despite repeated efforts. GDP growth was 7% in 2017–18 and 6.5% in 2018–19. Unemployment rose to 21.5% in April 2020. The state also has the largest number of people migrating out, with nearly 14.4 million (14.7%) leaving according to the 2011 census. Most women migrate due to marriage, while men move for work.

Regional differences are significant. Western Uttar Pradesh is more developed, with higher per capita district income, while eastern districts (Purvanchal) lag due to poor infrastructure and dense population. In 2021–22, the GDDP of Purvanchal was ₹5.37 lakh crore, Western Uttar Pradesh ₹9.44 lakh crore, Bundelkhand ₹99,029.34 crore, and Central Uttar Pradesh ₹3.36 lakh crore. The per capita annual income in eastern districts was ₹12,741, much lower than the state average of ₹17,349.

In 2009–10, the service sector was the largest part of Uttar Pradesh's economy, contributing 44.8% of the state’s GDP. Agriculture, forestry, and tourism contributed 44%, while industry and manufacturing contributed 11.2%. Noida, Meerut, and Agra had the highest per capita incomes, while Lucknow and Kanpur were 7th and 9th, respectively.

During the 11th five-year plan (2007–2012), the state’s GDP grew at an average rate of 7.3%, which was lower than the national average of 15.5%. The per capita GSDP of the state was ₹29,417 (US$350), lower than the national average of ₹60,972 (US$720). Labor efficiency in the state was slightly above the national average. Textiles and sugar refining are major industries employing many workers, and tourism also contributes significantly to the economy.

Transportation

Uttar Pradesh has the largest railway network in India, but in terms of density, it ranks sixth, even though most of the state is flat and has the highest population. In 2015, the state had 9,077 km (5,640 mi) of railway lines. The network is managed mainly by two divisions of Indian Railways – North Central Railway (headquarters in Prayagraj) and North Eastern Railway (headquarters in Gorakhpur). Lucknow and Moradabad are divisional headquarters of Northern Railway. Fast trains like Lucknow Swarna Shatabdi Express and Kanpur Shatabdi Express connect Delhi with Lucknow and Kanpur. The Kanpur Shatabdi was also the first train in India to get German LHB coaches. Important railway stations like Prayagraj Junction, Agra Cantonment, Lucknow Charbagh, Gorakhpur Junction, Kanpur Central, Mathura Junction, and Varanasi Junction are listed among 50 world-class stations in India. Lucknow Metro and Kanpur Metro provide rapid transit service in those cities.

The state also has the largest road network in India. It has 42 national highways with a total length of 4,942 km, which is about 8.9% of all highways in the country. The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC), set up in 1972, operates 11,238 buses on 2,762 routes, covering 768,065 km daily and earning about ₹16 crore (US$1.9 million) per day. However, many buses are old and unsafe. All cities are linked by state highways, and district headquarters are being connected by four-lane roads. The Agra–Lucknow Expressway, a 302 km long controlled-access highway, is one such project. Uttar Pradesh also has the highest road density in India – 1,027 km per 1,000 km² – and the largest surfaced urban-road network (50,721 km).

In air travel, Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport and Varanasi’s Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport are the main international airports. A new international airport was opened in Kushinagar, but it has not yet started international flights. The state also has six domestic airports in Agra, Prayagraj, Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, and Kanpur, most of which are shared with the Indian Air Force. Another international airport is under construction at Jewar in Gautam Buddha Nagar, called Noida International Airport.

Sports

In the past, traditional sports like wrestling, swimming, kabaddi, and different local water or track sports were popular in Uttar Pradesh. Some games were made to show martial skills, like using swords or sticks (pata). But today, these sports are mostly played as hobbies or in small local competitions because there is no proper support or modern facilities.

Among modern sports, field hockey is popular, and Uttar Pradesh has produced famous players like Nitin Kumar and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay. But in recent years, cricket has become more popular than hockey. Uttar Pradesh won its first Ranji Trophy in 2006 by beating Bengal. The state also has the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, an international cricket stadium with a seating capacity of about 20,000 people. Wrestling also remains important, with many traditional training schools (akharas) across the state.

The Uttar Pradesh Football Sangh (UPFS) is the main football body of the state. It is connected with the All India Football Federation and manages the state football team. UPFS also sends teams to national-level competitions and controls two district football associations – Aligarh and Kanpur. Similarly, the Uttar Pradesh Badminton Association manages badminton in the state and is linked with the Badminton Association of India.

The Buddh International Circuit, located in Greater Noida, hosted India’s first Formula One Grand Prix on 30 October 2011. However, races were held only three times before being stopped due to low attendance and lack of government support. The Uttar Pradesh government treated Formula One as entertainment, not a sport, and imposed heavy taxes, which led to its cancellation.

===Uttar Pradesh

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Dark Coordinates: 26.85°N 80.91°E This is a good article. Click here for more information. Page extended-confirmed-protected From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Uttar Pradesh State

Taj Mahal

Sarnath

IIT Varanasi

Dudhwa National Park

Fatehpur Sikri

Agra Fort Official emblem of Uttar Pradesh Emblem of Uttar Pradesh Etymology: Northern Province Motto: Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone triumphs) The map of India showing Uttar Pradesh Location of Uttar Pradesh in India Coordinates: 26.85°N 80.91°E Country India Region North India Previously was United Provinces (1937–1950) Formation 24 January 1950[1] Capital and largest city Lucknow Largest metro Lucknow Districts 75 (18 divisions)[2][3] Government 

• Body	Government of Uttar Pradesh
• Governor	Anandiben Patel[4][5]
• Chief Minister	Yogi Adityanath (BJP)
• Deputy Chief Minister	Keshav Prasad Maurya (BJP)

Brajesh Pathak (BJP) State Legislature Bicameral 

• Council	Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council (100 seats)
• Assembly	Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly (403 seats)

National Parliament Parliament of India 

• Rajya Sabha	31 seats
• Lok Sabha	80 seats

High Court Allahabad High Court Area 

• Total

243,286 km2 (93,933 sq mi) 

• Rank	4th

Dimensions 

• Length	650 km (400 mi)
• Width	240 km (150 mi)

Highest elevation (Amsot Peak[6]) 957 m (3,140 ft) Lowest elevation (Ganges River) 60 m (200 ft) Population (2021) 

• Total

Increase 241,066,874 

• Rank	1st
• Density	1,001/km2 (2,590/sq mi)
• Urban	22.27%
• Rural	77.73%

Language 

• Official	Hindi[7]
• Additional official	Urdu
• Official script	Devanagari script

GDP[8] 

• Total (2022–2023)	Increase₹24.39 lakh crore (US$290 billion)
• Rank	2nd
• Per capita	Increase₹127,468 (US$1,500) (28th)

Time zone UTC+05:30 (IST) ISO 3166 code IN-UP Vehicle registration UP HDI (2022) Increase 0.609 Medium[9] (34th) Literacy (2024) 78.2%[10] (30th) Sex ratio (2021) 1015 ♀/1000 ♂[11] (19th) Website up.gov.in Symbols of Uttar Pradesh

Emblem of Uttar Pradesh Foundation day Uttar Pradesh Day Bird Sarus crane Flower Palash Mammal Barasingha Tree Ashoka State highway mark

State highway of Uttar Pradesh UP SH1 – UP SH99 List of Indian state symbols Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: Uttara Pradēśa, pronounced [ˈʊtːəɾᵊ pɾəˈdeːʃᵊ] UTT-ər prə-DESH; abbr. UP) 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 outside of India (China, United States, Indonesia, and Pakistan)[13] – and accounting for 16.5 percent of the population of India or around 3 percent of the total world population. The state is bordered by Rajasthan to the west, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi to the northwest, Uttarakhand and Nepal to the north, Bihar to the east, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to the south. It is the fourth-largest Indian state by area covering 243,286 km2 (93,933 sq mi), accounting for 7.3 percent of the total area of India. Lucknow serves as the state capital, with Prayagraj being the judicial capital. It is divided into 18 divisions and 75 districts.

Uttar Pradesh was established in 1950 after India had become a republic. It is a successor to the United Provinces, established in 1935 by renaming the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, in turn established in 1902 from the North-Western Provinces and the Oudh Province. Though long known for sugar production, the state's economy is now dominated by the services industry. The service sector comprises travel and tourism, hotel industry, real estate, insurance and financial consultancies. The economy of Uttar Pradesh is the third-largest state economy in India, with ₹18.63 lakh crore (US$220 billion) in gross domestic product and a per capita GSDP of ₹68,810 (US$810).[8] The High Court of the state is located in Prayagraj. The state contributes 80 seats to the lower house Lok Sabha and 31 seats and the upper house Rajya Sabha.

On 9 November 2000, a new state, Uttaranchal (now Uttarakhand), was created from Uttar Pradesh's western Himalayan hill region. The two major rivers of the state, the Ganges and its tributary Yamuna, meet at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, a Hindu pilgrimage site. Other notable rivers are Gomti and Sarayu. The forest cover in the state is 6.1 percent of the state's geographical area. The cultivable area is 82 percent of the total geographical area, and the net area sown is 68.5 percent of the cultivable area.[14]

Inhabitants of the state are called Awadhi, Bagheli, Bhojpuri, Brajwasi, Bundeli, or Kannauji, depending upon their region of origin. Hinduism is practised by more than three-fourths of the population, followed by Islam. Hindi is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state, along with Urdu. Uttar Pradesh was home to most of the mainstream political entities that existed in ancient and medieval India including the Maurya Empire, Harsha Empire, Gupta Empire, Pala Empire, Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire as well as many other empires. At the time of the Indian independence movement in the early 20th century, there were three major princely states in Uttar Pradesh – Ramgadi, Rampur and Benares and served as a focal point for the 1857 rebellion against British rule. The state houses several holy Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres. Along with several historical, natural and religious tourist destinations, including Agra, Aligarh, Ayodhya, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Kushinagar, Lucknow, Mathura, Meerut, Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh is also home to three World Heritage sites.

History Main article: History of Uttar Pradesh Prehistory Modern human hunter-gatherers have been in Uttar Pradesh[15][16][17] since between around[18] 85,000 and 72,000 years ago. There have also been prehistorical finds in the state from the Middle and Upper Paleolithic dated to 21,000–31,000 years old[19] and Mesolithic/Microlithic hunter-gatherer settlement, near Pratapgarh, from around 10550–9550 BCE. Villages with domesticated cattle, sheep, and goats and evidence of agriculture began as early as 6000 BCE, and gradually developed between c. 4000 and 1500 BCE beginning with the Indus Valley Civilisation and Harappa culture to the Vedic period and extending into the Iron Age.[20][21][22]

Ancient and classical period

The Dhamekh Stupa in Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna. Out of the sixteen mahajanapadas (lit. 'great realms') or oligarchic republics that existed in ancient India, seven fell entirely within the present-day boundaries of the state.[23] The kingdom of Kosala, in the Mahajanapada era, was also located within the regional boundaries of modern-day Uttar Pradesh.[24] According to Hinduism, the divine King Rama of the Ramayana epic reigned in Ayodhya, the capital of Kosala.[25] Krishna, another divine king of Hindu legend, who plays a key role in the Mahabharata epic and is revered as the eighth reincarnation (Avatar) of the Hindu god Vishnu, is said to have been born in the city of Mathura.[24] The aftermath of the Kurukshetra War is believed to have taken place in the area between the Upper Doab and Delhi, (in what was Kuru Mahajanapada), during the reign of the Pandava King Yudhishthira. The kingdom of the Kurus corresponds to the Black and Red Ware and Painted Gray Ware culture and the beginning of the Iron Age in northwest India, around 1000 BCE.[24]

Control over Gangetic plains region was of vital importance to the power and stability of all of India's major empires, including the Maurya (320–200 BCE), Kushan (100–250 CE), Gupta (350–600), and Gurjara-Pratihara (650–1036) empires.[26] Following the Huns' invasions that broke the Gupta empire, the Ganges-Yamuna Doab saw the rise of Kannauj.[27] During the reign of Harshavardhana (590–647), the Kannauj empire reached its zenith.[27] It spanned from Punjab in the north and Gujarat in the west to Bengal in the east and Odisha in the south.[24] It included parts of central India, north of the Narmada River and it encompassed the entire Indo-Gangetic Plain.[28] Many communities in various parts of India claim descent from the migrants of Kannauj.[29] Soon after Harshavardhana's death, his empire disintegrated into many kingdoms, which were invaded and ruled by the Gurjara-Pratihara empire, which challenged Bengal's Pala Empire for control of the region.[28] Kannauj was several times invaded by the South Indian Rashtrakuta dynasty, from the 8th century to the 10th century.[30][31] After the fall of the Pala empire, the Chero dynasty ruled from the 12th century to the 18th century.[32]

Delhi Sultanate Uttar Pradesh was partially or entirely ruled by the Delhi Sultanate for 320 years (1206–1526). Five dynasties ruled over the Delhi Sultanate sequentially: the Mamluk dynasty (1206–90), the Khalji dynasty (1290–1320), the Tughlaq dynasty (1320–1414), the Sayyid dynasty (1414–51), and the Lodi dynasty (1451–1526).[33][34]

The first Sultan of Delhi, Qutb ud-Din Aibak, conquered some parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Meerut, Aligarh, and Etawah. His successor, Iltutmish, expanded the Sultanate's rule over Uttar Pradesh by defeating the King of Kannauj. During the reign of Sultan Balban, the Mamluk dynasty faced numerous rebellions in the state, but he was able to suppress them and establish his authority. Alauddin Khilji, extended his conquests to various regions in the state, including Varanasi and Prayagraj. Apart from the rulers, the Delhi Sultanate era also saw the growth of Sufism in Uttar Pradesh. Sufi saints, such as Nizamuddin Auliya and Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, lived during this period and their teachings had a significant impact on the people of the region. Sultanat era in the state also witnessed the construction of mosques and tombs, including the Atala Masjid in Jaunpur, the Jama Masjid in Fatehpur Sikri, and the Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq's Tomb in Tughlaqabad.[35][36]

Medieval and early modern period In the 16th century, Babur, a Timurid descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan from Fergana Valley (modern-day Uzbekistan), swept across the Khyber Pass and founded the Mughal Empire, covering India, along with modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.[37] The Mughals were descended from Persianised Central Asian Turks (with significant Mongol admixture). In the Mughal era, Uttar Pradesh became the heartland of the empire.[29] Mughal emperors Babur and Humayun ruled from Delhi.[38][39] In 1540 an Afghan, Sher Shah Suri, took over the reins of Uttar Pradesh after defeating the Mughal King Humanyun.[40] Sher Shah and his son Islam Shah ruled Uttar Pradesh from their capital at Gwalior.[41] After the death of Islam Shah Suri, his prime minister Hemu became the de facto ruler of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and the western parts of Bengal. He was bestowed the title of Hemchandra Vikramaditya (title of Vikramāditya adopted from Vedic period) at his formal coronation took place at Purana Qila in Delhi on 7 October 1556. A month later, Hemu died in the Second Battle of Panipat, and Uttar Pradesh came under Emperor Akbar's rule.[42] Akbar ruled from Agra and Fatehpur Sikri.[43]

In the 18th century, after the fall of Mughal authority, the power vacuum was filled by the Maratha Empire, in the mid-18th century, the Maratha army invaded the Uttar Pradesh region, which resulted in Rohillas losing control of Rohilkhand to the Maratha forces led by Raghunath Rao and Malha Rao Holkar. The conflict between Rohillas and Marathas came to an end on 18 December 1788 with the arrest of Ghulam Qadir, the grandson of Najeeb-ud-Daula, who was defeated by the Maratha general Mahadaji Scindia. In 1803–04, following the Second Anglo-Maratha War, when the British East India Company defeated the Maratha Empire, much of the region came under British suzerainty.[44]

British India era Timeline of reorganisation and name changes of UP[45] 1807 Ceded and Conquered Provinces 14 November 1834 Presidency of Agra 1 January 1836 North-Western Provinces 3 April 1858 Oudh taken under British control, Delhi taken away from NWP and merged into Punjab 1 April 1871 Ajmer, Merwara & Kekri made separate commissioner-ship 15 February 1877 Oudh added to North-Western Provinces 22 March 1902 Renamed United Provinces of Agra and Oudh 3 January 1921 Renamed United Provinces of British India 1 April 1937 Renamed United Provinces 1 April 1946 Self rule granted 15 August 1947 Part of independent India 24 January 1950 Renamed Uttar Pradesh 9 November 2000 Uttaranchal state, now known as Uttarakhand, created from part of Uttar Pradesh Starting from Bengal in the second half of the 18th century, a series of battles for north Indian lands finally gave the British East India Company accession over the state's territories.[46] Ajmer and Jaipur kingdoms were also included in this northern territory, which was named the "North-Western Provinces" (of Agra). Although UP later became the fifth-largest state of India, NWPA was one of the smallest states of the British Indian empire.[47] Its capital shifted twice between Agra and Allahabad.[48]

Due to dissatisfaction with British rule, a serious rebellion erupted in various parts of North India, which became known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857; Bengal regiment's sepoy stationed at Meerut cantonment, Mangal Pandey, is widely considered as its starting point.[49] After the revolt failed, the British divided the most rebellious regions by reorganising their administrative boundaries, splitting the Delhi region from 'NWFP of Agra' and merging it with Punjab Province, while the Ajmer–Marwar region was merged with Rajputana and Oudh was incorporated into the state. The new state was called the North Western Provinces of Agra and Oudh, which in 1902 was renamed as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh.[50] It was commonly referred to as the United Provinces or its acronym UP.[51][52]

In 1920, the capital of the province was shifted from Allahabad to Lucknow.[53] The high court continued to be at Allahabad, but a bench was established at Lucknow.[54] Allahabad continues to be an important administrative base of today's Uttar Pradesh and has several administrative headquarters.[55] Uttar Pradesh continued to be central to Indian politics and was especially important in modern Indian history as a hotbed of the Indian independence movement. The state hosted modern educational institutions such as the Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University and Darul Uloom Deoband. Nationally known figures such as Ram Prasad Bismil and Chandra Shekhar Azad were among the leaders of the movement in Uttar Pradesh, and Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Madan Mohan Malaviya and Govind Ballabh Pant were important national leaders of the Indian National Congress. The All India Kisan Sabha was formed at the Lucknow session of the Congress on 11 April 1936, with the famous nationalist Sahajanand Saraswati elected as its first president,[56] to address the longstanding grievances of the peasantry and mobilise them against the zamindari landlords attacks on their occupancy rights, thus sparking the Farmers movements in India.[57] During the Quit India Movement of 1942, Ballia district overthrew the colonial authority and installed an independent administration under Chittu Pandey. Ballia became known as "Baghi Ballia" (Rebel Ballia) for this significant role in India's independence movement.[58]

Post-independence After India's independence, the United Provinces were renamed "Uttar Pradesh" (lit. 'northern province'), preserving UP as the abbreviation of the state's name,[59][60] with the change coming into effect on 24 January 1950.[1] The new state was formed after the merger of several princely states and territories, including the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, and the Delhi territory. The state has provided nine of India's prime ministers which is more than any other state and is the source of the largest number of seats in the Lok Sabha. Despite its political influence since ancient times, its poor record in economic development and administration, poor governance, organised crime and corruption have kept it among India's backward states. The state has been affected by repeated episodes of caste-related and communal violence.[61] In December 1992 the disputed Babri Mosque located in Ayodhya was demolished by Hindu activists, leading to widespread violence across India.[62] In 2000, northern districts of the state were separated to form the state of Uttarakhand.[63]

Geography Main article: Geography of Uttar Pradesh The Indo-Gangetic Plain, also known as the Northern Plain or North Indian River Plain A part of the Gangetic Plain Uttar Pradesh, with a total area of 240,928 square kilometres (93,023 sq mi), is India's fourth-largest state in terms of land area and is roughly of same size as United Kingdom. It is situated on the northern spout of India and shares an international boundary with Nepal. The Himalayas border the state on the north,[64] but the plains that cover most of the state are distinctly different from those high mountains.[65] The larger Gangetic Plain region is in the north; it includes the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, the Ghaghra plains, the Ganges plains and the Terai.[66] The smaller Vindhya Range and plateau region are in the south.[67] It is characterised by hard rock strata and a varied topography of hills, plains, valleys and plateaus. The Bhabhar tract gives place to the terai area which is covered with tall elephant grass and thick forests interspersed with marshes and swamps.[68][69] The sluggish rivers of the bhabhar deepen in this area, their course running through a tangled mass of thick undergrowth. The terai runs parallel to the bhabhar in a thin strip. The entire alluvial plain is divided into three sub-regions.[70] The first in the eastern tract consisting of 14 districts which are subject to periodical floods and droughts and have been classified as scarcity areas. These districts have the highest density of population which gives the lowest per capita land. The other two regions, the central and the western, are comparatively better with a well-developed irrigation system.[71] They suffer from waterlogging and large-scale user tracts.[72] In addition, the area is fairly arid. The state has more than 32 large and small rivers; of them, the Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Sarayu, Betwa, and Ghaghara are larger and of religious importance in Hinduism.[73]

Cultivation is intensive in the state.[74] Uttar Pradesh falls under three agro-climatic zones viz. Middle Gangetic Plains region (Zone–IV), Upper Gangetic Plains region (Zone–V) and Central Plateau and Hills region (Zone–VIII).[75] The valley areas have fertile and rich soil. There is intensive cultivation on terraced hill slopes, but irrigation facilities are deficient.[76] The Siwalik Range which forms the southern foothills of the Himalayas, slopes down into a boulder bed called 'bhabhar'.[77] The transitional belt running along the entire length of the state is called the terai and bhabhar area. It has rich forests, cutting across it are innumerable streams which swell into raging torrents during the monsoon.[78]

Climate Main article: Climate of Uttar Pradesh Early monsoon days in Lucknow Monsoon clouds over Indirapuram Uttar Pradesh has a humid subtropical climate and experiences four seasons.[79] The winter in January and February is followed by summer between March and May and the monsoon season between June and September.[80] Summers are extreme with temperatures fluctuating anywhere between 0–50 °C (32–122 °F) in parts of the state coupled with dry hot winds called the Loo.[81] The Gangetic plain varies from semiarid to sub-humid.[80] The mean annual rainfall ranges from 650 mm (26 inches) in the southwest corner of the state to 1,000 mm (39 inches) in the eastern and south eastern parts of the state.[82] Primarily a summer phenomenon, the Bay of Bengal branch of the Indian monsoon is the major bearer of rain in most parts of state. After summer it is the southwest monsoon which brings most of the rain here, while in winters rain due to the western disturbances and north-east monsoon also contribute small quantities towards the overall precipitation of the state.[79][83]

Climate data for Uttar Pradesh Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 29.9 (85.8) 31.9 (89.4) 35.4 (95.7) 37.7 (99.9) 36.9 (98.4) 31.7 (89.1) 28.4 (83.1) 27.4 (81.3) 29.4 (84.9) 31.4 (88.5) 30.1 (86.2) 28.9 (84.0) 31.6 (88.9) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 11.0 (51.8) 12.1 (53.8) 15.8 (60.4) 19.9 (67.8) 22.4 (72.3) 22.9 (73.2) 22.2 (72.0) 21.6 (70.9) 20.8 (69.4) 18.5 (65.3) 14.4 (57.9) 11.5 (52.7) 17.8 (64.0) Average precipitation mm (inches) 0 (0) 3 (0.1) 2 (0.1) 11 (0.4) 40 (1.6) 138 (5.4) 163 (6.4) 129 (5.1) 155 (6.1) 68 (2.7) 28 (1.1) 4 (0.2) 741 (29.2) Average precipitation days 0.1 0.3 0.3 1.1 3.3 10.9 17.0 16.2 10.9 5.0 2.4 0.3 67.8 Mean monthly sunshine hours 291.4 282.8 300.7 303.0 316.2 186.0 120.9 111.6 177.0 248.44 270.0 288.3 2,896.34 Source: [84] The rain in Uttar Pradesh can vary from an annual average of 170 cm (67 inches) in hilly areas to 84 cm (33 inches) in Western Uttar Pradesh.[79] Given the concentration of most of this rainfall in the four months of the monsoon, excess rain can lead to floods and shortage to droughts. As such, these two phenomena, floods and droughts, commonly recur in the state. The climate of the Vindhya Range and plateau is subtropical with a mean annual rainfall between 1,000 and 1,200 mm (39 and 47 inches), most of which comes during the monsoon.[80] Typical summer months are from March to June, with maximum temperatures ranging from 30–38 °C (86–100 °F). There is a low relative humidity of around 20% and dust-laden winds blow throughout the season. In summer, hot winds called loo blow all across Uttar Pradesh.[79]

Flora and fauna See also: Pilibhit Tiger Reserve and Dudhwa National Park State symbols of Uttar Pradesh[85][86] State animal Swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii) State bird Sarus crane (Antigone antigone) State tree Ashoka (Saraca asoca) State flower Palash (Butea monosperma) State dance Kathak State sport Field hockey Uttar Pradesh has an abundance of natural resources.[87] In 2011, the recorded forest area in the state was 16,583 km2 (6,403 sq mi) which is about 6.9% of the state's geographical area.[88] In spite of rapid deforestation and poaching of wildlife, a diverse flora and fauna continue to exist in the state. Uttar Pradesh is a habitat for 4.2% of all species of Algae recorded in India, 6.4% of Fungi, 6.0% of Lichens, 2.9% of Bryophytes, 3.3% of Pteridophytes, 8.7% of Gymnosperms, 8.1% of Angiosperms.[89] Several species of trees, large and small mammals, reptiles, and insects are found in the belt of temperate upper mountainous forests. Medicinal plants are found in the wild[90] and are also grown in plantations. The Terai–Duar savanna and grasslands support cattle. Moist deciduous trees grow in the upper Gangetic plain, especially along its riverbanks. This plain supports a wide variety of plants and animals. The Ganges and its tributaries are the habitat of large and small reptiles, amphibians, fresh-water fish, and crabs. Scrubland trees such as the Babool (Vachellia nilotica) and animals such as the Chinkara (Gazella bennettii) are found in the arid Vindhyas.[91][92] Tropical dry deciduous forests are found in all parts of the plains. Since much sunlight reaches the ground, shrubs and grasses are also abundant.[93] Large tracts of these forests have been cleared for cultivation. Tropical thorny forests, consisting of widely scattered thorny trees, mainly babool are mostly found in the southwestern parts of the state.[94]

Uttar Pradesh is known for its extensive avifauna.[95] The most common birds which are found in the state are doves, peafowl, junglefowl, black partridges, house sparrows, songbirds, blue jays, parakeets, quails, bulbuls, comb ducks, kingfishers, woodpeckers, snipes, and parrots. Bird sanctuaries in the state include Bakhira Sanctuary, National Chambal Sanctuary, Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary, Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary, Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary, and Okhla Sanctuary.[96][97][98][99][100][101]

Other animals in the state include reptiles such as lizards, cobras, kraits, and gharials. Among the wide variety of fishes, the most common ones are mahaseer and trout. Some animal species have gone extinct in recent years, while others, like the lion from the Gangetic Plain, the rhinoceros from the Terai region, Ganges river dolphin primarily found in the Ganges have become endangered.[102] Many species are vulnerable to poaching despite regulation by the government.[103]

Anandabodhi tree (Ficus religiosa) in Jetavana Monastery, Sravasti Anandabodhi tree (Ficus religiosa) in Jetavana Monastery, Sravasti

A hybrid nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) showing nectar spur, found mainly in Hardoi district A hybrid nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) showing nectar spur, found mainly in Hardoi district

An endangered Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) lives in the Ganges river An endangered Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) lives in the Ganges river

View of the Terai region View of the Terai region

The threatened Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a large fish-eating crocodilian found in the Ganges River The threatened Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a large fish-eating crocodilian found in the Ganges River

Divisions, districts and cities Main articles: Administrative divisions of Uttar Pradesh, List of districts of Uttar Pradesh, and List of urban local bodies in Uttar Pradesh See also: Western Uttar Pradesh, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Central Uttar Pradesh "Administrative Divisions" Divisions of Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh is divided into 75 districts under these 18 divisions:[104]

Saharanpur Moradabad Bareilly Meerut Aligarh Agra Devipatan Basti Gorakhpur Kanpur Lucknow Ayodhya Azamgarh Jhansi Chitrakoot Prayagraj Varanasi Mirzapur The following is a list of top districts from state of Uttar Pradesh by population, ranked in respect of all India.[105]

Rank (in India) District Population Growth Rate (%) Sex Ratio (Females per 1000 Males) Literacy Rate (%) 13 Prayagraj 5,954,391 20.63 901 72.32 26 Moradabad 4,772,006 25.22 906 56.77 27 Ghaziabad 4,681,645 42.27 881 78.07 30 Azamgarh 4,613,913 17.11 1019 70.93 31 Lucknow 4,589,838 25.82 917 77.29 32 Kanpur Nagar 4,581,268 9.92 862 79.65 41 Agra 4,418,797 22.05 868 71.58 50 Bareilly 4,448,359 22.93% 887 58.5 Each district is governed by a District Magistrate, who is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer appointed Government of Uttar Pradesh and reports to Divisional Commissioner of the division in which his district falls.[106] The Divisional Commissioner is an IAS officer of high seniority. Each district is divided into subdivisions, governed by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate, and again into Blocks. Blocks consists of panchayats (village councils) and town municipalities.[107] These blocks consists of urban units viz. census towns and rural units called gram panchayat.[106]

Uttar Pradesh has more metropolitan cities than any other state in India.[108][109] The absolute urban population of the state is 44.4 million, which constitutes 11.8% of the total urban population of India, the second-highest of any state.[110] According to the 2011 census, there are 15 urban agglomerations with a population greater than 500,000.[111] Uttar Pradesh has a complex system of municipalities. Nagar Nigam (Municipal Corporation) are urban local bodies in large cities such as Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi and cities having population more than 4 million.[112] These governed by a mayor and councilors elected from wards. Nagar Palika Parishad or Municipal Council, serves medium-sized towns like Bela Pratapgarh, Jalaun, or Bisalpur and are governed by a chairperson and councilors.[113] Nagar Panchayat which operate in smaller towns and semi-urban areas like Badlapur, Jaunpur, Bikapur, or Chilkana Sultanpur, are governed by a chairman and councilors.[113] There are 14 Municipal Corporations,[114][115] while Noida and Greater Noida in Gautam Budha Nagar district are specially administered by statutory authorities under the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Development Act, 1976.[116][117]

In 2011, state's cabinet ministers headed by the then Chief Minister Mayawati announced the separation of Uttar Pradesh into four different states of Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Avadh Pradesh and Paschim Pradesh with twenty-eight, seven, twenty-three and seventeen districts, respectively, later the proposal was turned down when the Akhilesh Yadav–lead Samajwadi Party came to power in the 2012 election.[118]

Demographics Main article: Demographics of Uttar Pradesh See also: List of people from Uttar Pradesh Religion in Uttar Pradesh (2011)[119] Hinduism (79.7%) Islam (19.3%) Sikhism (0.32%) Christianity (0.18%) Buddhism (0.10%) Jainism (0.11%) Other (0.01%) Not stated (0.29%) Languages of Uttar Pradesh from 2011 census[120] Hindi (80.2%) Bhojpuri (10.9%) Urdu (5.42%) Awadhi (1.90%) Punjabi (0.30%) Bengali (0.10%) Others (1.19%) Uttar Pradesh has a very large population and a high population growth rate. From 1991 to 2001 its population increased by over 26 per cent.[121] It is the most populous state in India, with 199,581,477 people on 1 March 2011.[122] The state contributes to 16.2 per cent of India's population. As of 2021, the estimated population of the state is around 240 million people.[123] The population density is 828 people per square kilometre, making it one of the most densely populated states in the country.[124] It has the largest scheduled caste population whereas scheduled tribes are less than 1 per cent of the total population.[125][126]


The sex ratio in 2011, at 912 women to 1000 men, was lower than the national figure of 943.[127] The low sex ratio in Uttar Pradesh, is a result of various factors, such as sex-selective abortion, female infanticide, and discrimination against girls and women.[128][129] The state's 2001–2011 decennial growth rate (including Uttrakhand) was 20.1 per cent, higher than the national rate of 17.64 per cent.[130][131] It has a large number of people living below the poverty line.[132] As per a World Bank document released in 2016, the pace of poverty reduction in the state has been slower than the rest of the country.[133] Estimates released by the Reserve Bank of India for the year 2011–12 revealed that the state had 59 million (59819,000) people below the poverty line, the most for any state in India.[132][134] The central and eastern districts in particular have very high levels of poverty. The state is also experiencing widening consumption inequality. As per the report of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released in 2020, the state per capita income is below ₹80,000 (US$950) per annum.[135]

As per 2011 census, Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, is home to the highest numbers of both Hindus and Muslims.[136] The literacy rate of the state at the 2011 census was 67.7 per cent, which was below the national average of 74 per cent.[137][138] The literacy rate for men is 79 per cent and for women 59 per cent. In 2001 the literacy rate in the state stood at 56 per cent overall, 67 per cent for men and 43 per cent for women.[139] A report based on a National Statistical Office (NSO) survey[a] revealed that Uttar Pradesh's literacy rate is 73 per cent, less than the national average of 77.7 per cent. According to the report, in the rural region, the literacy rate among men is 80.5 per cent and women is 60.4 per cent, while in urban areas, the literacy rate among men is 86.8 per cent and women is 74.9 per cent.[140]

Hindi is the primary official language and is spoken by the majority of the population.[7] Bhojpuri is the second most spoken language of the state,[141] it is spoken by almost 11 per cent of the population. Most people speak regional languages classified as dialects of Hindi in the census. These include Awadhi spoken in Awadh in central Uttar Pradesh, Bhojpuri spoken in Purvanchal in eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Braj Bhasha spoken in the Braj region in Western Uttar Pradesh. These languages have also been recognised by the state government for official use in their respective regions. Urdu is given the status of a second official language, spoken by 5.4 per cent of the population.[7][142] English is used as a means of communication for education, commerce, and governance. It is commonly spoken and employed as a language of instruction in educational institutions, as well as for conducting business transactions and managing administrative affairs. Other notable languages spoken in the state include Punjabi (0.3 per cent) and Bengali (0.1 per cent).[142]

Governance and administration Main articles: Government of Uttar Pradesh and Vidhan Bhavan, Lucknow refer caption Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha), the lower house of the bicameral legislature The state is governed by a parliamentary system of representative democracy. Uttar Pradesh is one of the seven states in India, where the state legislature is bicameral, comprising two houses: the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) and the Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council).[143][144] The Legislative Assembly consists of 404 members who are elected for five-year terms. The Legislative Council is a permanent body of 100 members with one-third (33 members) retiring every two years. The state sends the largest number of legislators to the national Parliament.[145] The state contributes 80 seats to Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, and 31 seats to Rajya Sabha, the upper house.[146][147]

The Government of Uttar Pradesh is a democratically elected body in India with the governor as its constitutional head and is appointed by the president of India for a five-year term.[148] The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the chief minister by the governor, and the council of ministers is appointed by the governor on the advice of the chief minister. The governor remains a ceremonial head of the state, while the chief minister and his council are responsible for day-to-day government functions. The Council of Ministers consists of Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State (MoS). The Secretariat headed by the Chief Secretary assists the council of ministers. The Chief Secretary is also the administrative head of the government. Each government department is headed by a minister, who is assisted by an Additional Chief Secretary or a Principal Secretary, who is usually an officer of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary serves as the administrative head of the department they are assigned to. Each department also has officers of the rank of Secretary, Special Secretary, Joint Secretary etc. assisting the Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary.[149][150]

For administration, the state is divided into 18 divisions and 75 districts. Divisional Commissioner, an IAS officer is the head of administration on the divisional level.[149][151][152] The administration in each district is headed by a District Magistrate, who is also an IAS officer, and is assisted by several officers belonging to state services.[149][153] District Magistrate being the head of the district administration, is responsible for maintaining law and order and providing public services in the district. At the block level, the Block Development Officer (BDO) is responsible for the overall development of the block. The Uttar Pradesh Police is headed by an IPS officer of the rank of Director general of police. A Superintendent of Police, an IPS officer assisted by the officers of the Uttar Pradesh Police Service, is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues in each district. The Divisional Forest Officer, an officer belonging to the Indian Forest Service manages the forests, environment, and wildlife of the district, assisted by the officers of Provincial Forest Service and Uttar Pradesh Forest Subordinate Service.[154]

refer caption Allahabad High Court The judiciary in the state consists of the Allahabad High Court in Prayagraj, the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court, district courts and session courts in each district or Sessions Division, and lower courts at the tehsil level.[149][155] The president of India appoints the chief justice of the High Court of the Uttar Pradesh judiciary on the advice of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India as well as the governor of Uttar Pradesh.[149][156] Subordinate Judicial Service, categorised into two divisions viz. Uttar Pradesh civil judicial services and Uttar Pradesh higher judicial service are another vital part of the judiciary of Uttar Pradesh.[149][157] While the Uttar Pradesh civil judicial services comprise the Civil Judges (Junior Division)/Judicial Magistrates and civil judges (Senior Division)/Chief Judicial Magistrate, the Uttar Pradesh higher judicial service comprises civil and sessions judges.[149] The Subordinate judicial service (viz. The district court of Etawah and the district court of Kanpur Dehat) of the judiciary at Uttar Pradesh is controlled by the District Judge.[149][157][158]

Politics in Uttar Pradesh has been dominated by four political parties – the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Indian National Congress. The political landscape of the state is often characterized by intense competition and polarization, leading to caste-based tensions and communal conflicts.[159] Critics often suggest that despite Uttar Pradesh's significant political legacy of producing eight Prime Ministers, the state continues to struggle with issues that hinder its overall advancement.[160]

Crime and accidents According to the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC), Uttar Pradesh tops the list of states of encounter killings and custodial deaths.[161] In 2014, the state recorded 365 judicial deaths out of a total 1,530 deaths recorded in the country.[162] NHRC further said, of the over 30,000 murders registered in the country in 2016, Uttar Pradesh had 4,889 cases.[163] A data from Minister of Home Affairs (MHA) avers, Bareilly recorded the highest number of custodial death at 25, followed by Agra (21), Allahabad (19) and Varanasi (9). National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data from 2011 says, the state has the highest number of crimes among any state in India, but due to its high population, the actual per capita crime rate is low.[164] The state also continues to top the list of states with maximum communal violence incidents. An analysis of Ministers of State of Home Affairs states (2014), 23 per cent of all incidents of communal violence in India took place in the state.[165][166] According to a research assembled by State Bank of India, Uttar Pradesh failed to improve its Human Development Index (HDI) ranking over a period of 27 years (1990–2017).[167] Based on sub-national human development index data for Indian states from 1990 to 2017, the report also stated that the value of human development index has steadily increased over time from 0.39 in 1990 to 0.59 in 2017.[168][169][170] The Uttar Pradesh Police, governed by the Department of Home and Confidential, is the largest police force in the world.[171][172][173]

Uttar Pradesh also reported the highest number of deaths – 41,746 – due to road accidents till December 2022, according to "Road Accidents in India" report of Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.[174][175] The UP Transport Department report also indicates that the primary cause of road accident fatalities was over-speeding, which accounted for 40 per cent of deaths. Drunken driving contributed to 10 per cent of fatalities, while 12 per cent of deaths were due to driving on the wrong side. Additionally, 10 per cent of accident deaths were caused by the use of mobile phones, and 5 per cent resulted from running red lights. The remaining 23 per cent of deaths were attributed to factors such as losing control of the vehicle, drowsiness, poor road visibility, and engineering defects.[176]

Between 2006 and 2010, the state has been hit with three terrorist attacks, including explosions in a landmark holy place, a court and a temple. The 2006 Varanasi bombings were a series of bombings that occurred across the Hindu holy city of Varanasi on 7 March 2006. At least 28 people were killed and as many as 101 others were injured.[177][178] In the afternoon of 23 November 2007, within a span of 25 minutes, six consecutive serial blasts occurred in the Lucknow, Varanasi, and Faizabad courts, in which 28 people were killed.[179][180][181] Another blast occurred on 7 December 2010, the blast occurred at Sheetla Ghat in Varanasi in which more than 38 people were killed.[182][183] In February 2016, a series of bomb blasts occurred at the Jhakarkati Bus Station in Kanpur, killing 2 people and injuring more than 30.[184]

Economy


Transportation

Uttar Pradesh has the largest railway network in India, but in terms of density, it ranks sixth, even though most of the state is flat and has the highest population. In 2015, the state had 9,077 km (5,640 mi) of railway lines. The network is managed mainly by two divisions of Indian Railways – North Central Railway (headquarters in Prayagraj) and North Eastern Railway (headquarters in Gorakhpur). Lucknow and Moradabad are divisional headquarters of Northern Railway. Fast trains like Lucknow Swarna Shatabdi Express and Kanpur Shatabdi Express connect Delhi with Lucknow and Kanpur. The Kanpur Shatabdi was also the first train in India to get German LHB coaches. Important railway stations like Prayagraj Junction, Agra Cantonment, Lucknow Charbagh, Gorakhpur Junction, Kanpur Central, Mathura Junction, and Varanasi Junction are listed among 50 world-class stations in India. Lucknow Metro and Kanpur Metro provide rapid transit service in those cities.

The state also has the largest road network in India. It has 42 national highways with a total length of 4,942 km, which is about 8.9% of all highways in the country. The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC), set up in 1972, operates 11,238 buses on 2,762 routes, covering 768,065 km daily and earning about ₹16 crore (US$1.9 million) per day. However, many buses are old and unsafe. All cities are linked by state highways, and district headquarters are being connected by four-lane roads. The Agra–Lucknow Expressway, a 302 km long controlled-access highway, is one such project. Uttar Pradesh also has the highest road density in India – 1,027 km per 1,000 km² – and the largest surfaced urban-road network (50,721 km).

In air travel, Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport and Varanasi’s Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport are the main international airports. A new international airport was opened in Kushinagar, but it has not yet started international flights. The state also has six domestic airports in Agra, Prayagraj, Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, and Kanpur, most of which are shared with the Indian Air Force. Another international airport is under construction at Jewar in Gautam Buddha Nagar, called Noida International Airport.

Education

Uttar Pradesh has a long tradition of education, but in earlier times it was mainly limited to the elite and to religious schools. In ancient periods, education was mostly based on Sanskrit. Later, as different cultures came to the region, knowledge in Pali, Persian, and Arabic was also added. This mix of learning continued through Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim traditions until British colonial rule.

The modern school-to-university system of education in Uttar Pradesh, like in the rest of India, was introduced by Christian missionaries and the British administration. Today, schools in the state are either run by the government or by private trusts. Most schools use Hindi as the medium of teaching, except those affiliated with central boards like CBSE and ICSE, where English is used.

The state follows the 10+2+3 system. After completing secondary school, students usually study two more years in junior college or higher secondary schools, and then they can choose to go for general or professional degree programs. Students generally pick one of three streams – arts, commerce, or science – at this stage.

Despite its long educational tradition, Uttar Pradesh faces several challenges. The spending per student is lower than the national average. The student–teacher ratio is also higher than the national average, which means fewer teachers are available for each class. Teacher absenteeism is a major problem in rural areas, and many teaching positions in government schools remain vacant, including a large number of headmaster and assistant teacher posts.

Government and Politics

Tourism

Uttar Pradesh is home to world-famous landmarks:

Notable Personalities

See Also

References

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