Uttar Pradesh (often abbreviated UP) is a state in northern India. It is the most populous state in the country and the fourth largest by area. The state shares an international border with Nepal to the north and is bordered by the Indian states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar. The capital is Lucknow, while Prayagraj historically served as the judicial capital, hosting the principal seat of the Allahabad High Court.
Key facts
| Capital | Lucknow |
|---|---|
| Largest cities | Lucknow, Kanpur, Ghaziabad, Agra, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Meerut |
| Official language | Hindi |
| Additional official language | Urdu |
| Formation | 26 January 1950 (as Uttar Pradesh) |
| Predecessor | United Provinces |
| Legislature | Bicameral (Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad) |
| High Court | Allahabad High Court (with bench at Lucknow) |
| Major rivers | Ganga, Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gomti, Betwa, Chambal |
| Country | India |
Etymology and formation
The name Uttar Pradesh means "Northern Province" in Sanskrit and Hindi. The region was reorganised under various names during the colonial period, including the North-Western Provinces and later the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, which was shortened to the United Provinces in 1937. After Indian independence, the state was renamed Uttar Pradesh on 24 January 1950, retaining the abbreviation "UP". In November 2000, the hill districts in the north-west were carved out to form the new state of Uttarakhand (initially called Uttaranchal).
Geography
Uttar Pradesh lies largely within the Indo-Gangetic Plain, drained primarily by the Ganga and Yamuna river systems. The state is conventionally divided into several geographical and cultural regions, including the Doab, Awadh, Rohilkhand, Bundelkhand, Purvanchal and the Terai-Bhabar belt along the Nepal border. Bundelkhand, in the south, is a semi-arid plateau region that includes the city of Jhansi. The southern fringes of the state extend into the Vindhyan plateau.
History
The territory of present-day Uttar Pradesh has been central to Indian history for millennia. It contains sites associated with the Vedic civilisation, the Mahajanapadas of Kosala, Vatsa and Kashi, and the urban centres of the Ganga valley. The Mauryan and Gupta empires extended their influence over the region, and Buddhist sites such as Sarnath, Kushinagar and Sravasti lie within its borders.
During the medieval period, parts of the region came under the Delhi Sultanate, the Sharqi Sultanate of Jaunpur, and subsequently the Mughal Empire, which had its principal capitals at Agra and Fatehpur Sikri at different times. The eighteenth century saw the rise of the Nawabs of Awadh based at Faizabad and later Lucknow. The British East India Company progressively annexed the region, and Awadh was annexed in 1856.
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 had several of its key theatres in the region, including Meerut, Kanpur, Lucknow and Jhansi, where Rani Lakshmibai led resistance against British forces. In the freedom movement of the twentieth century, towns and cities of the United Provinces hosted important sessions of the Indian National Congress and produced major political figures, including Motilal Nehru, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Jawaharlal Nehru and Govind Ballabh Pant.
Government and administration
Uttar Pradesh has a parliamentary system of government headed by the Governor, with executive power exercised by the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers. The state legislature is bicameral, comprising the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) and the Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council); UP is one of the few Indian states that retains a Legislative Council. The state sends the largest number of members to the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha among Indian states. For administrative purposes, Uttar Pradesh is divided into divisions, which are further subdivided into districts, tehsils and blocks.
Economy
Agriculture remains an important part of the state's economy, with sugarcane, wheat, rice, pulses and potatoes being major crops; Uttar Pradesh is among the leading producers of sugarcane and food grains in India. The state has significant industrial clusters, including leather and footwear in Kanpur and Agra, brassware in Moradabad, carpets in Bhadohi and Mirzapur, glassware in Firozabad, sports goods in Meerut, and locks and hardware in Aligarh. Western Uttar Pradesh, particularly the National Capital Region districts of Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) and Ghaziabad, has emerged as a hub for information technology, electronics manufacturing and services.
Culture and heritage
Uttar Pradesh is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort at Agra, and Fatehpur Sikri. Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganga, is among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and a major centre of Hindu pilgrimage. The state hosts the Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj at periodic intervals, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. Classical traditions associated with the state include the Lucknow gharana of Kathak, Hindustani classical music traditions of Banaras, and literary traditions in Awadhi, Braj Bhasha and Bhojpuri, alongside Hindi and Urdu.
Demographics and languages
Hindi is the official language of the state, and Urdu has the status of an additional official language. Major regional languages and dialects spoken across the state include Awadhi, Braj Bhasha, Bhojpuri, Bundeli and Kannauji. The population is religiously diverse, with a Hindu majority and a significant Muslim minority, alongside smaller communities of Sikhs, Christians, Jains and Buddhists.
Transport
Uttar Pradesh has an extensive road and railway network. Major expressways include the Yamuna Expressway connecting Greater Noida with Agra, the Agra–Lucknow Expressway, the Purvanchal Expressway and the Bundelkhand Expressway. Key railway junctions are located at Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad (Prayagraj), Mughalsarai (Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction), Jhansi and Agra. International airports operate at Lucknow and Varanasi, with additional airports at Kanpur, Agra, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur and Kushinagar, and the Noida International Airport under development at Jewar.