About Uttar Pradesh
India's most populous state — cultural, historical & political powerhouse
FOUNDED
24 January 1950
CAPITAL
Lucknow (Admin) · Prayagraj (Judicial)
CM
Yogi Adityanath (since 2017)
GOVERNOR
Anandiben Patel
STATE ANIMAL
Swamp Deer (Barasingha)
STATE BIRD
Sarus Crane (world's tallest flying bird)
STATE FLOWER
Palash / Flame of Forest (Butea monosperma)
STATE TREE
Ashoka (Saraca asoca)
STATE FISH
Mungri (Tor tor / Mahseer)
LANGUAGE
Hindi (Official) · Urdu (2nd Official)
AREA
2,40,928 km² (4th largest state)
GDP (2023-24)
₹21.73 Lakh Crore (2nd largest after MH)
DIVISIONS
18 Administrative Divisions
TEHSILS
351+ Tehsils
BLOCKS
826 Development Blocks
GRAM PANCHAYATS
~58,189 Gram Panchayats
Historical Significance
Home to Varanasi (oldest living city), Mathura, Ayodhya. Mughal Empire capital was Agra & Delhi border. Taj Mahal — UNESCO WHS
Agricultural Hub
Largest sugarcane, wheat & potato producer in India. Ganga-Yamuna Doab — most fertile plains. ~18% India food grain output
Spiritual Capital
Birthplace of Ram (Ayodhya), Krishna (Mathura) & Buddha (Sarnath/Kapilvastu nearby). Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj — world's largest gathering
Expressway Network
Purvanchal (341km), Agra-Lucknow (302km), Yamuna, Bundelkhand, Ganga Expressways. India's longest expressway network
Education Hub
IIT Kanpur, BHU (Asia's largest residential univ.), AMU, IIM Lucknow, AIIMS Gorakhpur. 6 Central + 27 State Universities
Craft Heritage
Highest GI tags in India (70+). Chikankari, Moradabad Brass, Bhadohi Carpets, Agra Leather, Firozabad Glass
Political Importance
80 Lok Sabha seats — most in India. 403 Vidhan Sabha — largest assembly. 7 Indian PMs from UP. "UP Wins, India Wins" saying
Smart Cities
10 Smart Cities: Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Aligarh, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Bareilly, Jhansi
📌 Important Quick Facts for UPPSC:
- UP founded as United Provinces of Agra and Oudh in 1902; renamed Uttar Pradesh on 24 January 1950
- Uttarakhand carved out of UP on 9 November 2000
- High Court of Allahabad (Prayagraj) is the largest High Court in India by sanctioned strength
- UP is the only state bordered by 9 states + 1 country (Nepal)
- Temporary 76th district: Maha Kumbh Mela District (Dec 2024 – Mar 2025, now merged back with Prayagraj)
- GSDP ₹21.73 lakh crore (2023-24) — 2nd largest state economy after Maharashtra
- Kalanamak Rice, Sarus Crane (State Bird) and Swamp Deer (State Animal) are all exclusive to UP
Census Data — Uttar Pradesh 2011
Census 2011 official data. Census 2021 delayed; UP estimated population ~241 million (2024)
19.98 Cr
Total Population (2011)
16.51% of India · Most populous state
10.45 Cr
Male Population
52.3% of total
9.53 Cr
Female Population
47.7% of total
912
Sex Ratio (per 1000 males)
Below national avg of 943
67.7%
Literacy Rate
Male: 77.3% · Female: 57.2%
22.3%
Urban Population
77.7% rural; 444 urban areas
829
Density (per km²)
India avg 382 · 2nd after Bihar (1,106)
20.1%
Decadal Growth
2001–2011
902
Child Sex Ratio (0–6 yrs)
Per 1000 boys
20.7%
SC Population
~4.13 crore; highest in India (abs.)
0.6%
ST Population
~11.34 lakh ST persons
97,941
Total Villages
107,452 inhabited + uninhabited
District-wise Extremes (Census 2011):
- Most Populous: Prayagraj (Allahabad) — ~59.6 lakh
- Least Populous: Chitrakoot — ~9.9 lakh (Mahoba ~8.8 lakh per some sources)
- Largest Area: Lakhimpur Kheri — 7,680 km²
- Smallest Area: Hapur — ~660 km² (Bhadohi ~960 km² is 2nd smallest)
- Highest Density: Ghaziabad — ~3,971/km²
- Lowest Density: Lalitpur — ~194/km²
- Highest Literacy: Gautam Buddha Nagar — 80.1%
- Lowest Literacy: Shravasti — 46.7%
- Best Sex Ratio: Mau — 951 | Jaunpur — 1024 (child sex ratio best)
- Worst Sex Ratio: Gautam Buddha Nagar — 851
- UP has highest SC population in absolute numbers among all Indian states
- UP has India's highest number of OBC population (estimated ~40-45% of state)
Legislature — Uttar Pradesh
Bicameral Legislature — Vidhan Sabha (Lower) + Vidhan Parishad (Upper)
VIDHAN SABHA
403 seats — Largest in India
VIDHAN PARISHAD
100 seats — 2nd oldest (est. 1921)
LOK SABHA
80 seats — Highest in India
RAJYA SABHA
31 seats
| House | Total | General | SC Reserved | ST Reserved | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vidhan Sabha (MLA) | 403 | 312 | 84 | 2 (Sonbhadra) | Largest in India. Speaker: Satish Mahana |
| Lok Sabha (MP) | 80 | 63 | 17 | 0 | Most seats for any state |
| Vidhan Parishad (MLC) | 100 | — | — | — | Permanent body; 1/3 retire every 2 yrs |
| Rajya Sabha | 31 | — | — | — | 2nd highest after Maharashtra |
📌 Legislative Facts for UPPSC:
- Only 6 states have Vidhan Parishad: UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana
- UP Vidhan Parishad est. 1921 — 2nd oldest (Maharashtra is oldest)
- Vidhan Parishad composition: 38 MLAs elect, 36 Local Bodies, 8 Governor nominees, 12 Graduates, 6 Teachers
- Min age Vidhan Sabha: 25 yrs | Vidhan Parishad: 30 yrs
- Speaker of Vidhan Sabha: Satish Mahana (BJP, since 2022)
- Leader of House (CM): Yogi Adityanath (BJP); won 2022 elections with 255/403 seats
- UP has produced 9 Prime Ministers: Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Charan Singh, VP Singh, Chandra Shekhar, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Rajiv Gandhi (born Mumbai but UP MP), Narendra Modi (Varanasi MP)
UP — Geographically Accurate Map
18 Divisions · 75 Districts · Borders 9 States + Nepal · Area: 2,40,928 km²
📌 Map Reading Notes: The map shows actual geographic shape of UP (E-W ~900 km, N-S 240–450 km). Northern strip = Nepal border/Terai. Western narrow strip = Yamuna border. South = Vindhya hills (Bundelkhand/Mirzapur). Eastern tip touches Bihar/Jharkhand. Prayagraj is judicial capital (Allahabad HC).
Saharanpur + Meerut + Moradabad + Bareilly
Western UP — 4 Divisions
17 districts. NCR region. Yamuna boundary. Sugar, sports, brassware belt
Agra + Aligarh + Lucknow + Kanpur + Prayagraj
Central UP — 5 Divisions
29 districts. State capital Lucknow. Judicial capital Prayagraj. Ganga-Yamuna Doab
Jhansi + Chitrakoot
Bundelkhand — 2 Divisions
7 districts. Vindhya range. Rocky terrain. Betwa/Ken rivers. Water-stressed region
Varanasi + Mirzapur + Azamgarh + Gorakhpur
Purvanchal — 4 Divisions
16 districts. Ganga plains. Bihar/Jharkhand border. Buddhist circuit
Ayodhya + Devipatan + Basti
Awadh / Terai — 3 Divisions
13 districts. Nepal border. Dudhwa forests. Ghaghra/Sharda rivers. Ayodhya
All 18 Divisions
Complete List
Agra · Aligarh · Ayodhya · Azamgarh · Bareilly · Basti · Chitrakoot · Devipatan · Gorakhpur · Jhansi · Kanpur · Lucknow · Meerut · Mirzapur · Moradabad · Prayagraj · Saharanpur · Varanasi
75 Districts — By Official Division
All 18 official administrative divisions with their exact districts (as per UP Government)
📌 Key District Facts:
- Largest by area: Lakhimpur Kheri (7,680 km²) · Smallest by area: Hapur (~660 km²)
- Bhadohi = Sant Ravidas Nagar (official name) — smallest densely populated district
- Kasganj = Kanshi Ram Nagar (official/former name)
- Amroha = J.P. Nagar (official name)
- Jaunpur district has best child sex ratio; Gautam Buddha Nagar has worst
- Temporary 76th district: Maha Kumbh Mela District (Dec 2024–Mar 2025)
- New proposed districts: Aonla (from Bareilly), Gola Gokarannath (from Lakhimpur Kheri)
Geography of Uttar Pradesh
Physical features, rivers, climate, soil, forests & borders
🌊 Major Rivers
Ganga (longest in UP ~1050km), Yamuna (western boundary), Ghaghra/Saryu, Gomti, Ramganga, Betwa, Ken, Son, Sharda (Sarda/Kali), Chambal, Rapti, Gandak, Tons. Ganga enters UP at Garhmukteshwar (Hapur)
⛰ Terrain Zones
1. Himalayan Terai (N border) — marshy, forest strip 2. Ganga Plains (central bulk) — flat alluvial 3. Vindhya Range (S) — rocky plateau 4. Bundelkhand Plateau (SW) — granite, semi-arid
🗺 Borders (9 states + Nepal)
N: Nepal + Uttarakhand | NW: Himachal Pradesh | W: Haryana + Delhi | SW: Rajasthan | S: MP + Chhattisgarh | SE: Jharkhand | E: Bihar. Only state touching 9 states + 1 country
🌡 Climate
Humid subtropical (Cwa). Summer: 45-48°C. Winter: 3-7°C. Monsoon: Jul-Sep. Rainfall: 650mm (W) to 1100mm (E). Dec-Jan: dense fog in Terai and UP plains
🪨 Soil Types
Alluvial: Khadar (new, fertile, riverbanks) & Bhangar (old, high ground). Black cotton (Bundelkhand). Red/Laterite (Mirzapur/Sonbhadra). Terai (Bhur — sandy). Usar (saline — UP problem soil)
🌲 Forests
~9.2% of state area (SF Report 2021: 14,880 km² dense + open). Terai: Sal, Teak, Shisham. Vindhya: dry deciduous. Major: Dudhwa, Pilibhit, Katerniaghat, Sohelwa forests
💧 Doab Regions
Ganga-Yamuna Doab (Antarvedi — most fertile), Ganga-Ghaghra Doab, Ghaghra-Gandak Doab (Terai), Yamuna-Chambal Doab (Chambal valley/Bundelkhand). Doab = 'do' (two) + 'ab' (water)
⛏ Minerals
Sonbhadra (Coal/Singrauli field, Limestone, Dolomite, Bauxite). Mirzapur (Limestone, Glass sand). Bundelkhand (Granite/Gneiss). UP has no metallic minerals. Silica sand for glass industry
River Facts for UPPSC
GANGA ENTERS UP
Garhmukteshwar (Hapur) / Bijnor end
GANGA EXITS UP
Near Chausa–Gahmar (Ghazipur), Bihar border
YAMUNA
Enters from Yamunanagar (HR), exits at Prayagraj (joins Ganga)
PRAYAGRAJ SANGAM
Ganga + Yamuna + Saraswati (mythical Antarvedi)
GHAGHRA / SARYU
Flows through Ayodhya. Tributary of Ganga
GOMTI
Originates in Pilibhit, flows through Lucknow → joins Ganga at Ghazipur
BETWA
Originates in MP, flows through Jhansi (Bundelkhand)
CHAMBAL
Originates in Vindhyas (MP). Flows along UP-MP (Rajasthan) border
Major Institutes & Locations
Key educational, research & legal institutions for UPPSC — by category
🎓 Central Universities & Premier Institutes
🏛 State Universities (Selected)
⚕ Medical & Health Institutes
🔬 Research, Science & Defence
⚖ Legal, Judiciary & Specialized
National Parks, Tiger Reserves & Wildlife Sanctuaries
UP has 1 National Park · 3 Tiger Reserves · 26 Wildlife Sanctuaries · 1 Conservation Reserve
Only National Park in UP
Dudhwa National Park
District: Lakhimpur Kheri · Area: 490 km² · Est: 1977 · Part of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (1987)
India's only NP with tigers AND one-horned rhinos (reintroduced 1984 from Nepal). Terai forests on Nepal border. Bengal Tiger, One-horned Rhinoceros, Swamp Deer (State Animal), 450+ bird species. Sharda & Suheli rivers. UNESCO Terai Arc Landscape.
India's only NP with tigers AND one-horned rhinos (reintroduced 1984 from Nepal). Terai forests on Nepal border. Bengal Tiger, One-horned Rhinoceros, Swamp Deer (State Animal), 450+ bird species. Sharda & Suheli rivers. UNESCO Terai Arc Landscape.
🐅 Tiger Reserves (3 in UP)
TR — est. 1987
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
Lakhimpur Kheri · Total 1,093 km² · Includes Dudhwa NP + Kishanpur WLS + Katerniaghat WLS. Rhino, Swamp Deer, Elephant, Tiger. Buffer: 1,898 km²
TR — est. 2014
Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit · Core 602 km² · Highest tiger density in Terai. Sharda, Khakra, Mala rivers. UNESCO Terai Arc. 65 tigers (2022 census). Buffer: 127 km²
TR — est. 2012
Amangarh Tiger Reserve
Bijnor · Buffer of Jim Corbett TR (Uttarakhand). Ramganga river. Only UP TR in Himalayan foothills. 80 km² buffer zone only
🦌 Important Wildlife Sanctuaries
Chandauli
Chandra Prabha WLS
78 km² · Lion reintroduction (1957, failed). Chandra Prabha waterfall. Leopard, chinkara, wolf
Lakhimpur Kheri
Kishanpur WLS
200 km² · Part of Dudhwa TR complex. Swamp deer, leopard, tiger, gharial
Bahraich
Katerniaghat WLS
400 km² · Gharial, Gangetic dolphin, Bengal tiger. Ghaghra riverside. Part of Dudhwa TR
Gonda/Shravasti/Balrampur
Sohelwa WLS
452 km² · Dense Sal forests. Tiger, leopard, elephant (transient). Three districts
Chitrakoot
Ranipur WLS
230 km² · Tiger, leopard, Vindhya plateau. Hardboiled wildlife area. Adjacent to MP
Varanasi
Turtle WLS
Ganga river stretch. India's only turtle sanctuary. Ganges soft-shell turtle. Near sacred ghats
Agra/Etawah
National Chambal WLS
Shared with MP & Rajasthan. Gharial, river dolphin, mugger croc, Indian skimmer bird
Meerut/Hapur
Hastinapur WLS
~2,073 km² · Gangetic floodplain. Dolphins, migratory birds. Also a Ramsar site proposed
Sant Kabir Nagar
Bakhira WLS
2,909 ha · Largest natural floodplain lake E UP. Bar-headed geese. Also a Ramsar Site (2020)
Etah district
Patna Bird Sanctuary
101 ha · Jalesar tehsil. Smallest WLS in UP. Central Asian Flyway. Sarus Crane. Ramsar Site 2026 (India's 98th)
📌 Wildlife Key Facts for UPPSC:
- Dudhwa = Only NP in UP. Only Indian NP with both tiger and one-horned rhino
- State Animal: Swamp Deer (Barasingha) · State Bird: Sarus Crane (world's tallest flying bird, ~180cm)
- Gangetic dolphin (Susu): Found in Ganga, Chambal, Ghaghra, Yamuna — National Aquatic Animal of India
- Gharial conservation: National Chambal WLS (critically endangered; UP-MP-Rajasthan shared)
- Lion reintroduction (1957): Chandra Prabha WLS, Chandauli — failed; lions killed/poached
- Project Tiger reserves in UP: Dudhwa (1973/1987), Pilibhit (2014), Amangarh (2012)
- Highest tiger count: Pilibhit TR has highest tiger density in Terai landscape
Ramsar Wetland Sites — Uttar Pradesh
UP has 11 Ramsar Sites — 2nd highest (Tamil Nadu: 20) · India total: 98 (as of Jan 2026)
📌 Ramsar Key Facts (2026):
• India: 98 Ramsar Sites (Jan 2026) — 1st in Asia, 3rd globally (UK 176, Mexico 144)
• Tamil Nadu leads: 20 sites · UP is 2nd with 11 sites
• Patna Bird Sanctuary, Etah = UP's 11th + India's 98th (added 31 Jan 2026)
• Ramsar Convention signed 2 Feb 1971, Iran · India joined 1 Feb 1982
• World Wetlands Day: 2 February · 2026 theme: "Wetlands & Traditional Knowledge"
• Smallest Ramsar in India: Renuka Wetland, HP (20 ha) · Largest: Sundarbans, WB
• Montreux Record sites in India: Keoladeo Ghana NP (Raj) + Loktak Lake (Manipur)
• India: 98 Ramsar Sites (Jan 2026) — 1st in Asia, 3rd globally (UK 176, Mexico 144)
• Tamil Nadu leads: 20 sites · UP is 2nd with 11 sites
• Patna Bird Sanctuary, Etah = UP's 11th + India's 98th (added 31 Jan 2026)
• Ramsar Convention signed 2 Feb 1971, Iran · India joined 1 Feb 1982
• World Wetlands Day: 2 February · 2026 theme: "Wetlands & Traditional Knowledge"
• Smallest Ramsar in India: Renuka Wetland, HP (20 ha) · Largest: Sundarbans, WB
• Montreux Record sites in India: Keoladeo Ghana NP (Raj) + Loktak Lake (Manipur)
One District One Product (ODOP)
Launched 24 January 2018 (UP Foundation Day) by CM Yogi Adityanath. Now a Central Govt scheme (PM Vishwakarma-linked)
📌 ODOP Facts: 75 districts covered. Focus on artisan welfare, GI protection, export promotion. ~89 lakh beneficiaries. Adopted nationally in 2020. PM Vishwakarma Scheme (2023) extends ODOP benefits. UP has 50+ lakh artisans.
UP Government Schemes
Key welfare and development schemes — Government of Uttar Pradesh