Uttaranchal
Uttaranchal (उत्तरांचल) became the 27th state of the Republic of India on November 9, 2000. Uttaranchal borders Tibet in the north-east and Nepal to the south-east, while its neighbour states are Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The capital of Uttaranchal is Dehradun which is also the rail-head in the region. The High Court of Uttaranchal is situated in the district of Nainital. The region is also known as Uttarakhand.
Uttaranchal has traditionally been divided into two parts, the eastern region going by the name of Kumaon and the western half known as Garhwal. The native people of Uttaranchal call themselves Paharis (hill people), the majority of whom are Hindus. Other ethnic communities in the region include Nepalis, Jadhs, Marchas and Shaukas and nomadic cattle herders known as Gujjars.
Uttaranchal is a region of outstanding natural beauty. Most of the northern parts of the state are covered by the high Himalayan ranges and glaciers, while the lower reaches are densely forested. The unique Himalayan ecosystem plays host to a large number of animals (including bharal, snow leopards, leopards and tigers), plants and rare herbs. Two of India's mightiest rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna take birth in the glaciers of Uttaranchal, and are fed by innumerable lakes, glacial melts and streams in the region.
The tourism industry is a major contributor to the economy of Uttaranchal, with the Raj era hill-stations at Mussorie, Almora, Ranikhet and Nainital being some of the most frequented destinations. To this region also belong some of the holiest Hindu shrines, and for almost 2000 years now pilgrims have been visiting the temples at Haridwar, Rishikesh, Badrinath and Kedarnath in the hope of salvation and purification from sin.
Recent developments in the region include initiatives by the state government to capitalise on the burgeoning tourist trade. The state also plays host to some of the worst conceived big-dam projects in India such as the monstrously large Gangotri (6614), Panch Chhuli( 6910), Nanda Devi (7816), Nanda Kot (6861), Kamet( 7756), Badrinath (7140), Trishul (7120), Chaukhamba (7138), Dunagiri (7066)
- Mana (5450), Nitipass (5070), Lipulekh( 5122), LumpiaDhura (5650)
- Tourism, Dairy, Agriculture, Horticulture, Floriculture, Sugar and other small scale industries
- Uttarani, Nanda Devi Mela, Holi, Diwali, Dasara, Kandali, Hilljatra, Bikhoti, Bagwal, Harela, Ghugutee
- Sardotasv, Basantotsav, Nanda Devi Rajjaat, Chipla Kedar Jaat, Kedarnath Yatra, Badrinath Yatra, Kumbh Mela, Ardh Kumbh Mela, Indian States and Territories ||
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| align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" colspan="2" | Andhra Pradesh | Arunachal Pradesh | Assam | Bihar | Chhattisgarh | Goa | Gujarat | Haryana | Himachal Pradesh | Jammu and Kashmir | Jharkhand | Karnataka | Kerala | Madhya Pradesh | Maharashtra | Manipur | Meghalaya | Mizoram | Nagaland | Orissa | Punjab | Rajasthan | Sikkim | Tamil Nadu | Tripura | Uttaranchal | Uttar Pradesh | West Bengal
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| align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" colspan="2" | Union Territories: Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Chandigarh | Dadra and Nagar Haveli | Daman and Diu | Lakshadweep | Pondicherry
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| align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" colspan="2" | National Capital Territory: Delhi
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