became the 27th state of the Republic of India on the 9th of November
2000. The State is carved out of Uttar Pradesh. It occupies 17.3%
of Indias total land area with 51,125 sq. km. It has a population
of about 6.0 million at 94.4 per sq. km. It borders Tibet, Nepal,
Uttarakhand also has the largest number of tourist destinations
- this state is the source of the sacred Ganga river, high in the
mountains, and the spiritual and physical life source of India.
The mighty Himalayas straddle the state, on its northern borders,
and are widely believed to be throne of Gods. The Gangetic Plains
forms three fourth of the state. Along with the holy places of Hinduism,
this region has also distinctively shaped the development of Buddhism
and Islam. For a traveller, a simple division would be the Hills
and the Plains.
Nestled in the mountain ranges of the Himalaya, Dehradun is the
Capital of Uttarakhand. It is one of the most beautiful resort in
the submountain tracts of India, known for its scenic surroundings.
The town lies in the Dun Valley, on the watershed of the Ganga and
Yamuna rivers. The name Dehradun is a collection of two word "dera"
meaning Camp and "dun" meaning valley. Some of the best
public schools and convents are housed here. The Indian Military
Academy, The Forest Research Institute, ONGC and many more offices
of Central and State Govt. are also situated here.
Badri, Badrinath, Bhavishya
Badri, Chardham, Chilla
National Park, Corbett
Sahib, Kedarnath, Muni
Ki Reti, Nanda Devi National Park
Prayag, Rajaji National Park,
77deg 34' 27" E to 81deg 02' 22" E
Latitude 28deg 53' 24" N to 31deg 27' 50" N
Total land area 51125 Sq. Km
Hilly area 92.57%
Forest cover 63%