Uttarakhand General Knowledge | General Studies of Uttarakhand: Uttarakhand formerly known as Uttaranchal; the official name until 2007) is a state in northern India. The state is bordered by Himachal Pradesh to the northwest, Tibet to the north, Nepal to the east, Uttar Pradesh to the south and southeast, with a small part touching Haryana in the west. Uttarakhand has a total area of 53,483 sq km, equal to 1.6 per cent of the total area of India. Dehradun serves as the state capital, with Nainital being the judicial capital.
- The state is divided into two divisions, Garhwal and Kumaon, with a total of 13 districts.
- The forest cover in the state is 45.4 per cent of the state’s geographical area.
- The cultivable area is 16 per cent of the total geographical area.
- According to the 2011 Census of India, Uttarakhand has a population of 10,086,292 comprising 5,137,773 males and 4,948,519 females, with 69.77% of the population living in rural areas.
- The state is the 20th most populous state of the country having 0.83% of the population on 1.63% of the land.
- The population density of the state is 189 people per square kilometre having a 2001–2011 decadal growth rate of 18.81%.
- The gender ratio is 963 females per 1000 males. The crude birth rate in the state is 18.6 with the total fertility rate being 2.3. The state has an infant mortality rate of 43, a maternal mortality rate of 188 and a crude death rate of 6.6.
The two major rivers of the state, the Ganges and its tributary Yamuna, originate from the Gangotri and Yamunotri glaciers respectively.
Uttarakhand was formed on 9th November 2000 as the 27th State of India, when it was carved out of northern Uttar Pradesh to tackle and address shortfalls in development, unique socio-cultural and geography of this hilly plains unique geographical combination region.
It is located at the foothills of the Himalayan mountain ranges; it is largely a hilly State, having international boundaries with China (Tibet) in the north and Nepal in the east. On its northwest lies Himachal Pradesh, while on the south is Uttar Pradesh.
It is rich in natural resources especially water and forests with many glaciers, rivers, dense forests and snow-clad mountain peaks. Char-Dhams, the four most sacred and revered Hindu temples of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are nestled in the mighty mountains. It’s truly God’s Land (Dev Bhoomi). Dehradun is the provisional capital and Gairsai is the summer of Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand General Knowledge | General Studies of Uttarakhand
Many historical sources like inscriptions, copper plates, coins, monuments etc have been found and studied in Uttarakhand to understand its ancient history. It was during proto-historical and Harappan period that various tribes entered the region. Amongst these Kirata, Tangana, Khas, Darad, Kulind, Yaudeya, and Naga were the prominent ones.
Earlier it was believed that due to its mountainous terrain and harsh climate this region was a barren and inhabited land, but research by historians and anthropologists has now resulted in a rich collection of resources that proves that history of Uttarakhand dates back to Stone Age. Lower Paleolithic implements and evidences have been found at Kalsi along Yamuna river bank, at Srinagar along Alaknanda River and at Khutani Gadhera in Nainital district and along Eastern Ramganga River in Almora district. Srinagar along Alaknanda is also the place where evidences of middle Paleolithic age have been discovered. As of now no evidence of Upper Paleolithic has been found in the state.
The literature of Mahabharata has a close association with Uttarakhand. It is believed that Ved Vyasa, the proponent of Mahabharata wrote it at Vyas Gufa located in present day Chamoli district. Pandavas spent most of the period of their 12 years of exile here. Lakhmandal in Dehradun district along
Yamuna valley is supposed to be the place where Duryodhan tried to kill Pandavas and their mother Kunti. After their victory in Mahabharata, Pandavas moved toward Garhwal Himalaya and spent rest of their life here. Evidences of Mahabharata period have also been found near Kashipur.
Uttarakhand General Studies Book PDF
PART 1: UTTARAKHAND – AN OVERVIEW
1. Uttarakhand State Profile
2. State Symbols of Uttarakhand
3. List of Uttarakhand Chief Minister
4. List of Uttarakhand Governor
5. List of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justices
PART 2: HISTORY OF UTTARAKHAND
3. Prehistoric and Ancient History of Uttarakhand
4. Medieval History of Uttarakhand
5. Modern History of Uttarakhand (1790 AD till Independence)
6. Inspiring Historical Figures in Uttarakhand
PART 3: GEOGRAPHY OF UTTARAKHAND
7. Physical Geography of Uttarakhand
8. Glaciation and Snow-Line
9. Drainage system of Uttarakhand
10. Lacustrine Basins
11. Climate of Uttarakhand
12. Natural Vegetation
13. Soils of Uttarakhand
14. Demography of Uttarakhand
15. Agriculture and Allied Sector
16. Regional Geography of Uttarakhand
PART 4: ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY OF UTTARAKHAND
17. Forest Cover in Uttarakhand
18. Van Panchayats in Uttarakhand
19. Flora and Fauna
20. Wetlands of Uttarakhand
21. Biodiversity
22. Disasters and Environmental Challenges
23. Environmental Movements of Uttarakhand
PART 5: ECONOMY OF UTTARAKHAND
24. Uttarakhand: Economic Development
25. Employment, Unemployment Patterns
26. Poverty and Inequality
27. Mineral Resources of the State
28. Manufacturing in Uttarakhand
29. Tourism in Uttarakhand
30. Power / Energy Sector
31. Transport and Communication
32. Human Development in Uttarakhand
33. Uttarakhand Budget 2024-25
PART 6: SOCIETY & CULTURE OF UTTARAKHAND
34. Religion and People in Uttarakhand
35. Language and Dialects of Uttarakhand
36. Food and Cuisines of Uttarakhand
37. Art, Culture and Architecture
38. Folk Songs and Dances
39. Fairs and Festivals
PART 7: POLITY & GOVERNANCE IN UTTARAKHAND
40. The Executive
41. The Legislature (Vidhan Sabha)
42. Judiciary (High Court / District Court)
43. Uttarakhand Secretariat and Directorate
44. Local Governance in Uttarakhand
45. Important Institutions
46. Boards and Other Organisations
47. Revenue Police System of Uttarakhand
PART 8: A DETAILED STUDY OF UTTARAKHAND STATE
48. Dehradun
49. Haridwar
50. Chamoli
51. Pauri Garhwal
52. Rudraprayag
53. Tehri Garhwal
54. Uttarkashi
55. Almora
56. Nainital
57. Champawat: Kali Kumaon
58. Bageshwar
59. Pithoragarh
60. Udyam Singh Nagar
PART 9: UTTARAKHAND STATE POLICIES, PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES
PART 10: CURRENT AFFAIRS OF UTTARAKHAND (YEARLY)
Uttarakhand General Knowledge | General Studies – PDF Download
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