We know Uttarakhand is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Devbhumi due to the many Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres found throughout the state. Uttarakhand is known for its natural beauty of the Himalayas, the Bhabhar and the Terai. On 9 November 2000, this 27th state of the Republic of India was created from the Himalayan and adjoining northwestern districts of Uttar Pradesh.
Geographic Properties of Uttarakhand
The state is divided into two divisions, Garhwal and Kumaon, with a total of 13 districts. The interim capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, the largest city in the region, which is a railhead. The geography of Uttarakhand reveals that it is surrounded by Himachal Pradesh in the north-west and Uttar Pradesh in the south and shares its international borders with Nepal and China. The state is quite rich in natural resources.The well known Himalayan peaks of Nanda Devi, Kedarnath, Trishul, Bandarpunch and Mt Kamet and the important glaciers like Gangotri, Pindari, Milam and Khatling are situated in Uttarakhand. The Ganga, the Yamuna, Ramganga and Sharda are rivers contributing to the geography of this region. The state of Uttarakhand covers twelve prominent ecological zones of the country. These are :-
- Nanda Devi National Park
- Valley of Flowers
- Gangotri
- Govind National Park
- Rajaji National Park
- Kedarnath
- Mussoorie
- Binsar
- Sanadi
- Govind sanctuary
- Ascod sanctuary
The key factor of the above division is :-
- All these divisions support many rare plants and animal communities.
- Uttarakhand is one of the most picturesque areas of north India (and beyond). It is a land of considerable natural beauty. The northern part of the state of Uttarakhand is shrouded by Himalayan ranges and glaciers, whereas the lower parts of the state are thickly forested. The Himalayan ecosystem plays host to a large number of animals, plants and rare herbs.
- The geography of Uttarakhand makes it an ideal place for hiking, walking or trekking. You will find several frequented trails, several among them even well documented. Besides, you can also take advantage of the long and solitary walks through fields, hills and mountains.
- Two of India’s biggest rivers, the Ganga (Ganges) and the Yamuna originate in the glaciers of Uttarakhand and are supplied with water on a perennial basis by numerous lakes, glaciers and many streams in the region. The geography of Uttarakhand is such that it has been usually divided into two parts, the western half known as Garhwal and the eastern region as Kumaon. The source of the word Uttarakhand is the Sanskrit term for North Country.
Uttarakhand has a total area of 53,484 km², of which 93% is mountainous and 65% is covered by forest. Most of the northern part of the state is covered by high Himalayan peaks and glaciers. In the first half of the nineteenth century, the expanding development of Indian roads, railways and other physical infrastructure was giving rise to concerns over indiscriminate logging, particularly in the Himalaya. Two of the most important rivers in Hinduism originate in the region, the Ganga at Gangotri and the Yamuna at Yamunotri. These two along with Badrinath and Kedarnath form the Chota Char Dham, a holy pilgrimage for the Hindus. The state hosts the Bengal tiger Jim Corbett National Park, the oldest national park of the Indian subcontinent. The Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the upper expanses of Bhyundar Ganga near Joshimath in Gharwal region, is known for the variety and rarity of its flowers and plants.
One who raised this was Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, who visited the region. As a consequence, Lord Dalhousie issued the Indian Forest Charter in 1855, reversing the previous laissez-faire policy. The following Indian Forest Act of 1878 put Indian forestry on a solid scientific basis. A direct consequence was the founding of the Imperial Forest School at Dehradun by Dietrich Brandis in 1878. Renamed the ‘Imperial Forest Research Institute’ in 1906, it is now known as the Forest Research Institute (India). The model “Forest Circles” around Dehradun, used for training, demonstration and scientific measurements, had a lasting positive influence on the forests and ecology of the region. The Himalayan ecosystem provides habitat for many animals (including bharal, snow leopards, leopards and tigers), plants, and rare herbs. Two of India’s largest rivers, the Ganges and the Yamuna, originate in the glaciers of Uttarakhand, where they are fed by myriad lakes, glacial melts and streams.
Uttarakhand lies on the southern slope of the Himalaya range, and the climate and vegetation vary greatly with elevation, from glaciers at the highest elevations to subtropical forests at the lower elevations. The highest elevations
are covered by ice and bare rock. Below them, between 3,000 and 5,000 metres (9,800 and 16,400 ft) are the western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows. The temperate western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests grow just below the tree line. At 3,000 to 2,600 metres (9,800 to 8,500 ft) elevation they transition to the temperate western Himalayan broadleaf forests, which lie in a belt from 2,600 to 1,500 metres (8,500 to 4,900 ft) elevation. Below 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) elevation lie the Himalayan subtropical pine forests. The Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests and the drier Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands cover the lowlands along the Uttar Pradesh border in a belt locally known as Bhabhar. These lowland forests have mostly been cleared for agriculture, but a few
pockets remain
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| Uttarakhand Study Material in Hindi Language (हिंदी भाषा में) | Click Here |
| Uttarakhand Study Material in English Language |
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| Uttarakhand Study Material One Liner in Hindi Language |
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| Uttarakhand UKPSC Previous Year Exam Paper | Click Here |
| Uttarakhand UKSSSC Previous Year Exam Paper | Click Here |
| MCQ in English Language | Click Here |