The earliest known
inhabitants of the region were tribals called Dasas. Later, Aryans came and they
assimilated in the tribes. In the later centuries, the hill chieftains accepted suzerainty
of the Mauryan empire, the Kaushans, the Guptas and Kanuaj rulers. During the Mughal
period, the Rajas of the hill states made some mutually agreed arrangements which governed
their relations. In the 19th century, Ranjit Singh annexed/subjugated many of the states.
When the British came, they defeated Gorkhas and entered into treaties with some Rajas and
annexed the kingdoms of others. The situation more or less remained unchanged till 1947.
After Independence, 30 princely states of the area were united and Himachal Pradesh was
formed on 15th April, 1948. With the recognition of Punjab on 1st November, 1966, certain
areas belonging to it were also included in Himachal Pradesh. On 25th January, 1971,
Himachal Pradesh was made a full-fledged State.
The State is
bordered by Jammu & Kashmir on North, Punjab on West and South-West, Haryana on South,
Uttar Pradesh on South-East and China on the East.
| General |
|
|
Location |
|
|
Latitude |
30o
22' 40" N to 33o 12' 40" N |
|
Longitude |
75o
45' 55" E to 79o 04' 20" E |
|
Height (From mean sea Level) |
350 meter to
6975 meter |
|
Population
[2001-Census] |
6077248
persons |
|
Urban |
594881
persons |
|
Rural |
5482367
persons |
|
Geographical
Area [2001] |
55,673 sq.
km |
|
Density (per
Sq. Km.) [2001] |
109 |
|
Females per
1000 Males [2001] |
970 |
|
Birth Rate
(per 1000) [2002(P)] |
22.1 |
|
Death Rate
(per 1000) [2002(P)] |
7.2 |
| Administrative
Structure [2002] |
|
|
State
Capital |
Shimla |
|
No. of
Districts |
12 |
|
No. of
tehsils |
75 |
|
No. of Sub
Divisions |
52 |
|
No. of
Blocks |
75 |
|
No. of
Nagar Panchyats |
|
|
No. of
Gram Panchyats |
|
|
No. of
Villages |
20118 |
|
No. of Towns |
57 |
|
No. of
Parliament Constituencies |
|
|
Lok Sabha |
4 |
|
Rajya Sabha |
3 |
|
No.of
Assembly Constituencies |
68 |
| Development
Indicators |
|
|
Per Capita
Income [2000-01] |
Rs.
10942 |
|
Literacy
[2001] |
77.13
% |
|
Male |
86.03% |
|
Female |
68.08
% |
|
Total
Villages Electrified |
100 % |
|
Telephone
sets |
145505 |
|
No. of
Hospitals |
632 |
|
No. of
Schools |
|
|
Primary |
|
|
Middle |
|
|
High/ Higher Secondary |
|
|
Colleges |
|
|
General |
|
|
Medical |
2 |
|
Engineering |
4 |
|
Universities |
4 |
|
No. of
S.S.I. Units |
30176 |
| Land
Use Pattern |
|
|
Net Area
Sown |
560154
Hects. |
| Forest
Cover [1996-97] |
|
|
Reserved Forests Area |
1896 sq.kms. |
|
Protected Forests Area |
43043 sq.kms. |
|
Unclassed Forest Area |
976 sq.kms. |
|
Other Forests Area |
370 sq.kms. |
|
Forests not under
control of forest Deptt. |
748 sq.kms. |
|
No. of Wild Life
Sanctuaries |
32 |
| Others |
|
|
Average Rainfall |
1469 mm |
|
State Animal |
Snow Leopard |
|
State Bird |
Western Tragopan |
|
State Flower |
Pink Rhododendron |
|
State Language |
Hindi & Local
Dialects |
|
Major Rivers |
Sutlej, Beas,
Ravi, Parbati |
|
Major Lakes |
Renuka, Rewalsar,
Khajjiar, Dal, Beas Kund, Dasaur, Brighu, Prashar, Mani Mahesh, Chander Tal, Suraj Tal,
Kareri, Sreolsar, Gobind Sagar, Nako |
|
Last Reviewed/Updated: 19-January-2010
|
|
