How Many States in India

India is a large country with a huge population as it has different states and union territories. India's administration, lawmaking, and judicial capitals are located in each state. Each state is led by a Chief Minister. In this article, we will cover all of India's states in detail.

History of States of India

India was split into 565 small states before independence. These indigenous princely states believed in self-government, which was the most significant barrier for implementing a powerful India.

The borders of Indian states have been shifting year after year since independence. Before partition, there were 565 princely states and 17 provinces; following the 1956 Reorganizations of States, there were 14 states and 6 Union Territories; and in 2014, there were 29 states and seven union territories.

After the Union government opted to remove the constitution that grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and enacted a new reorganization bill that divides the northern state into Union Territories, India now has two more Union Territories and one less state.

States of India

The number of states in India decreased to 28, with JK splitting into two distinct Union Territories. In contrast, the number of Union Territories increased to 9 from 7 before the bifurcation.

Now let's discuss each state of India in brief.

1. Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh lies in the southern region of the Indian subcontinent, surrounded on the southern by Tamil Nadu, west and southwest by Karnataka, on the northwest and north by Telangana, and on the northeast by Odisha. Andhra Pradesh's eastern boundary is a 600-mile stretch of the Bay of Bengal coastline. The state is titled after the Andhra population, who have lived in the area and developed Telugu as their language. Andhra Pradesh's inhabitants are known as "Andhra's" or "Andrulu." They are frequently referred to as "A.P." or "A.P." Until Telangana was split in 2014, Hyderabad was the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Amaravati is Andhra Pradesh's new capital, including the Guntur and Krishna districts. Andhra Pradesh's population is anticipated to reach 54.6 million in 2021.

2. Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh is an Indian state. It is a hilly region in the country's extreme northeastern corner, bordered on the west by Bhutan, on the north by the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, on the south and southeast by Myanmar (Burma) and the Indian state of Nagaland, and on the south and southwest by the Indian state of Assam. Itanagar is its capital.

According to Unique Identification Aadhar India, which was updated on May 31, 2020, Arunachal Pradesh's population in 2021 is expected to be 1.6 million (16 lakhs). By the middle of 2020, the anticipated population is 1,570,458. Arunachal Pradesh covers one-third of the habitat area inside the Himalayan biodiversity, with a total size of 83,743 sq km, ranking 14th in India in terms of area. It is known for its biodiversity, gorgeous and lush green forests. Mountains, valleys, and plains have a range of elevations from 100 meters to 5500 meters.

3. Assam

Assam is a state in India's northeastern area, below the eastern Himalayan region, bordered on the north by Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan, east by Manipur and Nagaland, on the south by Manipur, Tripura, and Bangladesh, and on the west by West Bengal. Because of its diverse tea farms, Assam is known for its 'Assam Tea.' In Assam, human settlements may be dated back to the early stone ages, before 9000 BCE. According to Unique Identification India statistics updated on May 31, 2020, Assam's population in 2021 is expected to be 36 million (3.6 crores). By the middle of 2020, the anticipated population would be 35,607,039. Assam's current size is 78,438 square kilometers, with a population density of 397 persons per square kilometer. According to the Niti Aayog study from 2016, Assam's total fertility rate is 2.3.

4. Bihar

Bihar is India's easternmost state, bordered on the north by Nepal, the south by Jharkhand, the west by Uttar Pradesh, and the east by Meghalaya. With a sex ratio of 918, it is the third most populous state in India after Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Bihar's population is expected to reach 127 million (12.7 crores) by 2021, with a predicted population of 124,799,926 by mid-2020, according to the Unique Identification Authority of India's Aadhar database, which was updated on May 31, 2020. It has a total area of 94,163 square kilometers. Bihari is the name given to the people of Bihar. According to a 2016 study by the Niti Aayog, Bihar's Total Fertility Rate is 3.3, which is greater than India's TFR of 2.3.

5. Chhattisgarh(CG)

Chhattisgarh is a state located in central India, bordering on the east with Odisha, the west with Maharashtra, and the northwestern with Madhya Pradesh. It is bordered on the south by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and on the north by Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. The state was created in November 2000 by splitting off ten Chhattisgarhi and six Gondi language districts from Madhya Pradesh's southern regions. The name Chhattisgarh comes from the words 'Chhattis' and 'garh,' which means 'thirty-six forts.' The population of Chhattisgarh is expected to reach 30 million by 2021.

6. Goa

Goa is a state in western India, bordered on the west by the Arabian Sea, north by Maharashtra, and south and west by Karnataka. As per figures updated on May 31, 2020 by Unique Identification Aadhar India, Goa's population in 2021 is expected to be 1.59 million (15.9 lakhs). It is India's shortest state in terms of land and fourth in terms of people. Goa was a former Portuguese province that lasted for nearly 450 years before being acquired by India in 1961. It has 3,702 square kilometers, with Panaji as the state capital, Vasco da Gama as the largest city, and Margao as the second largest.

7. Gujarat

Gujarat is India's westernmost state, surrounded on the west by the Arabian Sea, on the south by Maharashtra, on the east by Madhya Pradesh, and on the north by Rajasthan. It is the ninth most populous state in the country and the sixth biggest, with 196,024 square kilometers and 308 persons per square kilometer. Gujarat's population is expected to reach 64.8 million by 2021. (6.48 Crores).

8. Haryana

Haryana is a state in India's northwestern region. Punjab to the north and northwest, Rajasthan to the south and southwest, and Uttar Pradesh to the east encircle the Indian capital Delhi on three sides through north, west, and south. According to Unique Identification Aadhar India, which was updated on May 31, 2020, Haryana's population in 2021 is expected to be 28.6 million (2.86 crores). By the middle of 2020, the predicted population is 28,204,692. Haryana and Punjab share Chandigarh as their state capital. The Total Fertility Rate is 2.3, which is equal to India's average TFR of 2.3, according to a 2016 study by Niti Aayog.

9. Himachal Pradesh

It is a hilly state in northern India, bordering the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Uttarakhand to the southeast, Punjab to the west, and Haryana to the southwest. The population of Himachal Pradesh is expected to reach 7.51 million in 2021. Carpets, drawings, leather works, stoles, and other handicrafts are popular in Himachal Pradesh. The state's primary foods include lentils, rice, veggies, and chapati.

10. Jharkhand

In November 2000, Bihar was split into two states: Jharkhand and Bihar. Jharkhand is a state in eastern India, bordering West Bengal on the east, Odisha on the south, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh on the west, and Bihar on the south. The term 'Jhar' means forest, and 'Khand' means area or land. Therefore Jharkhand means forest land. According to forecasts, the population of Jharkhand would be 39 million (3.9 crores) in 2021.

11. Karnataka

Karnataka is India's eighth most populated state, located in the southwest region of the nation and bordered on the east by Telangana and Tamil Nadu, on the south by Kerala, and on the west by the Arabian Sea. The population of Karnataka is expected to reach 68.4 million in 2021. (6.84 Crores).

With a total size of 191,791 sq km, India's eighth biggest state covers 5.83 percent of its total land area. Bangalore is Karnataka's capital city, and Kannada is the state's most commonly spoken and officially recognized language. The Total Fertility Rate is 1.8, according to a Niti Aayog study from 2016.

12. Kerala

Kerala is India's south-western state, bordered to the north by Karnataka, to the east and south by Tamilnadu, and to the west by Lakshadweep. Kerala's population is expected to reach 35.8 million by 2021. (3.58 Crores). With a total size of 38,863 sq km, it is India's twenty-third biggest state. Many people believe that 'Kera' means coconut and 'alam' means land. Therefore 'Land of Coconuts' is the local slang of Kerala. Kerala is lush with greenery and is known for its backwaters, lakes, mountain ranges, waterfalls, and ferry trips.

13. Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is a state in central India bordered to the south by Maharashtra, east by Chhattisgarh, to the west by Gujarat, and Rajasthan north Uttar Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh's population is expected to reach 86.8 million in 2021. (8.68 Crores).

Madhya Pradesh is justifiably titled "The Heart of India" because of its geographical and functional centrality in India. It is the country's second-largest state by area, behind Rajasthan, with 308,252 square kilometers.

14. Maharashtra

Maharashtra is a state in India's western region. It has a 720-kilometer coastline that runs from the Arabian Sea in the west to Goa and Karnataka in the south to Chhattisgarh and Telangana in the east, with the Arabian Sea in the west to Goa and Karnataka in the south to Chhattisgarh and Telangana in the east. Maharashtra is a state in India's western region. In Hindi, "Maha" means "large" and "rashtra" means "state," and it encompasses 307,713 square kilometers (118,809 sq mi). Maharashtra's population is expected to reach 124.7 million by 2021. (12.47 Crores)

Maharashtra, India's second-most populous state after Uttar Pradesh, is home to 9% of the country's population. Mumbai is India's state capital and financial center.

15. Manipur

It is a state in India's far northwestern region, bordering Assam on the west, Nagaland on the north, Mizoram on the south, and Myanmar on the east. The mountainous parts of Manipur make up around 90% of the entire geographical area, and the total area inhabited by all lakes is around 600 square kilometers. Manipur's population is expected to reach 3.1 million in 2021. (31 Lakhs).

Manipur is India's 24th most populous state, with a total size of 22,327 square kilometers, making it the country's 24th biggest state.

Loktak Lake, the biggest freshwater lake in northeastern India, is located in the Mooirang area and is 35 kilometers in length and 13 kilometers in breadth. It is known for its phumdis.

16. Meghalaya

Meghalaya is India's seven northeastern states, bordered on the north and east by Assam and south and west by Bangladesh. The population of Meghalaya is expected to reach 3.44 million in 2021.

The state of Meghalaya is hilly, with valleys and highland plateaus. 'Megha' is the Sanskrit word for clouds, while 'laya' is the Sanskrit word for area. Around 70% of the state is covered by forest, making it India's wettest region. It has a total size of 22,429 square kilometers.

17. Mizoram

Mizoram is a northeastern Indian state bordered to the north by Assam and Manipur, to the west by Tripura and Bangladesh, and to the east and south by Myanmar. Mizoram's tribal roots account for 95% of the population; "Mizo" is the name of local tribes, and Mizoram means "country of the Mizos."Mizoram's population is expected to reach 1.26 million in 2021.

Mizoram is India's second-least-populated state, behind Sikkim. The state's total size is 21,087 sq km, ranking it 24th in India, with forests, hills, and valleys covering 90% of the land. Cheraw, Khullam, Chheihlam, and Chai are some of Mizoram's traditional dances.

18. Nagaland

Manipur to the south, Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam to the north, and Myanmar to the east borders Nagaland, India's northeastern state. Nagaland's population is expected to reach 2.3 million by 2021. (23 Lakhs).

The state capital of Nagaland is Kohima, which is located in the southern portion of the state. Six thousand four hundred one square miles of land (16,579 square km). In Northeast India, it is a tourist-friendly location. It is a significant location on the Purvanchal tours.

19. Odisha

Odisha is the easternmost state of India, which is bordered on the east and south by the Bay of Bengal, on the north by West Bengal and Jharkhand, on the west by Chhattisgarh, and on the south by Andhra Pradesh. Odisha, previously known as Orissa, has a coastline that stretches for 485 kilometers along the Bay of Bengal. Odisha's population is anticipated to reach 46.8 million by 2021. It is the eighth-largest state in terms of size (155,707 sq km) and the eleventh-largest in terms of people.

Odisha is well-known for its historical landmarks and breathtaking vistas. Thousands of tourists go to Odisha each year for the Puri Beach Festival and the Jagannath Rath Yatra, which is also known for its beaches and pilgrimage sites.

20. Punjab

Punjab is a state in northern India, bordering Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Pakistan to the west, Uttarakhand to the east, and Himachal Pradesh to the south. The rivers Jhelum, Chenab, Sutlej, Ravi, and Beas are known as the "Land of Five Waters," since "panj" means five and "aab" means water.

Punjab's capital, Chandigarh, is located on the state's border with Haryana. Punjab is split into 22 districts and is India's 16th most populous state. Punjab's population is expected to reach 30.49 million in 2021. (3 Crores).

21. Rajasthan

Rajasthan is India's northernmost state, borders Pakistan on the west, Punjab on the north, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana on the east, Gujarat on the south, and Madhya Pradesh on the east. Rajasthan is the largest state in terms of geographical size (342,239 sq km) and population (seventh-largest).

The Thar desert, which covers 102,000 square kilometers in Rajasthan on the western side, makes up one-third of the state. Rajasthan's population is expected to reach 82.4 million by 2021. (8.24 Crores).

22. Sikkim

Sikkim is a state in northeastern India that borders Nepal on the west, Bhutan on the east, China on the north, West Bengal on the south, Tibet on the north, and the Himalayan area three sides. Sikkim is derived from the Limbu terms 'Su', which means new, and 'khyim,' which means home. Sikkim is the smallest state in India, with 7,096 square kilometers and a population density of 86 per square kilometer, lower than the national average of 382 per square kilometer. Sikkim's population is expected to reach 701 thousand by 2021. (7 Lakhs). Sikkim is known for its biodiversity; the Khangchendzonga National Park, which includes the iconic Kanchenjunga (8598 meters), the world's third-highest mountain, covers around 35% of the state.

23. Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is India's southernmost state, situated between the Bay of Bengal in the east and the Indian peninsula's western states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh to the north, and Karnataka the northwest. Southern India is famed for its temples and architecture and food, movies, Carnatic music, and traditional Indian dance.

The population of Tamil Nadu is expected to reach 78.8 million in 2021. Tamil Nadu's capital is Chennai. It has a total size of 130,058 square kilometers. Tamil is the state's primary language, and it is also the most frequently spoken and official language.

24. Telangana

It is the southernmost state of India, bordering on the south of Andhra Pradesh, the west on Karnataka, the north and west on Maharashtra, and the east on Chhattisgarh. Telangana is a state that was created in 2014 after it was split from Andhra Pradesh. 'Telinga', 'Telungalu', and 'Tenugulu' refer to Telugu-speaking people who have become known as Telangana. Telangana's population is expected to reach 39.9 million by 2021. Telangana's state capital is Hyderabad. The state is known as India's seed capital and is located at the Krishna and Godavari rivers in South India.

25. Tripura

Tripura is India's northeastern state, bordering Bangladesh on three sides (west, north, and south) and Mizoram and Assam on the east. Its total size is 10,491 square kilometers. Forests encompass more than half of the state, which ranks 26th in India after Goa and Sikkim in terms of acreage. Tripura's population is expected to reach 4.2 million (42 lakhs) in 2021. The state is known for its tea plantations, gorgeous gardens, toy railways, and other attractions. This state is well-known for its magnificent natural views, as well as its tribal culture and cuisine.

26. Uttar Pradesh

Bihar borders it on the east, Haryana and Rajasthan on the west, Nepal, and Uttarakhand on the north, and Madhya Pradesh on the south. Uttar Pradesh, located in the north-central portion of India and has the greatest population, is home to one-sixth of India's population. The population of Uttar Pradesh is expected to reach 241 million in 2021. It is the 4th largest state in land area, with 243,290 km2 (93,933 sq mi) and an average population density of 828 people per square kilometer. The state is known as "UP" or "U-P," with Uttar meaning "north" and Pradesh meaning "place."

Uttar Pradesh culture is an Indian culture with its roots in Hindi and Urdu literature. Lucknow is Uttar Pradesh's capital, contains a lot of wonderful historical sites.

27. Uttarakhand

It is a state in northern India surrounded by Himachal Pradesh to the northwest, Haryana to the west, Nepal and the Himalayas to the east, and Uttar Pradesh to the south. The population of Uttarakhand is expected to reach 11.4 million in 2021. (1.14 Crores). 'Uttara' means north, 'Khand' denotes area or territory, and 'Devaboomi' refers to the country of the gods. The Himalayan districts of Uttar Pradesh were created out of Uttarakhand in the year 2000.

Uttarakhand is famous for its rivers, as it is the source of some of India's most sacred rivers, including the Ganga and the Yamuna. The Valley of Flowers and Nanda Devi National Park are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Uttarakhand.

28. West Bengal

West Bengal is the easternmost state of India, bordering Bihar and Jharkhand on the west, Odisha on the northwest, Bangladesh on the east, Nepal and Bhutan on the north, and the Bay of Bengal on the east. West Bengal's population is expected to reach 100 million by 2021. (10 Crores). It is India's fourth-largest state by population. It has an area of 88,752 square kilometers with a population density of 1100 persons per square kilometer. Calcutta, known as Kolkata, was the capital of British India for many years and is now India's third-biggest metropolitan region. 'PaschimBanga' is the state's native name, with 'Paschim' meaning west and 'Banga' meaning old kingdom 'vanga'.

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed each state briefly and also went through the geographical location and the neighboring states. The different attributes like the population, language, and the popularity of each state vary as well. The state is also divided upon the geographical location, and the name is given as per their historical belongingness.