Geography

Demography

• Dehradum
• Haridwar
• Mussoorie
• Nainital
• Rishikesh

Demography

The state has two distinct climatic regions: the predominant hilly terrain and the smaller plain region.The climatic condition of the plains is very similar to its counterpart in the Gangetic plain. Summers are extremely hot with temperatures going over the 40°C mark and a lot of humidity. Winters can be chilly with temperatures going below 5°C at times.

The Himalayan region has Alpine conditions characterized by cold winters with snowfall for quite a long time, good rainfall in the monsoon, and mild summers.This climate attracts tourists seeking spiritual refuge, adventure or simply scenic beauty.

Uttaranchal stands 17th in literacy rate with an overall literacy of 72.28%. The male literacy was relatively higher at 84.01% while female literacy is relatively lower at 60.26%. Nainital has the highest literacy of 79.60% while Haridwar has the lowest literacy of 64.60%. Uttaranchal hosts 5 Universities, one IIT center, and about 70 colleges affiliated to them.

People of Uttaranchal basically take a vegetarian meal though mutton and chicken are also savored by many. Characteristic feature of the Kumouni cuisine is the sparing use of milk and milk based products. This is due to the geographical nature of the state as hill cows do not yield good quantity of milk. Rice is the staple food for the people of Uttaranchal.

The food is extremely nutritious to suit the high energy requirements of the hilly and cold region. It is cooked with love and affection over charcoal or wood fire.

The culture of Uttaranchal finds manifestation in the lifestyle of its people. People irrespective of caste, creed and religion celebrate all festivals with great fervour. The Garhwal and Kumaon regions are dotted with places of religious importance. On auspicious occasions people gather at these places to celebrate the festivals with deep faith. This expression of joy and happiness not only reflects the rich culture of Uttaranchal but also provides insight into their way of living and celebration of lives.

The history of Uttaranchal has two distinct hilly divisions Kumaon and Garhwal. According to Hindu scriptures, the region has been described as Devbhoomi (Land of the Gods) and it houses some of the most important pilgrimage sites of the country. Garhwal region of Himalayas finds a mention in the mythological stories of the Puranic period. The traditional name of Garhwal was Uttarakhand and excavations near the site have revealed that it formed part of the Mauryan Empire.

The main language used in Uttaranchal is the language of Garhwali and is widely used in its colloquial form almost all around the state of Uttaranchal. However, for tourists planning a tour to Uttaranchal, this should present no cause of worry as Hindi is used extensively in almost all the parts of the state of Uttaranchal. Almost each part of the state has a special dialect of the language of Garhwali.

The majority of people living in Uttaranchal are Hindus so the basic religious faiths of the dominant Hindu population of Uttaranchal. Then it comes Sikhs, Muslims and Christians.