Geography of Uttar Pradesh

2021-05-28T11:26:46Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2019}}
[[File:Uttar Pradesh relief map.svg|thumb|A relief map of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Uttar Pradesh]] is India's fourth-largest and most populous state of India, located in the north-central part of the country. It spreads over a large area, and the plains of the state are quite distinctly different from the high mountains in the north. The climate of this state can also vary widely - primarily due to it being far from the moderating effect of the sea and the occasional cold air arising due to [[western disturbances]].
[[File:Uttar-pradesh-map.jpg|thumb|A map of Uttar Pradesh]]
==Location==
Uttar Pradesh is bounded by [[Uttarakhand]] and [[Himachal Pradesh]] on the north-west, [[Haryana]] and [[Delhi]] on the west, [[Rajasthan]] on the south-west, [[Madhya Pradesh]] on the south, [[Chhattisgarh]] and [[Jharkhand]] on south-east and [[Bihar]] on the east. Situated between 23°52'N and 31°28'N latitudes and 77°3' and 84°39'E longitudes, this is the fourth largest state in the country in terms of area, and the first in terms of population.
Uttar Pradesh can be divided into three distinct [[hypsography|hypsographical]] regions :
#The [[Shivalik Hills|Shivalik foothills]] and [[Terai]] in the North
#The [[Gangetic Plain]] in the centre - Highly fertile alluvial soils; flat topography broken by numerous ponds, lakes, and rivers; slope 2 m/km
#The [[Vindhya Range|Vindhya Hills]] and plateau in the south - Hard rock Strata; varied topography of hills, plains, valleys, and plateau; limited water availability.

The [[Shivalik Range]] which forms the southern foothills of the [[Himalayas]], slopes down into a boulder bed called [[Bhabar]]. The transitional belt running along the entire length of the state is called the [[Terai]] and Bhabar area. It has rich forests, cutting across it are innumerable streams that swell into raging torrents during the [[monsoon]]. The Bhabar tract gives place to the terai area which is covered with tall elephant grass and thick forests interspersed with marshes and swamps. The sluggish rivers of the Bhabar deepen in this area, their course running through a tangled mass of thick undergrowth. The terai runs parallel to the Bhabar in a thin strip. The main crops are wheat, rice, and sugar cane. Jute also is grown.

The most important area for the [[Uttar Pradesh#Economy|economy]] of the state is the Gangetic plain which stretches across the entire length of the state from east to west. The entire alluvial plain can be divide into three sub-regions. The first is the eastern tract consisting of 14 districts which are subject to periodical floods and droughts and have been classified as scarcity areas. These districts have the highest density of population which gives the lowest per capita land. The other two regions, the central and the western are comparatively better with a well-developed irrigation system. They suffer from waterlogging and large-scale user tracts. The Gangetic plain is watered by the [[Yamuna]], the [[Ganges River|Ganges]] and its major tributaries, the Ramganga, the Gomati, the Ghaghra and Gandak. The whole plain is alluvial and very fertile. The chief crops cultivated here are [[rice]], [[wheat]], [[pearl millet]], [[gram]], and [[barley]]. [[Sugar cane]] is the chief cash crop of the region.
The southern fringe of the Gangetic is demarcated by the [[Vindhya Hills]] and plateau. It comprises the four districts of [[Jhansi district|Jhansi]], [[Jalaun district|Jalaun]], [[Banda district (India)|Banda]], and [[Hamirpur district, Uttar Pradesh|Hamirpur]] in [[Bundelkhand]] division, [[Meja District|Meja]] and [[Karchhana]] [[tehsil]]s of [[Allahabad district]], the whole of [[Mirzapur district]] south of Ganges and Chakia tehsil of [[Varanasi district]]. The ground is strong with low hills. The [[Betwa River|Betwa]] and [[Ken River|Ken]] rivers join the Yamuna from the south-west in this region. It has four distinct kinds of soil, two of which are agriculturally difficult to manage. They are black cotton soil. Rainfall is scanty and erratic and water-resources are scarce. Dry farming is practical on a large scale.

==Climate==
{{Main|Climate of Uttar Pradesh}}
The climate of the state is tropical monsoon. The average temperature varies in the plains from 3 to 4 °C in January to 43 to 45 °C in May and June. There are three distinct seasons - winter from October to February, summer from March to mid-June, and the rainy season from June to September.

The rainfall in the plains is heaviest in the east and decreases towards the north-west. Floods are a recurring problem in the state, causing damage to crops, life, and property. The worst floods were in 1971, when 51 of the 54 districts of the state were affected — an area of nearly 52,000 square kilometres. The eastern districts are the most vulnerable to floods, the western districts slightly less and the central region markedly less. The eastern districts susceptibility to floods is ascribed, among other things, to heavy rainfall, low flat country, high subsoil water level and the silting of beds which causes river levels to rise. The problem in the western districts is mainly poor drainage caused by the obstruction of roads, railways, canals, new built-up areas etc. There is water logging in large areas. The major flood-prone rivers are the [[Ganges]], [[Yamuna]], [[Gomti River|Gomti]], [[Ghaghara]], [[West Rapti River|Rapti]], [[Sharda River|Sharda]] and [[Ramganga]]. The inadequate drainage capacity of the smaller western Sirsa, Kali and the Aligarh drain is also a cause of floods.

==Flora and fauna==
Recorded Forest Area constitute about 6.88% of the total geographical area of the state and Total Forest and Tree cover is 9.01% of total geographical area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://upenvis.nic.in/database/forest_838.aspx|title=Uttar Pradesh Status of Environment}}</ref> The Terai and Bhabar area in the [[Gangetic Plain]] have most of the forests. The Vindhyan forests consists mostly of scrub. The districts of [[Jaunpur district|Jaunpur]], [[Ghazipur district|Ghazipur]] and [[Ballia district|Ballia]] have no forest land, while 31 other district have less forest area.

===Forests===
The existing flora in Uttar Pradesh can be classified into three categories-
* Wet tropical deciduous forests.
* Dry tropical deciduous forests.
* Tropical thorny forests.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://upenvis.nic.in/database/forest_838.aspx|title=Uttar Pradesh Status of Environment}}</ref>
On the [[Sivalik Hills|Shivalik]] foothills and in the terai-bhabhar area grow the [[Sal tree|sal]] and gigantic [[haldu]]. Along river courses the [[shisham]] grows in abundance. The Vindhyan forests have [[Butea monosperma|dhak]], [[teak]], [[Madhuca longifolia|mahua]], [[Salai (tree)|salai]], [[chironji]] and [[Coromandel Ebony|tendu]]. [[Sisso]] is mostly used for furniture while [[khair (tree)|khair]] yields [[kattha]], which is taken with betel leaves or [[pan (food)|pan]]. [[Semal]] and [[gutel]] are used as matchwood and kanju in the plywood industry. [[Babul (tree)|Babul]] provides the principal tanning material of the state. Some of the grasses such as [[baib]] and [[bamboo]] are raw material for the paper industry. [[Coromandel Ebony|Tendu]] leaves are used in making bidis (Indian cigarettes), and cane is used in baskets and furniture.

Species of grasses have been collected from the Gangetic plain. Herbs include medicinal plants like ''[[Rauvolfia serpentina]]'', ''[[Viala serpens]]'', [[podophyllum]], [[hexandrum]] and ''[[Ephecra gerardiana]]''.

===Animal life===
Corresponding to its variegated topography and climate, the state has a wealth of animal life. Its [[Bird|avifauna]] is among the richest in the country. Animals that can be found in the jungles of Uttar Pradesh include the [[Bengal tiger|tiger]], [[leopard]], [[wild bear]], [[sloth bear]], [[chital]], [[sambar (deer)|sambhar]], [[golden jackal]], [[porcupine]], [[jungle cat]], [[hare]], [[squirrel]], [[monitor lizards]], and [[fox]]. The most common birds include the crow, pigeon, dove, jungle fowl, black partridge, house sparrow, peafowl, blue jay, parakeet, kite, mynah, quail, bulbul, kingfisher and woodpecker.

Certain species are found in special habitats. The [[Asian elephant|elephant]] is confined to the terai and the foothills. The gond and para also found in this region. The [[chinkara]] and the [[sandgrouse]] prefer a dry climate, and are native to the Vindhyan forests. Among the game birds resident in the state are the snipe, comb duck, grey duck, cotton teal and whistling teal.

Several species of wildlife have become extinct in Uttar Pradesh. Among them are the [[Asiatic lion|lion]] from the [[Gangetic plain]] and the [[Indian rhinoceros|rhinoceros]] from the terai. The fate of many species is uncertain, including the [[tiger]], [[black buck]], [[Nemorhaedus|serow]], [[swamp deer]], bustard, pink-headed duck, and mural pheasants and four-horned antelope. Although determined enforcement of laws against poaching and hunting has yielded some results, the wildlife population today is alarmingly low. [[Gharial]]s are poached for their skin.

To preserve its wildlife the state has established one National Park; [[Dudhwa National Park]] and 12 game sanctuaries..

==References==
{{reflist}}
* [http://www.maharashtraweb.com/UttarPradesh/aboututtarpradesh.htm http://www.maharashtraweb.com/UttarPradesh/aboututtarpradesh.htm]
* [http://www.newkerala.com/states-of-india/uttar-pradesh.php http://www.newkerala.com/states-of-india/uttar-pradesh.php]
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Geography of Uttar Pradesh