Vilianahdm at 19:17, 15 August 2025

2025-08-15T19:17:05Z

New page

{{Short description|none}} 
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{Country geography
|name = Uttarakhand
|map = File:India Uttarakhand relief map.svg
|map size = 250px
|continent = [[Asia]]
|region = {{flag|India}}
|area ranking =
|km area = 53,483
|percent land =
|percent water =
|km coastline = 0
|borders = {{flagicon|China}} [[Tibet Autonomous Region]] {{flagicon|Nepal}} [[Sudurpashchim Pradesh]] {{flagicon|India}} [[Uttar Pradesh]] {{flagicon|India}} [[Himachal Pradesh]]
|highest point = [[Nanda Devi]] {{convert|7817|m|ft}}
|lowest point = [[Sharda River|Sharda Sagar Reservoir]] {{convert|187|m|ft}}
|longest river = [[Ganges]]
|largest lake = [[Ramganga|Ramganga–Sonanadi Reservoir]]
}}

'''[[Uttarakhand]]''' has a total geographic area of 53,483 km2, of which 86% is mountainous and 65% is covered by [[forest]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fsi.org.in/cover_2011/uttarakhand.pdf |title=State of Uttarakhand |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523232018/http://www.fsi.org.in/cover_2011/uttarakhand.pdf |archivedate=23 May 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Most of the northern parts of the state are part of Greater Himalaya ranges, covered by the high [[Himalaya]]n peaks and glaciers, while the lower foothills were densely forested till denuded by the British log merchants and later, after independence, by forest contractors. Recent efforts in [[reforestation]], however, have been successful in restoring the situation to some extent. The unique Himalayan ecosystem plays host to many animals (including [[bharal]], [[snow leopard]]s, [[leopard]]s and [[tiger]]s), plants and rare herbs. Two of India's great rivers, the [[Ganges]] and the [[Yamuna]] take birth in the glaciers of Uttarakhand, and are fed by myriad lakes, glacial melts and streams.<ref>Himalayan Rivers, Lakes and Glaciers. [[New Delhi]]: [[Indus]] Pub. Co.</ref>

{{wide image|Himalaya Panorama Alok Prasad.jpg | 2800px | A panorama of [[Garhwal Himalaya]] from [[Dhanaulti]]}}

==Terrain and vegetation==
[[File:Nanda devi.jpg|thumb|250px|left|alt=Nanda Devi|With the elevation of {{convert|7,817|m|ft}} above sea level, [[Nanda Devi]] is the highest mountain in Uttarakhand and the second-highest mountain in India, following [[Kangchenjunga]] in [[Sikkim]].]]
[[File:SHARDA SAGAR DAM 01.jpg|thumb|250px|right|alt=Sharda Sagar Reservoir|With the elevation of {{convert|187|m|ft}} above sea level, [[Sharda River|Sharda Sagar Reservoir]] is the lowest land point in Uttarakhand.]]

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 tropical forests at the lower elevations. The highest elevations are covered by ice and bare rock. [[Nanda Devi]] is the highest land point of Uttarakhand with the altitude of {{convert|7817|m|ft}} above sea level. [[Sharda River|Sharda Sagar Reservoir]] is the lowest land point of Uttarakhand with the altitude of {{convert|187|m|ft}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ichthyofaunal Diversity of Sharda Sagar Reservoir in Tarai Region|url=http://oaji.net/pdf.html%3Fn%3D2017/6036-1522843486.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiM5_K5y8PkAhWGknAKHeL7B-sQFjAOegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw2vDxLKmM8imKtQxbyVI49S|format=pdf|publisher=Open Academics Journal Index|accessdate=9 September 2019}}</ref> [[Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows]] occur between {{convert|3000|and|5000|m|ft}}: tundra and alpine meadows cover the highest elevations, ''[[Rhododendron]]''-dominated shrublands cover the lower elevations. [[Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests]] lie just below the tree line; at {{convert|3000|to|2600|m|ft}} elevation they transition to [[western Himalayan broadleaf forests]], which lie in a belt from {{convert|2600|to|1500|m|ft}} elevation. Below {{convert|1500|m|ft}} elevation lie the [[Himalayan subtropical pine forests]]. The drier [[Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands]] belt and the [[Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests]] cover the lowlands along the Uttar Pradesh border. This belt is locally known as [[Bhabar]]. These lowland forests have mostly been cleared for agriculture, but a few pockets remain.<ref>Negi, S. S. (1995). Uttarakhand: land and people. New Delhi: MD Pub.</ref>

During the last five years Uttarakhand witnessed number of forest fires. These fires include [[2020 Uttarakhand forest fires#Impact|2020 Uttarakhand forest fire]] and many others. Some of the consequences of these forest fires include loss of life, shrinking of forest areas, loss of biodiversity and decrease in [[Ecotourism]] in the state.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Edit |first=T. O. I. |title=Why Uttarakhand burns: The Himalayan state has emerged as India’s most ecologically fragile. We’re to blame |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-editorials/234570/ |access-date=2024-05-07 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

==National parks==

[[National parks of India|Indian National Parks]] in Uttarakhand include the [[Jim Corbett National Park]] previously named as Hailey National Park (the oldest national park of India) in [[Nainital District]] and [[Pauri Garhwal District]], [[Valley of Flowers National Park]] and [[Nanda Devi National Park]] in [[Chamoli District]], which together are a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]], [[Rajaji National Park]] in [[Haridwar District]], [[Dehradun District]] and [[Pauri Garhwal District]] and [[Govind Pashu Vihar National Park]] and [[Gangotri National Park]] in [[Uttarkashi District]].

==See also==
* [[List of mountain peaks of Uttarakhand]]
* [[Lakes of Kumaon hills]]
* [[Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks]]
* [[Indomalayan realm]]
* [[Himalayan states]]
* [[Indian Himalayan Region]]
* [[Ecology of the Himalayas]]
* [[Geology of the Himalayas]]
* [[Geography of India]]
* [[Geology of India]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Geography of India by state or territory}}
{{Uttarakhand}}

[[Category:Geography of Uttarakhand| ]]

Geography of Uttarakhand - Revision history

Vilianahdm at 19:17, 15 August 2025