Table of Contents
There are 28 states and 8 union territories in India with each having its own capital. Each State is divided into districts and subdivisions. According to The States Reorganization Act 1956, the linguistic line is the base of the organisation of States. The capital of India is Delhi.
List of States, Capitals and Formation Dates
The name of the states, their capitals and formation date is given below:
States And Their Capitals
Andhra Pradesh: Amaravati
Arunachal Pradesh: Itanagar
Assam: Dispur
Bihar: Patna
Chhattisgarh: Raipur
Goa: Panaji
Gujarat: Gandhinagar
Haryana: Chandigarh
Himachal Pradesh: Shimla
Jharkhand: Ranchi
Karnataka: Bengaluru
Kerala: Thiruvananthapuram
Madhya Pradesh: Bhopal
Maharashtra: Mumbai
Manipur: Imphal
Meghalaya: Shillong
Mizoram: Aizawl
Nagaland: Kohima
Odisha: Bhubaneshwar
Punjab: Chandigarh
Rajasthan: Jaipur
Sikkim: Gangtok
Tamil Nadu: Chennai
Telangana: Hyderabad
Tripura: Agartala
Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow
Uttarakhand: Dehradun
West Bengal: Kolkata
States and Their Formation Dates
Andhra Pradesh: 1st November 1956
Arunachal Pradesh: 20th February 1987
Assam: 26th January 1950
Bihar: 22nd March 1912
Chhattisgarh: 1st November 2000
Goa: 30th May 1987
Gujarat: 1st May 1960
Haryana: 1st November 1966
Himachal Pradesh: 25th January 1971
Jharkhand: 15th November 2000
Karnataka: 1st November 1956
Kerala: 1st November 1956
Madhya Pradesh: 1st November 1956
Maharashtra: 1st May 1960
Manipur: 21st January 1972
Meghalaya: 1st April 1970
Mizoram: 21st January 1972
Nagaland: 30th November 1963
Odisha: 1st April 1936
Punjab: 1st November 1966
Rajasthan: 30th March 1949
Sikkim: 16th May 1975
Tamil Nadu: 1st November 1956
Telangana: 2nd June 2014
Tripura: 21st January 1972
Uttar Pradesh: 24th January 1950
Uttarakhand: 9th November 2000
West Bengal: 15th August 1947
List of Union Territories and Their Formation Date
Below is the list of Indian Union Territories, their capitals and formation date
| Indian Union Territories | Formation Dates & Years | Capital |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1 November 1956 | Port Blair |
| Chandigarh | 1 November 1966 | Chandigarh |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 26 January 2020 | Daman |
| Delhi | 1 November 1956 | New Delhi |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 31 October 2019 | Srinagar (Summer), Jammu (Winter) |
| Ladakh | 31 October 2019 | Leh (summer), Kargil (winter) |
| Lakshadweep | 1 November 1956 | Kavaratti |
| Puducherry | 1 November 1954 | Pondicherry |
States of India
States is defined as an independent unit, which is run by the state legislature. States are headed by a Chief Minister.
States are classified into four categories according to the newly drafted constitution which was established on January 26, 1950.
Part A States
- Part A states were ruled by an elected governor and state legislature.
- Bombay, Madras, Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal come under Part A states.
Part B States
- Rajpramukh governed these states.
- Part B states include Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir, and Travancore-Cochin. Madhya Bharat, Mysore, Rajasthan, and Saurashtra.
Part C States
- A chief commissioner governed these states.
- Ajmer, Bhopal, Bilaspur, Coorg, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Kutch, Manipur, Tripura, and Vindhya Pradesh were Part C States.
Part D States
- A lieutenant governor managed this state that the central government of India appointed.
- Part D state consists of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands only.
Largest and Smallest State of India according to area
- The largest state of India is Rajasthan located in Western India.
- Goa is the smallest state in India.
States having the highest and lowest population
- The highest population state of India is Uttar Pradesh.
- Sikkim has the lowest population.
North East States
Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
South States
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala.
North States
Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
West States
Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Central East States
Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and. West Bengal.
Central States
Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
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Union Territories
India’s Central Government manages union territories. Union territories have different cultures than their surrounding states. The union territories are governed by a Lieutenant Governor or an Administrator appointed by the President of India. The union territories have less autonomy and are directly governed by the central government.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands are famous for beaches and rich marine life. Chandigarh is famous for its technology and IT services.
Difference between States and Union Territories
| State | Union Territories |
| States are independent units. | Union territories are not an independent unit. |
| The legislature of the states administers states. | Union territories are administered by the person elected by the President of India. |
| The governor is the executive head of the state. | The Executive head of Union Territories is the Lieutenant Government. |
| The chief minister is selected by the elections. | LG is appointed by the President of India. |
| There are 28 States. | 8 Union Territories are there in India. |
| States are larger in area. | Union territories are smaller in area. |
| There is uniformity in administrative set-up. | No uniformity. |
Important Articles related to State and Capitals
| Article 1 | Name and territory of the union. |
| Article 2 | Admission and establishment of a new state. |
| Article 3 | Formation of new states and alteration of area, boundaries and name of existing state. |
Specialities of Indian States
Each state of India has its cultural and historical background. Below are the states given and their speciality.
| Indian States with Their Specialities | |
| Indian States | Specialisation |
| Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh is known for its spicy cuisine, historical sites like Charminar and Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, and rich culture in art, music, and dance. |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Arunachal Pradesh is known for its breathtaking landscapes, tribal cultures and the Tawang Monastery. |
| Assam | Assam is famous for its tea plantations, Kaziranga National Park, Bihu dance and traditional silk weaving. |
| Bihar | Bihar is known for its historical significance, including the ancient city of Patliputra, Buddhist pilgrimage sites like Bodh Gaya, and Madhubani art. |
| Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarh is famous for its tribal heritage, rich mineral resources and the Chitrakote Waterfall. |
| Delhi | Delhi is famous for landmarks such as India Gate. |
| Goa | Goa is famous for its beautiful beaches, vibrant nightlife and seafood cuisine. |
| Gujarat | Gujarat is known for its industrial and business prowess, the Rann of Kutch desert, and vibrant festivals like Navratri and Diwali. |
| Haryana | Haryana is known for its agricultural productivity and Chandigarh, a well-planned city known for its architecture and urban design. |
| Himachal Pradesh | Himachal Pradesh is famous for its picturesque hill stations, adventure tourism and many more. |
| Jharkhand | Jharkhand is rich in mineral resources, known for its tribal culture and Betla National Park. |
| Karnataka | Karnataka is known as the “Silicon Valley of India,” known for its IT industry. |
| Kerala | Kerala is famous for its backwaters, Ayurveda practices and highest literacy rate in India. |
| Maharashtra | Maharashtra is also known as financial and entertainment capital, Bollywood film industry, historical landmarks like Gateway of India and many more. |
| Manipur | Manipur is famous for its traditional dance forms like Manipuri dance, Loktak Lake, and vibrant festivals. |
FAQs on States and Union Territories of India
How many states and union territories are there in India?
States: 28 Union and Territories: 8
Who controls State and Union Territories?
State: There is a chief minister in every state. And the Governor has executive authority over the state. Union Territories: Governed by the Central Government and administered by the Lieutenant Governor.
Which state is removed from 29 states?
Jammu and Kashmir was removed from states on 31st October 2019 and was declared as Union Territory.
What are the 8 union territories of India?
The 8 union territories of India are Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Delhi (National Capital Territory of Delhi), Puducherry, Ladakh, and Jammu & Kashmir.
Which state was removed from the list of 29 states of India?
The state of Jammu & Kashmir was removed from the list of 29 states of India. It was reorganized into two separate union territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, in August 2019.
