What is state, How many states are in india
A state is a part of country that has its own government to make rules, collect taxes, and provide services to people living there. In india states are created by the Constitution of India, usually through laws, made by the Parliament of India, and sometimes by dividing or reorganizing existing states based on language, culture, or administration. India has a total of 28 states. Each state has a government led by a Chief Minister and a Governor.
A state includes their own system like ministry “Chief minister (chief of state), Governor and other supporting ministers, Policing system, District chief, known as DM/District collector, and courts etc to run the state smoothly. Among all states, Uttar Pradesh is the most populated state in India, Rajasthan is the largest state by area, and Goa is the smallest state by area. Each state has its own official language, symbols, and systems to manage the state properly. What is state, How many states are there in india.

Total States in India | 28 |
Total Union Territories in india | 8 |
Most Recently Formed State | Telangana (formed in 2014 from Andhra Pradesh) |
Largest State of india as per Area | Rajasthan |
smallest state of india by area | Goa |
largest state of india by population | Uttar Pradesh |
Smallest state of india by population | Sikkim |
Highest GDP state in india | Maharashtra |
State with Highest Forest Area % | Mizoram |
Capital of India | New Delhi |
Chief Minister Role | Head of the elected government and chief of the state |
How many states are in India
There are a total of 28 states and 8 union territories in India
State Name | Formation Date | Capital Name | Formation Method |
---|---|---|---|
Andhra Pradesh | 1 October 1953 | Amaravati | Separated from Madras State |
Arunachal Pradesh | 20 February 1987 | Itanagar | Upgraded from Union Territory to State |
Assam | 26 January 1950 | Dispur | One of the original states of India |
Bihar | 26 January 1950 | Patna | One of the original states of India |
Chhattisgarh | 1 November 2000 | Raipur | Separated from Madhya Pradesh |
Goa | 30 May 1987 | Panaji | Upgraded from Union Territory to State |
Gujarat | 1 May 1960 | Gandhinagar | Separated from Bombay State |
Haryana | 1 November 1966 | Chandigarh | Separated from Punjab |
Himachal Pradesh | 25 January 1971 | Shimla | Upgraded from Union Territory to State |
Jharkhand | 15 November 2000 | Ranchi | Separated from Bihar |
Karnataka | 1 November 1956 | Bengaluru | Created during States Reorganization in 1956 |
Kerala | 1 November 1956 | Thiruvananthapuram | Created during States Reorganization in 1956 |
Madhya Pradesh | 1 November 1956 | Bhopal | Created during States Reorganization in 1956 |
Maharashtra | 1 May 1960 | Mumbai | Separated from Bombay State |
Manipur | 21 January 1972 | Imphal | Upgraded from Union Territory to State |
Meghalaya | 21 January 1972 | Shillong | Separated from Assam |
Mizoram | 20 February 1987 | Aizawl | Upgraded from Union Territory to State |
Nagaland | 1 December 1963 | Kohima | Separated from Assam |
Odisha | 26 January 1950 | Bhubaneswar | One of the original states of India |
Punjab | 1 November 1956 | Chandigarh | Created during States Reorganization in 1956 |
Rajasthan | 26 January 1950 | Jaipur | One of the original states of India |
Sikkim | 16 May 1975 | Gangtok | Became a state after joining India |
Tamil Nadu | 26 January 1950 | Chennai | One of the original states of India (formerly Madras) |
Telangana | 2 June 2014 | Hyderabad | Separated from Andhra Pradesh |
Tripura | 21 January 1972 | Agartala | Upgraded from Union Territory to State |
Uttar Pradesh | 26 January 1950 | Lucknow | One of the original states of India |
Uttarakhand | 9 November 2000 | Dehradun | Separated from Uttar Pradesh |
West Bengal | 26 January 1950 | Kolkata | One of the original states of India |
How many Union Territories are there in india
Union Territory | Formation Date | Capital Name | Formation Method |
---|---|---|---|
Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1 November 1956 | Port Blair | Created as a Union Territory in 1956 |
Chandigarh | 1 November 1966 | Chandigarh | Created as a Union Territory in 1966 |
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 26 January 2020 (Merger of both) | Daman | Merged two territories into one Union Territory in 2020 |
Lakshadweep | 1 November 1956 | Kavaratti | Created as a Union Territory in 1956 |
Delhi | 1 November 1956 (Declared NCT in 1991) | New Delhi | Created as a Union Territory in 1956 and became NCT in 1991 |
Puducherry | 1 November 1954 (Merged with India in 1962) | Puducherry | Merged with India in 1962 and became a Union Territory |
Jammu and Kashmir | 31 October 2019 | Srinagar (Summer) / Jammu (Winter) | Reorganized into a Union Territory in 2019 |
Ladakh | 31 October 2019 | Leh | Created as a separate Union Territory in 2019 |
FAQs
The largest state of India by area is Rajasthan. Rajasthan is in the northwest of India and is very big. Rajasthan has deserts, mountains, and many historic forts and palaces.
The smallest state of India by area is Goa. Goa is on the west coast of India and is very small. Goa is famous for its beaches, tourism, and old Portuguese buildings.
In India, the head a state is the Governor. The Governor is chosen by the President of India. But the real power in running the state is with the Chief Minister and the state ministers, but the Governor is still the official head of the state.