Himachal Pradesh

Capital

Shimla; Dharamshala

Official Language

Hindi, Sanskrit

Area

55,673 km²

Districts

12

Largest City

Shimla

Geography & Nature

Himalayan valleys, the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi basins, alpine landscapes and forested hills range from foothills to cold deserts.

• Reported area: 55,673 km². Survey of India — Administrative Boundary Data.
• Forest and tree cover: 16,435.42 km²; India State of Forest Report 2023.

Districts & Cities

12 districts listed by the NIC directory on 2026-10-14.

• Major urban centres: Shimla, Dharamshala, Solan, Mandi, Kullu.
• Largest city/town: Shimla. Largest city/town using Census 2011 municipal or town boundaries; urban-agglomeration rankings can differ. Current city names are used.

State Administration

Himachal Pradesh has a Governor and an elected government led by a Chief Minister. Its legislature has a Legislative Assembly. The capital is Shimla; Dharamshala.

• Shimla is the principal capital; Dharamshala is the winter capital.
• Principal official language(s): Hindi, Sanskrit. The government language reference provides the administrative language context.

Government Institutions

Government institutions in Himachal Pradesh include executive departments, district administration, public agencies and local bodies. The official directory provides routes to their published websites.

• The Legislative Assembly provides the elected legislative institution.
• District administrations and municipal or village institutions provide local public services.

People & Demographics

The official MoEFCC profile reports approximately 0.69 crore people on a Census 2011 basis. This is a historical, rounded population figure rather than a current population estimate.

• Principal official language(s): Hindi, Sanskrit.
• The Himachal Pradesh profile includes both urban communities and rural or island settlements; language and social patterns vary locally.
• Census tables provide the detailed rural/urban, literacy, age and mother-tongue breakdowns.

Economy & Industries

Horticulture, tourism, hydropower and manufacturing are important; apples and other temperate fruits support mountain livelihoods.

• Economic centres include Shimla, Dharamshala, Solan.
• Use the government's economic surveys and departmental publications for dated output, employment and investment figures.

Infrastructure

Mountain roads, hydropower installations, regional airports and the Kalka–Shimla Railway connect settlements across difficult terrain.

• Transport, electricity, water and digital networks support public services and economic activity.
• Project status and operational details are published by the responsible government departments and operators.

Education & Healthcare

Himachal Pradesh University, IIT Mandi and NIT Hamirpur are major institutions; AIIMS Bilaspur and government medical colleges support healthcare.

• Schools, universities, government hospitals and primary care facilities serve different parts of the region.
• Check the relevant institution or department for current programmes, admissions and services.

Culture & History

Kullu Dussehra, Himalayan temple architecture, Buddhist monasteries and regional weaving traditions express diverse mountain cultures.

• Heritage sites, languages, crafts and community traditions vary across districts.
• The official tourism and culture portal provides place-specific information.

Schemes & Public Services

The Himachal Pradesh government and citizen-service portal provide access to applications, certificates, departmental services and scheme information.

• Common service areas include revenue certificates, welfare applications, education, transport and local-government services; availability varies by portal.
• Open the official service listing for the current application process and requirements.