Part I — Uttar Pradesh at a Glance
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Chapter 1: Core Facts, Figures & Current Office-Holders
1.1 Core Statistics
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Capital | Lucknow |
| Largest city (by population) | Kanpur |
| State formed | 1 April 1937 (as United Provinces); renamed Uttar Pradesh on 24 January 1950 |
| Area | Approximately 2,40,928 sq km (India's 4th largest state by area) |
| Population (2011 Census) | Approximately 19,98,12,341 (India's most populous state) |
| Population density | Approximately 828 persons/sq km |
| Sex ratio | Approximately 912 females per 1,000 males |
| Literacy rate (2011 Census) | Approximately 67.7% |
| Number of districts | 75 |
| Number of divisions | 18 |
| Official language | Hindi (Urdu holds additional official-language status) |
| State animal | Barasingha (swamp deer) |
| State bird | Sarus crane |
1.2 Current Key Office-Holders (as of August 2026)
| Post | Incumbent |
|---|---|
| Governor | Anandiben Patel |
| Chief Minister | Yogi Adityanath |
| Deputy Chief Ministers | Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak |
Note: Uttar Pradesh's political leadership can change between editions of this book; candidates should verify current office-holders against the latest notification close to their examination date.
1.3 National Rankings (Illustrative)
Uttar Pradesh is India's most populous state and its 4th largest state by area. It sends the largest number of members to the Lok Sabha of any Indian state (80 seats) and has the largest state legislative assembly in India (403 Vidhan Sabha seats). It is also frequently cited as having the largest number of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha seats among all states, a foundational static-GK comparison point.
1.4 The Eighteen Divisions
Uttar Pradesh's 75 districts are grouped into 18 administrative divisions: Agra, Aligarh, Prayagraj (Allahabad), Azamgarh, Basti, Bareilly, Chitrakoot, Devipatan, Faizabad (Ayodhya), Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Meerut, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Saharanpur, and Varanasi.
1.5 Practice Set — UP at a Glance (12 MCQs)
- What is the capital of Uttar Pradesh?
(a) Kanpur (b) Lucknow (c) Agra (d) Varanasi - Uttar Pradesh's largest city by population is:
(a) Lucknow (b) Kanpur (c) Agra (d) Varanasi - Uttar Pradesh (as United Provinces) was formally established/renamed on 24 January 1950. What was it called before this renaming?
(a) Awadh Province (b) United Provinces (c) North-Western Provinces (d) Agra Province - Uttar Pradesh is India's:
(a) Largest state by area (b) Largest state by population (c) Smallest state by population (d) A Union Territory - How many districts does Uttar Pradesh currently have?
(a) 71 (b) 75 (c) 78 (d) 82 - How many administrative divisions is Uttar Pradesh grouped into?
(a) 16 (b) 18 (c) 20 (d) 22 - Uttar Pradesh's state bird is the:
(a) Peacock (b) Sarus crane (c) Great Indian Bustard (d) Kingfisher - Uttar Pradesh's state animal is the:
(a) Royal Bengal Tiger (b) Barasingha (swamp deer) (c) Blackbuck (d) Nilgai - How many seats does Uttar Pradesh have in the Lok Sabha, the highest of any Indian state?
(a) 68 (b) 74 (c) 80 (d) 88 - Uttar Pradesh's Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) has how many seats, the largest of any Indian state assembly?
(a) 350 (b) 380 (c) 403 (d) 425 - As per the 2011 Census, Uttar Pradesh's literacy rate was approximately:
(a) 57.7% (b) 62.7% (c) 67.7% (d) 72.7% - Uttar Pradesh's official language is Hindi, with which other language also holding official status?
(a) Punjabi (b) Urdu (c) Bhojpuri (d) Awadhi
Answer Key
1.(b)
2.(b)
3.(c)
4.(b)
5.(b)
6.(b)
7.(b)
8.(b)
9.(c)
10.(c)
11.(c) 12.(b)