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????? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ??????????? ?????? ???????? North India Zonal Map 1.png States in the North and North Central Zones of India, as defined by the Indian G overnment. Population 504,196,432 Area 1,624,160 km2 (627,090 sq mi) Time zone IST (UTC+5:30) States and territories Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryan a, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh Most populous cities (2008) Delhi, Kanpur, Jaipur, Lucknow, Patna, Chandigar h, Faridabad, Sonipat, Gurgaon Languages Hindi, Urdu, English, Rajasthani, Haryanvi, Kashmiri, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Dogri, Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Magahi, Maithili, Sindhi, Saraiki, Santhali North India, known natively as Uttar Bharat/Aryavarta (Devanagari: ????? ????/?? ??????, Nastaleeq: ????? ?????) or umali Hindustan (Devanagari: ?????? ?????????? ?, Nastaleeq: ?????? ????????), is a loosely defined region consisting of the no rthern part of India. In a broader sense, North India includes northern and most of eastern India and the Indus Valley of Pakistan. The dominant geographical fe atures of North India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demar cate the region from Tibet and Central Asia. North India has been the historical centre of the Maurya, Gupta, Mughal, Sur, Maratha, Sikh and British Indian Empi res. It has a diverse culture, and includes the Hindu pilgrimage centres of Char Dham, Haridwar, Mathura, Allahabad and Varanasi, the Buddhist Mahabodhi Temple, the Sikh Golden Temple and the Muslim pilgrimage destination of Ajmer, as well as world heritage sites such as the Valley of flowers, Khajuraho, Bhimbetka Cave s, Qutb Minar and the Taj Mahal. Contents 1 Definitions 1.1 Government of India definition 1.2 Linguistic definition 1.3 "North of the Vindhyas" 1.4 Muslim, Central Asian and Persian impacts as defining influences 1.5 Latitude-based definition 1.6 Anecdotal usage 2 Geography 2.1 General climate 2.2 Precipitation 2.3 Traditional seasons 3 Demographics 4 Performing arts 4.1 Dance 5 Languages 6 Flora and fauna 6.1 Wildlife parks and reserves 7 Places of interest 8 Universities 9 Economy 10 See also 11 References and bibliography 12 External links

Definitions Different authorities and sources in literature define North India differently. Government of India definition The Government of India defines the North India Cultural Zone as including the s tates of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, as well as the Union Territory of Chandigarh.[1] There is an overlapping neighbouri ng region, called the North Central India Cultural Zone, including the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Prade sh, Uttarakhand and Delhi, that is also defined by the Indian Government.[2] The states of Bihar and Jharkhand are also included in the East India Cultural Zone .[3] Similarly, Rajasthan is also included in the West India Cultual Zone,[4] an d the state of Chhattisgarh is also included in the South Central India Cultural Zone.[2] Linguistic definition Indo-Aryan languages predominate in North India, including in the Hindi Heartlan d, where Hindi and related languages predominate. Prior to the Partition of Indi a, this also included the now-Pakistani provinces of Sindh[5] and Punjab, and th e eastern portion of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa up to Peshawar valley where Punjabi dial ects and Hindko are spoken.[6] This effectively excludes several of the seven No rth-East states (except for Assam and Sikkim).[7][8] "North of the Vindhyas" One traditional, and now obsolete, demarcation between Northern and Southern Ind ia is the Vindhya mountain range, which has sometimes formed a border during per iods of imperial expansion in India, such as the one ruled by the Gupta emperor Samudragupta.[9] The Vindhyas also find mention in the narrative of Rishi Agasty a as a dividing feature between North and South India.[10] The Manusm?ti also de scribes the southern limit of Aryavarta (a classical, and also now obsolete, ter m for parts of North India) as being defined by the Vindhya range.[11] Muslim, Central Asian and Persian impacts as defining influences Several sources consider sizable Muslim populations and deep-seated Islamic, Cen tral Asian and Persian influences to be defining characteristics of North Indian culture, both linguistically and culturally.[12][13] Some of these influences a re pre-Islamic, such as the Bactrian-originated Kushan Empire that maintained tw in capitals in Mathura (now in Uttar Pradesh) and Peshawar (in the present-day P akistani Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province), as well as the Hun confederacies that per iodically asserted their rule over large parts of North India.[14] Latitude-based definition The Tropic of Cancer, which divides the temperate zone from the tropical zone in the Northern Hemisphere of the planet, runs through India, and could theoretica lly be regarded as a geographical dividing line in the country.[15] Anecdotal usage The term "North Indian" is sometimes used to describe people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, often using the term bhaiya (which literally means 'elder brother') i n a derogatory sense, though some press reports have contradicted this.[16] In P unjab, people from the same region (Uttar Pradesh and Bihar) are often referred to as Purabias, or Easterners.[17] Some publications of the Government of Bihar place that state in the eastern part of India as well.[18] Within Uttar Pradesh itself, "the cultural divide between the east and the west is considerable, with the purabiyas (easterners) often being clubbed with Biharis in the perception o f the westerners."[19][20] Punjab is sometimes considered a north-western state, as are Gujarat and the western parts of Uttar Pradesh.[21][22][23] Geography Shilla (7026 m) above the Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh

North India has extremely diverse climates. North India lies mainly on continental India, north of peninsular India. Towards its North are the Himalayas which define the boundary between the Indian subcon tinent and the Tibetan plateau. To its west is the Thar desert, shared between N orth India and Pakistan and the Aravalli Range, beyond which lies the state of G ujarat. The Vindhya mountains are, in some interpretations, taken to be the sout hern boundary of North India. The predominant geographical features of North India are the Indo-Gangetic plain which spans the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The Himalay as which lie in the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmi r and the Thar desert which lies mainly in the state of Rajasthan. The state of Madhya Pradesh has large areas under forest cover, as do Himachal Pradesh, Uttar akhand and Chattisgarh.[24] General climate The Thar desert near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan North India lies mainly in the north Temperate zone of the earth.[25] Though coo l or cold winters, hot summers and moderate monsoons are the general pattern, No rth India is one of the most climatically diverse regions on Earth[original rese arch?]. Extreme temperatures among inhabited regions have ranged from -45 C (-49 F ) in Dras, Jammu and Kashmir[26] to 50.6 C (123 F) in Alwar, Rajasthan. Dras is cl aimed to be the second coldest inhabited place on the planet (after Siberia), wi th a recorded low of -60 C.[27][28][29] Precipitation The region receives rain and snow precipitation through two primary weather patt erns: the Indian Monsoon and the Western Disturbances. The Monsoon carries moist ure northwards from the Indian Ocean, occurs in late summer and is important to the Kharif or autumn harvest.[30][31] Western Disturbances, on the other hand, a re an extratropical weather phenomenon that carry moisture eastwards from the Me diterranean Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.[32][33][34][35] They pr imarily occur during the winter season and are critically important for the Rabi or spring harvest, which includes the main staple over much of North India, whe at.[33] The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand receiv e sustained snowfall in winter months. Traditional seasons Northern Indian tradition recognises six distinct seasons in the region: summer (grishma or garmi, May June), rainy (varsha, July August), cool (sharad, September Oct ober, sometimes thought of as 'early autumn'), autumn (hemant, November December, also called patjhar, lit. the falling leaf season), winter (shishir or sardi, Ja nuary February) and spring (vasant, March April). The literature, poetry and folklor e of the region uses references to these six seasons quite extensively and has d one so since ancient times when Sanskrit was prevalent.[36][37][38] In the mount ainous areas, sometimes the winter is further divided into "big winter" (e.g. Ka shmiri chillai kalaan) and "little winter" (chillai khurd).[39] Demographics During the Scythian migrations around 100BC, a large part of North India was inc orporated into the Scythian world. The people of North India are predominantly Indo-Aryan,[40][41] and include vari ous ethnic groups such as Brahmins, Ahirs, Jats, Rajputs, Gurjars, Kolis, Khatri s, Kambojs, Banias and Dalits.[42][43][44] Over millennia, the region has experi enced sustained incursions and immigration from the northwest, including the Ind o-Scythians,[45] Indo-Sassanids,[46][47] Indo-Hephthalites,[48][49] Kushans[50][ 51] and Rohilla Pashtuns. Hinduism is the dominant religion in North India. Other religions practiced by v

arious ethnic communities include Islam, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. The stat es of Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh are overwhelmingly Hindu.Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in India w ith a majority Muslim population, while Punjab is the only state with a majority Sikh population. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are predominantly Hindu with other min orities. Performing arts Dance Dance of North India too has diverse folk and classical forms. Among the well-kn own folk dances are the bhangra of the Punjab, the ghoomar of Rajasthan, and rou f and bhand pather of Kashmir. Main dance forms, many with narrative forms and m ythological elements, have been accorded classical dance status by India's Natio nal Academy of Music, Dance, and Drama such as kathak of Uttar Pradesh. Languages Further information: Languages of India, Indo-Aryan languages, and Dravidian lan guages Distribution of Indo-Aryan languages. Linguistically, North India is dominated by Indo-Aryan languages, although subre gions of Northern Dravidian languages (such as Bihar's Kurukh language), TibetoBurman languages (such as Himachal's Lahauli language) and Austroasiatic languag es (such as Munda) exist throughout the region. It is in this region, or its pro ximity, that Sanskrit and the various Prakrits are thought to have evolved. Indo -Aryan languages native to North India include the Hindustani lingua franca (inc luding both its Hindi and Urdu registers),[52][53] a wide range of western and e astern Hindi dialects, Rajasthani languages (Marwari, Mewari, Shekhawati, Malwi, Bagri), Haryanvi, Bihari languages (Bhojpuri, Magadhi, Maithili and Angika), Pa hari, Kumaoni, Garhwali, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Haryanavi and other languages. The s ubregion where Hindi languages are widely spoken (as either primary or secondary languages) is sometimes called the Hindi Heartland or the Hindi Belt, and is lo osely defined.[54][55][56] Small speaker populations of two language isolates (Nihali and Burushaski), whic h are not known to be rooted in any other language families, also exist in North India.[57][58] Flora and fauna Chinkara in Madhya Pradesh, India Further information: Wildlife of India North Indian vegetation is predominantly deciduous and coniferous. Of the decidu ous trees, sal, teak, walnut, sheesham (Indian rosewood) and poplar are some whi ch are important commercially.[59] The Western Himalayan region abounds in chir, pine, deodar (Himalayan cedar), blue pine, spruce, various firs, birch and juni pers.[60][61][62][63] The birch, especially, has historical significance in Indi an culture due to the extensive use of birch paper (Sanskrit: bhurja patra) as p archment for many ancient Indian texts.[64][65] The Eastern Himalayan region con sists of oaks, laurels, maples, rhododendrons, alder, birch and dwarf willows. R eflecting the diverse climatic zones and terrain contained in the region, the fl oral variety is extensive and ranges from Alpine to temperate thorn, coniferous to evergreen, and thick tropical jungles to cool temperate woods.[60][66] There are around 500 varieties of mammals, 2000 species of birds, 30,000 types o f insects and a wide variety of fish, amphibians and reptiles in the country. An imal species in North India include Elephant, Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Samb ar (Asiatic stag), Chital (Spotted deer), Hangul (Red deer), Hog Deer, Chinkara (Indian Gazelle), Blackbuck, Nilgai (blue bull antelope), Porcupine, Wild Boar, Indian Fox, Tibetan Sand Fox, Rhesus Monkey, Langur, Jungle Cat, Hyena, Jackal, Black Bear, Himalayan Brown Bear, Sloth Bear, and the endangered Caracal.

Reptiles are represented by a large number of snake and lizard species, as well as the ghariyal and crocodiles.[67] Venomous snakes found in the region include king cobra and krait. Various scorpion, spider and insect species include the co mmercially useful honeybees, silkworms and lac insects. The strikingly coloured bir bahuti is also found in this region.[68] The region has a wide variety of birds, including peacocks, parrots, and thousan ds of immigrant birds, such as the Siberian Crane. Other birds include pheasants , geese, ducks, mynahs, parakeets, pigeons, cranes (including the celebrated Sar us Crane), and hornbills. Great pied hornbill, Pallas's fishing eagle, Grey-head ed fishing eagle, Red-thighed falconet are found in the Himalayan areas. Other b irds found here are Tawny fish owl, Scale-bellied Woodpecker, Red-breasted Parak eet, Himalayan Swiftlet, Stork-billed Kingfisher and Himalayan or White-tailed R ubythroat.[69][70] Wildlife parks and reserves Important National Parks and Tiger reserves of North India include Jim Corbett National Park Corbett National Park: It was established in 1936 along the banks of the Ramgang a River. It is India's first National Park, and was designated a Project Tiger R eserve in the year 1973. Situated in Nainital district of Uttarakhand the park a cts as a protected area for the critically endangered Bengal tiger of India. Cra dled in the foothills of the Himalayas, it comprises a total area of 500 km out o f which 350 km is core reserve. This park is known not only for its rich and vari ed wildlife but also for its scenic beauty. Dachigam National Park: Dachigam is a higher altitude national reserve in the st ate of Jammu and Kashmir that ranges from 5,500 to 14,000 feet above sea level. It is home to the Hangul (a Red Deer species, also called the Kashmir Stag). Great Himalayan National Park: This park is located in Himachal Pradesh state an d ranges in altitude from 5,000 to 17,500 feet. Wildlife resident here includes the Snow Leopard, the Himalayan Brown Bear and the Musk deer. Desert National Park: Located in Rajasthan, this national reserve features exten sive sand dunes and dry salt lakes. Wildlife unique to the region includes the D esert Fox and the Great Indian Bustard. Kanha National Park: The sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines of K anha were the setting for Rudyard Kipling's collection of stories, "The Jungle B ook". The Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh came into being in 1955 and form s the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve, created in 1974 under Project Tiger. Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary: Located in the state of Bihar, it is the only protected zone for the endangered Ganges and Indus River dolphin. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary: It is one of the finest bird parks in the world, it is a reserve that offers protection to faunal species as well. Nesting indigenous water birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds, this sanctuary is also inhabited by Sambar, Chital, Nilgai and Boar. Dudhwa National Park: It covers an area of 500 km along the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, is best known for the Barasingha or S wamp Deer. The grasslands and woodlands of this park, consist mainly of sal fore sts. The barasingha is found in the southwest and southeast regions of the park. Among the big cats, tigers abound at Dudhwa. There are also a few leopards. The other animals found in large numbers, are the Indian rhinoceros and the wild el ephant, jungle cats, leopard cats, fishing cats, jackals, civets, sloth bears, s ambar, otters, crocodiles and chital.

Ranthambhore National Park: It spans an area of 400 km with an estimated head cou nt of thirty two tigers is perhaps India s finest example of Project Tiger, a cons ervation effort started by the government in an attempt to save the dwindling nu mber of tigers in India. Situated near the small town of Sawai Madhopur it boast s of variety of plant and animal species of North India. Kalesar National Park: Kalesar is a sal forest in the Shivalik Hills of eastern Haryana state. Primarily known for birds, it also contains a small number of tig ers and panthers. Places of interest Akshardham Temple, Delhi The largest Hindu temple in India, Akshardham Temple, the largest mosque, Jama M asjid, the largest Buddhist Temple Mahabodhi (Bodh Gaya) and the Golden Temple ( Sikh shrine) are all in this region.[71][72] The Taj Mahal, an immense mausoleum of white marble, was built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan; it is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the unive rsally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.[73] Universities North India has several universities and centres of excellence such as the Avadh University, Panjab University, University of Kashmir, University of Jammu, Hary ana Agricultural University, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology , Agra University, Aligarh Muslim University, University of Rajasthan, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Allahabad University, Benaras Hindu University, Patna University, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Delhi University, G ovind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Gurukul Kangri Univer sity, Uttarakhand Technical University Jawaharlal Nehru University, Kanpur Unive rsity, University of Lucknow, Kurukshetra University and many more. The world-re nowned Indian Institute of Technology and Indian Institute of Management have ca mpuses in several cities of North India such as Delhi, Kanpur, Varanasi Lucknow, Indore, and Ahmedabad. One of the first great universities in recorded history, the Nalanda University, is in the state of Bihar. There has been plans for revi val of this ancient university, including an effort by a multinational consortiu m led by Singapore, China, India and Japan. Economy Further information: Economy of India Once predominantly agrarian, the economic landscape is changing fast with rapid economic growth that has ranged above 8% annually. Several parts of North India have prospered as a consequence of the Green Revolution, including Punjab, Harya na and Western Uttar Pradesh, and experienced both economic and social developme nt.[74][75][76] The eastern areas of East Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, however, have lagged[77][78] and the resulting disparity has, in the case of Uttar Pradesh, c ontributed to a demand for separate statehood in West Uttar Pradesh (the Harit P radesh movement).[79][80] Bihar has the lowest per-capita SDP. The highest per capita income states in North India include Haryana, Himachal Pr adesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand and union territories of Delhi and Chandigarh.[81] Reflecting the prosperity of the western part of North India, Chandigarh has th e highest per-capita State Domestic Product (SDP) of any Indian state or union t erritory, while Delhi, Punjab and Haryana rank second, third and fourth (after G oa) among the states (see main article: States of India by size of economy).[82]