Static GK

States & Capitals of India

28 states and 8 Union Territories — capitals, statehood years, and quick-recall facts for UPSC Prelims.

Key count: India has 28 States and 8 Union Territories (as of 2020). J&K was reorganised into 2 UTs on 31 October 2019 — J&K (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature).

🗺️ 28 States of India

# State Capital Statehood Key Note
1 Andhra Pradesh Amaravati Sole capital 1956 Amaravati declared sole & permanent capital; AP Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill passed Lok Sabha, April 2026. Bifurcated from AP in 2014 to form Telangana.
2 Arunachal Pradesh Itanagar 1987 Statehood on 20 Feb 1987. Easternmost state. Previously a Union Territory (1972).
3 Assam Dispur 1950 Dispur (part of Guwahati) became capital in 1973. Guwahati is the largest city.
4 Bihar Patna 1950 Jharkhand carved out of Bihar in 2000 (100th Amendment era). Historical seat of Pataliputra.
5 Chhattisgarh Raipur 2000 Created 1 November 2000 from Madhya Pradesh. 26th state of India.
6 Goa Panaji 1987 Smallest state by area. Liberated from Portuguese rule 19 December 1961. Statehood: 30 May 1987.
7 Gujarat Gandhinagar 1960 Carved from Bombay state 1 May 1960. Largest coastline among states. Birthplace of Gandhi.
8 Haryana Chandigarh Shared UT 1966 Chandigarh is a Union Territory shared as capital with Punjab. Created 1 Nov 1966 from Punjab.
9 Himachal Pradesh Shimla Summer · Dharamshala Winter 1971 Statehood 25 Jan 1971. Dharamshala declared second (winter) capital in 2017. Shimla was British India's summer capital.
10 Jharkhand Ranchi 2000 Created 15 November 2000 from Bihar. Rich in minerals — coal, iron ore, mica.
11 Karnataka Bengaluru 1956 Renamed from Mysore State in 1973. Bengaluru (Bangalore) is India's IT capital.
12 Kerala Thiruvananthapuram 1956 Formed 1 Nov 1956 (States Reorganisation Act). Highest Human Development Index among large states.
13 Madhya Pradesh Bhopal 1956 Largest state by area until Rajasthan overtook in 2000 after Chhattisgarh bifurcation.
14 Maharashtra Mumbai Legislative & Executive · Nagpur Winter session 1960 Nagpur hosts the winter session of Maharashtra legislature. Mumbai is financial capital of India.
15 Manipur Imphal 1972 Statehood 21 Jan 1972. Loktak Lake — largest freshwater lake in Northeast India — is here.
16 Meghalaya Shillong 1972 Statehood 21 Jan 1972. Cherrapunji (Sohra) — one of the wettest places on Earth. Shillong was capital of undivided Assam.
17 Mizoram Aizawl 1987 Statehood 20 Feb 1987. Highest literacy rate among NE states.
18 Nagaland Kohima 1963 First state of the NE region; statehood 1 Dec 1963. Site of Battle of Kohima (1944, WWII).
19 Odisha Bhubaneswar 1950 Formerly "Orissa"; renamed Odisha in 2011. Known as "Temple State of India".
20 Punjab Chandigarh Shared UT 1966 Chandigarh is a Union Territory serving as capital of both Punjab and Haryana. Designed by Le Corbusier.
21 Rajasthan Jaipur 1956 Largest state by area (3,42,239 sq km). Jaipur known as "Pink City". Thar Desert in the west.
22 Sikkim Gangtok 1975 Newest state; merged with India 16 May 1975 (36th Amendment). Smallest state by population. Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) on its border.
23 Tamil Nadu Chennai 1956 Renamed from Madras State in 1969. Kanyakumari (southernmost tip of mainland India) is here.
24 Telangana Hyderabad Shared with AP till 2024 2014 Created 2 June 2014 from Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014). 29th state; now 28th after J&K's reorganisation. Hyderabad was joint capital with AP until June 2024.
25 Tripura Agartala 1972 Statehood 21 Jan 1972. Surrounded by Bangladesh on 3 sides. 2nd smallest NE state.
26 Uttar Pradesh Lucknow 1950 Most populous state. Highest number of Lok Sabha seats (80). Agra (Taj Mahal), Varanasi, Mathura, Ayodhya are in UP.
27 Uttarakhand Dehradun Winter · Gairsain Summer 2000 Created 9 Nov 2000 from UP. Gairsain (Chamoli) declared summer capital in 2020. Dehradun is provisional winter capital. Char Dham pilgrimage sites are here.
28 West Bengal Kolkata 1950 Kolkata was the capital of British India until 1911. Sundarbans — world's largest mangrove forest — is here.

🏙️ 8 Union Territories of India

Key distinction: Delhi (NCT), J&K, and Puducherry have their own legislatures. The remaining 5 UTs are administered directly by the Centre through a Lieutenant Governor or Administrator. Chandigarh serves as capital of both Punjab and Haryana states.
# Union Territory Capital / HQ Legislature Key Note
1 Andaman & Nicobar Islands Port Blair No Southernmost point of India — Indira Point (Great Nicobar), 6°45'N. Cellular Jail here.
2 Chandigarh Chandigarh No Serves as capital of Punjab and Haryana. Planned city designed by Le Corbusier.
3 Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Daman No Merged from two separate UTs into one UT on 26 January 2020 (103rd Amendment area).
4 Delhi (NCT) New Delhi Yes National Capital Territory. Special status under Article 239AA. Lt. Governor has enhanced powers (SC ruling, 2023).
5 Jammu & Kashmir Srinagar Summer · Jammu Winter Yes Reorganised from J&K state into UT on 31 Oct 2019 (J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019). Has legislature (Legislative Assembly).
6 Ladakh Leh No Bifurcated from J&K on 31 Oct 2019. Largest UT by area (~59,146 sq km). No legislature.
7 Lakshadweep Kavaratti No Smallest UT by area (~32 sq km). Coral island group. Only Muslim-majority UT. Administered under Article 240.
8 Puducherry Puducherry Yes Formerly Pondicherry (renamed 2006). Has legislature. Includes non-contiguous regions: Karaikal, Mahe, Yanam.
Remember: Telangana became the 29th state in 2014, but the count reverted back to 28 after J&K was bifurcated into 2 UTs (reducing states from 29 to 28, and increasing UTs from 7 to 9; then Dadra & NH merged with Daman & Diu reducing UTs to 8). Current count: 28 States + 8 UTs.