Uttar Pradesh is located between 23°52′ North to 31°28′ North and 77°3′ East to 84°39′ East longitudes. Area of Uttar Pradesh is 2,40,928 sq. kilometres. The length of the state from East to West is about 650 km and from north to south approximately 240 km.
Uttar Pradesh divided in three Major Regions :
1. In the North : The Shivalik foothills and Terai.
2. In the Centre : The Gangetic Plain
3. In the South : Vindhyan Hills and Plateau
1. North Uttar Pradesh:
Shivalik is the Southern-most range of Himalaya.
The average height of this range is about 600 metres. It is marshy and swampy landforms. It is
Known as Bhabar. In the South Bhabar there is a strip of Tarai area. It’s width in Eastern Uttar Pradesh is 80-90 km and it extends from Saharanpur to Kushinagar in length.
2. Centre of Uttar Pradesh:
More than half of area belong to the great Gangetic basin which is known for highly fertile alluvial soils (Khadar region) and flat topography broken by numerous ponds, lakes and rivers. Sufficient amount of water availability and it is densely populated region.
Purvanchal region get affected every year by flood of Ghaghra and Gandak river. This causes harm to the economic development of the region.
3. South of Uttar Pradesh:
This area is known as Bundelkhand reason. It is the northern extension of the Peninsular India.
Bundelkhand is a drought prone area and hilly area which has a harsh climate. This type of climate unfavourable for agriculture.
- Lower fertility of the soils.
- Lack of water.
- Poor in Agriculture.
- Badlands topography.
- Rich in some minerals.
Highlights of Physical Structure of Uttar Pradesh:
- Uttar Pradesh cover 7.33% total area of India.
- Ganga and Yamuna are the two major rivers of the state. The Ganga and Yamuna confluence at Prayagraj and then further flow eastwards.
- Uttar Pradesh is the part of India’s oldest Gondwana Land.
- Area of Uttar Pradesh is the fourth largest among the Indian States. (After Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra respectively).
- The number of states adjacent to Uttar Pradesh is 9 (8 States and 1 UT-Delhi). 8 States – Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar.
- International Boundary with Nepal – Touch 7 districts of the Uttar Pradesh. These are Maharajganj, Siddharth Nagar, Balrampur, Shravasti, Bahraich, Lakhimpur and Pilibhit.
- UP most-eastern district is Ballia and most- western district is Shamli.
- The Northern most district of Uttar Pradesh is Saharanpur and Southern-most district is Sonbhadra.
- Three districts with lowest area are Hapur, Ghaziabad and Bhadohi respectively.
- Three districts with the largest area are Lakhimpur Kheri, Sonbhadra and Hardoi respectively.
Climate of Uttar Pradesh:
The climate of Uttar Pradesh is tropical and monsoonal. Uttar Pradesh experience three major type of seasons, these are-
1. Summer Season
2. Rainy Season
3. Winter Season
1. Summer Season (From April to June):
- Highest temperature in southern part of Uttar Pradesh (Agra, Jhansi) due to closeness of the Tropic of Cancer (40° to 47°C).
- Maximum temperature in June month : 36°C to 39°C.
- Minimum temperature (average) : 21°C to 23°C.
- Hot and dry wind blow from West is known as Loo which is fast dehydrated body. (10 am to 5 pm)
- Rainfall is 10 to 25 cm.
2. Rainy Season:
- It start from third to fourth week of June.
- Rain begin from East to Southeastern side of the state by the Bay of Bengal Monsoon.
- Monsoon coming from the Bay of Bengal in the state is called Purva.
- South-west Monsoon also prevail.
- There is cyclonic and conventional rainfall in the state in summer.
- Highest rainfall: in Gorakhpur (approx. 187.7 cm).
- Lowest Rainfall : in Mathura (54.4 cm)
3. Winter Season:
- Maximum coldness in January month.
- Variation in Temperature due to the location – South hills and Plateau area of UP – maximum temperature 28.3°C and minimum temperature 13.3°C and in plain area – temperature 27.2°C to 11.7°C.
- Temperature decreases from South to North.
- North west districts temperature is lower than 10°C due to snowfall.
- Mediterranean cyclone reach in India in winter – rainfall at Western UP (10 cm) which is beneficial for Rabi crops.
Also Read : Facts of UP: Constitutional & Political