Himachal Pradesh facts: capital, state animal, bird, flower and state day
Himachal Pradesh at a glance
- Capital
- Shimla (winter capital: Dharamshala)
- State day
- 25 January (Himachal Pradesh Day)
- State animal
- Snow leopard (Panthera uncia)
- State bird
- Western tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus)
- State flower
- Pink rhododendron (Rhododendron campanulatum)
- State tree
- Deodar (Cedrus deodara)
Sources: Capitals: Government of India. State symbols and state days: Wikipedia (lists of Indian state animals, birds, flowers and trees, and List of Indian state days), retrieved October 2026.
Key facts about Himachal Pradesh: its capital, languages, government and courts, and the main figures from the Census of India 2011, the most recent census.
Key facts
| Capital | Shimla (winter capital: Dharamshala) |
|---|---|
| Formed | 25 January 1971 (union territory from 1 November 1956) |
| Official languages | Hindi (Sanskrit as second official language) |
| Area | 55,673 sq km |
| Districts (2026) | 12 |
| Legislative Assembly seats | 68 |
| Lok Sabha seats | 4 |
| Rajya Sabha seats | 3 |
| High Court | Himachal Pradesh High Court, Shimla |
Census 2011
| Population | 6,864,602 (68.65 lakh) |
|---|---|
| Density | 123 people per sq km |
| Living in towns and cities | 10.0 per cent |
| Sex ratio | 972 women per 1,000 men |
| Literacy rate (age 7 and over) | 82.80 per cent (men 89.53, women 75.93) |
Sources
Population figures: Census of India 2011, state profile (Final Population Totals). Area: Census of India 2011. Districts: the Ministry of Education's AISHE directory, which follows the Local Government Directory (checked October 2026). Seats and courts: Election Commission of India and the state government.
Reference links
- National Portal of India: Government of India
- Election Commission of India: constituencies and elections
- Local Government Directory: official list of districts, blocks and villages