Haryana Geography for UPSC: Interactive Map, Rivers and Protected Areas
a state of the flat Indo-Gangetic plain west of the Yamuna
6
Protected areas mapped
3
Rivers mapped
At a glance
Capital
Chandigarh
Language
Hindi
Dance
Khoria
Area
44,212 km²
Coastline
Landlocked
Highest peak
Karoh Peak (Morni hills) · 1,467 m
Borders
Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi
Why UPSC asks about Haryana
Haryana is the doab between the Yamuna and Ghaggar: the Shivalik fringe (Morni hills), the Ghaggar's inland drainage, and the green-revolution wheat belt. UPSC tests the Ghaggar-Hakra (Saraswati) question, the Yamuna water-sharing with Delhi, and the Aravalli's mining controversies.
Did you know
Haryana has no biosphere reserve. India's 18 biosphere reserves are spread across only 16 states, and Haryana is not among them. The nearest is Nanda Devi (Uttarakhand).
Yamuna
Rises Yamunotri Glacier, Uttarakhand; flows to Forms Haryana’s eastern border with Uttar Pradesh before continuing to Delhi · 27 km
The Yamuna forms Haryana's eastern boundary with UP before entering Delhi.
Ghaggar
Rises Shivalik Hills, Himachal Pradesh; flows to Seasonal river ending in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan (endorheic, no sea outlet) · 186 km
The Ghaggar flows inland from the Shivaliks through Haryana and Rajasthan, the debated course of the ancient Saraswati.
Markanda
Rises Shivalik hills of Himachal Pradesh; flows to joins the Ghaggar near Sirsa · 105 km
A seasonal Ghaggar tributary through the Ambala-Kurukshetra belt.
Sultanpur National Park
A wetland park near Gurugram designated Ramsar in 2021, one of north India's most accessible birding wetlands, with wintering flamingos, bar-headed geese and waders.
Ramsar (2021); NCR's best-known birding wetland.
Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary
A wetland sanctuary in Jhajjar designated Ramsar in 2021, an important wintering ground for migratory waterfowl in Haryana's semi-arid belt.
Ramsar (2021); wintering waterfowl wetland in Jhajjar.
Sultanpur NP
A wetland park near Gurugram, a Ramsar site (2021) and one of the most accessible birding spots near Delhi, wintering ground for greater flamingos, bar-headed geese and many waders.
Ramsar site (2021); NCR's best-known birding wetland.
Kalesar NP
A park in Yamunanagar district in the Shivaliks on the Haryana-Himachal border, with sal forests and the rare Indian pangolin.
Shivalik sal forest on the Himachal border; pangolin habitat.
Bhindawas WLS
A wetland sanctuary in Jhajjar district, a Ramsar site (2021) and important wintering ground for migratory waterfowl in Haryana's arid belt.
Ramsar site (2021); wintering waterfowl in Jhajjar.
Sultanpur WLS
A small sanctuary around Sultanpur jheel near Gurugram, a traditional duck-shooting reserve of the British era turned bird sanctuary.
Around Sultanpur jheel; a former colonial shooting reserve.
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