Uttar Pradesh Geography for UPSC: Interactive Map, Rivers and Protected Areas
a state spanning the Gangetic plain from the Himalayan foothills to the Vindhyas
18
Protected areas mapped
9
Rivers mapped
At a glance
Capital
Lucknow
Language
Hindi
Dance
Kathak
Area
2,40,928 km²
Coastline
Landlocked
Highest peak
Amsot Peak (Shivalik) · 957 m
Borders
Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Nepal (international)
Why UPSC asks about Uttar Pradesh
India's most populous state spans the Ganga–Yamuna doab and the Gangetic plain, sharing borders with nine states and Nepal, the most in India. UPSC tests the Ganga tributaries (Ghaghara, Gomti, Son), the confluence cities (Prayagraj), the Terai and Shivalik (Amsot Peak), the Upper Ganga and Dudhwa protected areas, and Bundelkhand's drought geography.
Did you know
Uttar Pradesh has no biosphere reserve. India's 18 biosphere reserves are spread across only 16 states, and Uttar Pradesh is not among them. The nearest is Nanda Devi (Uttarakhand).
Ganga
Rises Gangotri Glacier, Uttarakhand; flows to Enters UP at Bijnor/Haridwar border, flows past Kanpur, Prayagraj and Varanasi towards Bihar
The Ganga enters UP at Bijnor after Haridwar and receives the Yamuna at Prayagraj, the state's spine of the Gangetic plain.
Ganges
Rises Gangotri Glacier, Uttarakhand; flows to Enters UP at Bijnor/Haridwar border, flows past Kanpur, Prayagraj and Varanasi towards Bihar
Yamuna
Rises Yamunotri Glacier, Uttarakhand; flows to Joins the Ganga at the Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj
The Yamuna is the Ganga's longest tributary, passing Delhi, Agra and Prayagraj.
Ghaghara
Rises Mapchachungo glacier, Tibet, via Nepal; flows to Joins the Ganga near Chapra area (Bihar border)
The Ghaghara (Karnali in Nepal) is the Ganga's largest north-bank tributary; it joins near Chhapra (Bihar).
Gandak
Rises Nhubine Himal glacier, Nepal; flows to joins the Ganga at Sonpur, Bihar
The Gandak (Narayani) drains central Nepal and the UP, Bihar Terai.
Son
Rises Amarkantak plateau, Madhya Pradesh; flows to joins the Ganga near Patna
The Ganga's largest south-bank tributary; the Rihand and Bansagar projects are on it.
Betwa
Rises Vindhya range near Bhopal; flows to joins the Yamuna at Hamirpur (UP)
The Betwa flows through the Bundelkhand region; the Ken-Betwa link is India's first river-linking project.
Chambal
Rises Vindhya range near Mhow, Madhya Pradesh; flows to joins the Yamuna near Etawah (UP)
The Chambal's badlands (ravines) and gharial sanctuary define its lower course in UP.
Gomti
Rises Gomat Taal, Pilibhit district (rises within Uttar Pradesh); flows to Joins the Ganga near Kaithi, Ghazipur district
Upper Ganga River
A Ramsar site (2005) along the upper Ganga from Brijghat to Narora, protecting the river's shallow stretches for the Gangetic dolphin, gharial and migratory waterfowl.
Ramsar (2005); upper Ganga stretch of dolphin and gharial.
Saman Bird Sanctuary
A bird sanctuary wetland in Mainpuri designated Ramsar in 2019, a wintering ground for the Sarus crane and migratory waterfowl.
Ramsar (2019); Sarus crane wetland of Mainpuri.
Sandi Bird Sanctuary
A bird sanctuary lake in Hardoi designated Ramsar in 2019, wintering ground for migratory birds on the Gangetic plain.
Ramsar (2019); bird lake of Hardoi.
Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary
A bird sanctuary lake in Unnao district designated Ramsar in 2019, hosting wintering waterfowl and the Sarus crane.
Ramsar (2019); bird lake of Unnao.
Sarsai Nawar Jheel
A wetland in Etawah designated Ramsar in 2019, one of the largest wintering grounds for the Sarus crane in UP.
Ramsar (2019); Sarus crane wintering jheel of Etawah.
Sur Sarovar
A lake (Keetham Lake) near Agra designated Ramsar in 2020, an Important Bird Area hosting resident and migratory birds.
Ramsar (2020); Keetham lake near Agra.
Haiderpur Wetland
A wetland at the confluence of the Ganga and Solani near Bijnor, designated Ramsar in 2021, part of the Hastinapur WLS, a wintering ground for waterfowl.
Ramsar (2021); Ganga-Solani confluence wetland near Bijnor.
Patna Bird Sanctuary
A bird sanctuary wetland in Etah district designated Ramsar in January 2026, on the Gangetic floodplain, a wintering ground for migratory waterbirds.
Ramsar (2026); Etah's Gangetic floodplain sanctuary.
Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary
A bird sanctuary of twin oxbow lakes in Gonda district designated Ramsar in 2019, wintering ground for waterfowl.
Ramsar (2019); twin oxbow lakes of Gonda.
Samaspur Bird Sanctuary
A bird sanctuary wetland in Rae Bareli designated Ramsar in 2019, hosting wintering migratory birds.
Ramsar (2019); bird wetland of Rae Bareli.
Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary
A sanctuary lake in Sant Kabir Nagar designated Ramsar in 2020, an important wintering ground for migratory birds in eastern UP.
Ramsar (2020); birding lake of Sant Kabir Nagar.
Sheikha Jheel Bird Sanctuary
A natural jheel in Aligarh designated Ramsar in April 2026, India's 99th Ramsar site, a stopover for migratory birds.
Ramsar (2026); India's 99th Ramsar site, in Aligarh.
Dudhwa NP
A park in Lakhimpur Kheri district on the Indo-Nepal border, part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, with terai grasslands, sal forest and the barasingha (swamp deer) alongside tigers and rhinos reintroduced in the 1980s.
Terai tiger reserve; barasingha and reintroduced rhinoceros.
Kishanpur WLS
A sanctuary in Lakhimpur Kheri district, a buffer of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, with terai grassland and sal supporting tigers and barasingha.
Dudhwa buffer; terai grassland and barasingha.
Katarniaghat WLS
A sanctuary in Bahraich district on the Geruwa river near the Nepal border, part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, known for gharials and the Gangetic dolphin.
Geruwa river; gharial and Gangetic dolphin habitat.
Chandra Prabha WLS
A sanctuary in Chandauli district in the Vindhyan hills, known for the Devdari and Rajdari waterfalls and the Chandra Prabha river.
Vindhyan sanctuary of the Chandra Prabha waterfalls.
Hastinapur WLS
A sanctuary along the Ganga in Meerut and adjoining districts, protecting Gangetic dolphins, gharials and wintering migratory birds on the river's floodplain.
Ganga floodplain sanctuary; dolphin and gharial habitat.
National Chambal WLS
A sanctuary along the Chambal river spanning UP, MP and Rajasthan, a tri-state river sanctuary famous for the gharial, Gangetic dolphin, and the Indian skimmer.
Tri-state Chambal river sanctuary; gharial and skimmer.
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