India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories in 2026. The count has stood at this figure since 26 January 2020, when Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged into one Union Territory. This page lists every state and UT with its capital, then answers the questions examiners keep asking: which is the largest state, the most populated, the most densely populated, and the newest.
Quick Answer
28 states, 8 Union Territories. Largest state by area: Rajasthan (3,42,239 sq km). Most populated: Uttar Pradesh (19.98 crore, Census 2011). Highest population density: Bihar (1,106 per sq km). Smallest state: Goa by area, Sikkim by population. Newest state: Telangana (2 June 2014). Newest UTs: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (31 October 2019).
List of 28 States of India and Their Capitals
| No. | State | Capital | Formed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati | 1 Nov 1956 (reorganised 2014) |
| 2 | Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar | 20 Feb 1987 |
| 3 | Assam | Dispur | 26 Jan 1950 |
| 4 | Bihar | Patna | 26 Jan 1950 |
| 5 | Chhattisgarh | Raipur (Nava Raipur) | 1 Nov 2000 |
| 6 | Goa | Panaji | 30 May 1987 |
| 7 | Gujarat | Gandhinagar | 1 May 1960 |
| 8 | Haryana | Chandigarh | 1 Nov 1966 |
| 9 | Himachal Pradesh | Shimla (winter: Dharamshala) | 25 Jan 1971 |
| 10 | Jharkhand | Ranchi | 15 Nov 2000 |
| 11 | Karnataka | Bengaluru | 1 Nov 1956 (renamed 1973) |
| 12 | Kerala (Keralam) | Thiruvananthapuram | 1 Nov 1956 |
| 13 | Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal | 1 Nov 1956 |
| 14 | Maharashtra | Mumbai (winter: Nagpur) | 1 May 1960 |
| 15 | Manipur | Imphal | 21 Jan 1972 |
| 16 | Meghalaya | Shillong | 21 Jan 1972 |
| 17 | Mizoram | Aizawl | 20 Feb 1987 |
| 18 | Nagaland | Kohima | 1 Dec 1963 |
| 19 | Odisha | Bhubaneswar | 26 Jan 1950 (renamed 2011) |
| 20 | Punjab | Chandigarh | 1 Nov 1966 (present form) |
| 21 | Rajasthan | Jaipur | 1 Nov 1956 |
| 22 | Sikkim | Gangtok | 16 May 1975 |
| 23 | Tamil Nadu | Chennai | 1 Nov 1956 (renamed 1969) |
| 24 | Telangana | Hyderabad | 2 Jun 2014 |
| 25 | Tripura | Agartala | 21 Jan 1972 |
| 26 | Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow | 26 Jan 1950 |
| 27 | Uttarakhand | Dehradun (summer: Gairsain) | 9 Nov 2000 |
| 28 | West Bengal | Kolkata | 26 Jan 1950 |
Kerala to Keralam: Parliament passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026, which received Presidential assent on 14 August 2026. The new name applies from the date notified by the Centre.
List of 8 Union Territories and Their Capitals
| No. | Union Territory | Capital | Legislature? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair) | No |
| 2 | Chandigarh | Chandigarh | No |
| 3 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | Daman | No |
| 4 | Delhi (National Capital Territory) | New Delhi | Yes (Article 239AA) |
| 5 | Jammu and Kashmir | Srinagar (summer), Jammu (winter) | Yes |
| 6 | Ladakh | Leh | No |
| 7 | Lakshadweep | Kavaratti | No |
| 8 | Puducherry | Puducherry | Yes (Article 239A) |
Largest State in India by Area
| Rank | State | Area (sq km) | Share of India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rajasthan | 3,42,239 | 10.4% |
| 2 | Madhya Pradesh | 3,08,252 | 9.4% |
| 3 | Maharashtra | 3,07,713 | 9.4% |
| 4 | Uttar Pradesh | 2,40,928 | 7.3% |
| 5 | Gujarat | 1,96,244 | 6.0% |
Madhya Pradesh was the largest state until 1 November 2000, when Chhattisgarh was carved out of it; since then Rajasthan has been the largest. The smallest state by area is Goa (3,702 sq km). Among Union Territories, Ladakh is the largest and Lakshadweep the smallest.
Most Populated State in India
| Rank | State | Population (Census 2011) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 19.98 crore |
| 2 | Maharashtra | 11.24 crore |
| 3 | Bihar | 10.41 crore |
| 4 | West Bengal | 9.13 crore |
| 5 | Madhya Pradesh | 7.26 crore |
Uttar Pradesh alone has about 16.5% of India’s population; as a country it would rank among the ten most populous in the world. Sikkim is the least populated state (about 6.1 lakh). The Census 2027, India’s first digital census with caste enumeration, will replace these figures; its population count is scheduled for February 2027 (October 2026 in snow-bound areas).
State with the Highest Population Density
| Rank | State | Density (persons per sq km, 2011) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bihar | 1,106 |
| 2 | West Bengal | 1,028 |
| 3 | Kerala | 860 |
| 4 | Uttar Pradesh | 829 |
| 5 | Haryana | 573 |
India’s average density in 2011 was 382 per sq km. Arunachal Pradesh is the least dense state (17 per sq km). Among UTs, Delhi is the most densely populated area in the country at 11,320 per sq km.
How New States Are Formed
Under Article 3, Parliament can form a new state, change boundaries or rename a state by an ordinary law passed by simple majority. The Bill needs the President’s recommendation, and the President must refer it to the affected state legislature, whose views are not binding. Such laws are not amendments under Article 368. Recent uses: Telangana (Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014), the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, and the renaming of Kerala as Keralam (2026).
