List of districts in India facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Districts of India |
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| Category | second/third-level administrative division |
| Location | States and union territories of India |
| Number | 797 (as of 20 November 2023) |
| Populations | Greatest: Thane, Maharashtra—11,060,148 (2011 census) Least: Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh—8,004 (2011 census) |
| Areas | Largest: Kutch, Gujarat—45,652 km2 (17,626 sq mi) Smallest: Mahé, Puducherry—8.69 km2 (3.36 sq mi) |
| Densities | Largest: Central Delhi, Delhi Smallest: Lower Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Government | District Administration |
| Subdivisions | Revenue division (Sub-division) and, Tehsil (Taluka, Mandal), and Blocks |
A district (also called zila or revenue district) is a main administrative area within an Indian state or territory. Think of it like a county or a large region that helps manage a state. Sometimes, districts are split into smaller parts called sub-divisions, or even smaller ones like tehsils or talukas. As of March 30, 2024, India has 806 districts.
Contents
Who Manages a District?
Each district has several important officials who help run things. They work together to make sure the district functions smoothly.
- District & Sessions Judge: This person is part of India's legal system. They are in charge of justice in the district. They make decisions in court cases and can order punishments. They also oversee other courts in the district.
- District Magistrate / Deputy Commissioner / District Collector: This official is responsible for the overall administration of the district. They also collect taxes and other government money.
- Superintendent of Police: This officer is in charge of the police in the district. Their main job is to keep law and order and ensure everyone is safe.
- Deputy Conservator of Forests: This person looks after the forests, environment, and wildlife in the district. They help protect nature.
- Other Officials: Many other government officials work at the district level. These include the District Educational Officer, who looks after schools, and the District Medical Officer, who manages health services.
Most districts have a specific main office or "headquarters" where these officials work. However, some big cities like Mumbai City, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Chennai do not have a separate district headquarters. The city itself acts as the main center.
How Many Districts Are There?
India has many districts, and the number can change as new ones are created or old ones are combined. Here's a quick look at how many districts each state and union territory has:
| # | State/Union Territory | No. of districts | Population | Population/ district |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | 26 | 49,577,103 | 1,906,812 |
| 2 | Arunachal Pradesh | 26 | 1,383,727 | 53,220 |
| 3 | Assam | 35 | 31,205,576 | 891,588 |
| 4 | Bihar | 38 | 104,099,452 | 2,739,459 |
| 5 | Chhattisgarh | 33 | 25,545,198 | 774,097 |
| 6 | Goa | 2 | 1,458,545 | 729,273 |
| 7 | Gujarat | 33 | 60,439,692 | 1,831,506 |
| 8 | Haryana | 22 | 25,351,462 | 1,152,339 |
| 9 | Himachal Pradesh | 12 | 6,864,602 | 528,046 |
| 10 | Jharkhand | 24 | 32,988,134 | 1,374,506 |
| 11 | Karnataka | 31 | 61,095,297 | 1,970,816 |
| 12 | Kerala | 14 | 33,406,061 | 2,386,147 |
| 13 | Madhya Pradesh | 55 | 72,626,809 | 1,274,155 |
| 14 | Maharashtra | 36 | 112,374,333 | 3,121,509 |
| 15 | Manipur | 16 | 2,570,390 | 160,649 |
| 16 | Meghalaya | 12 | 2,966,889 | 247,241 |
| 17 | Mizoram | 11 | 1,097,206 | 99,746 |
| 18 | Nagaland | 16 | 1,978,502 | 123,656 |
| 19 | Odisha | 30 | 41,974,218 | 1,399,141 |
| 20 | Punjab | 23 | 27,743,338 | 1,206,232 |
| 21 | Rajasthan | 50 | 68,548,437 | 1,246,335 |
| 22 | Sikkim | 6 | 610,577 | 101,763 |
| 23 | Tamil Nadu | 38 | 72,147,030 | 1,898,606 |
| 24 | Telangana | 33 | 35,003,674 | 1,060,717 |
| 25 | Tripura | 8 | 3,673,917 | 459,240 |
| 26 | Uttar Pradesh | 75 | 199,812,341 | 2,664,165 |
| 27 | Uttarakhand | 13 | 10,086,292 | 593,311 |
| 28 | West Bengal | 23 | 91,276,115 | 3,042,537 |
| 29 | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 3 | 380,581 | 126,860 |
| 30 | Chandigarh | 1 | 1,055,450 | 1,055,450 |
| 31 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 3 | 586,956 | 195,652 |
| 32 | Jammu and Kashmir | 20 | 12,258,093 | 612,905 |
| 33 | Ladakh | 2 | 290,492 | 72,623 |
| 34 | Lakshadweep | 1 | 64,473 | 64,473 |
| 35 | Delhi | 11 | 16,787,941 | 1,526,176 |
| 36 | Puducherry | 4 | 1,247,953 | 311,988 |
| Total | 786 | 1,210,576,856 | 1,501,956 |
Naming Districts
Most districts are named after their main administrative city or town. Sometimes, a district might have two names: a traditional one and another that uses the name of its headquarters town. The word "district" is often added to the name to make it clear if we are talking about the town or the larger district area.
Districts with Similar Names in India
It can be a bit confusing, but some districts in India share the same name! For example:
- Aurangabad district, Bihar and Aurangabad district, Maharashtra
- Balrampur district, Chhattisgarh and Balrampur district, Uttar Pradesh
- Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh and Bijapur district, Karnataka
- Bilaspur district, Chhattisgarh and Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh
- Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh and Hamirpur district, Uttar Pradesh
- Pratapgarh district, Rajasthan and Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh
- Raigarh district, Chhattisgarh and Raigad district, Maharashtra
Districts with Similar Names in Neighboring Countries
Some Indian districts even share names with places in nearby countries in South Asia:
- Bhojpur district, Bihar has the same name as Bhojpur District, Nepal.
- Daman district, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu is similar to Daman District, Afghanistan.
- Dang district, Gujarat shares a name with Dang District, Nepal.
- Ghaziabad district, Uttar Pradesh is like Ghaziabad District, Afghanistan.
- Gopalganj district, Bihar is similar to Gopalganj District, Bangladesh.
- Hyderabad district, Telangana shares a name with Hyderabad District, Pakistan.
- Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh is like Lalitpur District, Nepal.
- Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir has a twin in Poonch District, Pakistan. These two were once one district before India and Pakistan became separate countries.
Districts with Similar Names Outside South Asia
And believe it or not, some Indian districts share names with places far away!
- Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, is similar to Dhar District, Yemen.
- Banda district, Uttar Pradesh shares its name with Banda District, Republic of the Congo and Banda District, Ghana.
- Mansa district, Punjab, is similar to Mansa District, Zambia.
- Salem district, Tamil Nadu shares its name with cities in the United States like Salem, Massachusetts and Salem, Oregon.
- Indore district, Madhya Pradesh is similar to Indore, West Virginia in the United States.
See also
- Administrative divisions of India
- Municipalities of India
