Uttaranchal or Uttarakhand became the 27th state of the Republic of India on November 9, 2000. The state finds mention in the ancient Purans as being the abode of many gods and goddesses. Since the cities of Uttaranchal harbour many pigrim spots, the state is often known as "the Land of the Gods" (Dev Bhoomi).

The cities of Uttaranchal either belong to the Garhwal or Kumaon region and accordingly the people are known as Garhwali or Kumaoni. The high Himalayan peaks and glaciers as well as the dense forests provides the cities with a cool ambience. The people mostly speak in Hindi. The main cities of Uttaranchal are Dehradun , Haridwar, Almora, Badrinathpuri, Barkot, Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Uttarakashi, Haldwani and Roorkee.