Himachal is situated in the heart of western himalayas. The state is bordered by Jammu and Kashmir in the North, and Uttar Pradesh in the South-East. Haryana is in the South and Punjab is in the West. Himachal is located between 30"22' and 30"12' north latitude and between 75"47' and 79"4' east longitude.

It is a mountainous state with altitudes ranging from 350 to 7000 meters (1050 ft. to 21000 ft.) above the sea level. Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh, which has been the summer capital of the government of India during English rule.

There are twelve districts in Himachal, as listed below:

Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Dharamsala, Kinnaur, Kalpa, Kullu, Lahual Spiti, Mandi Shimla, Sirmaur, Nahan, Solan, Una.

Languages:

English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and local dilects known as Pahari, are understood and spoken by different by different people in different places.

Education:

More and more schools and colleges are coming up in the state. There is one University at Shimla. University for Horticulture and Forestry at Solan is one of the best in Asia. Another University of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry is located at Palampur in Kangra.

Climate:

The climate of Himachal Pradesh, depending on the altitude, varies at different places from semi tropical to semi arctic. Winters (October to February) are very severe and heavy snowfall is recorded during this season. April to June is delightful and comfortable at the higher altitudes, though on the lower hills, this season can have more humidity than usual. July to September is the time for rainfall and the entire region becomes green and fresh with streams swelling and springs replenished.

Restricted Area:

Himachal has border with Ladakh and Tibet and some area like Spiti valleys as well as Kinnaur district which was restricted for foreigner until 1991 but now foreign tourists can visit these area with permission from District Magistrates at Shimla,(Kinnaur at Kalpa), Lahaul & Spiti at Keylong, Kullu and Chamba. It had broadly been decided that the inner line would run 40km to the west of the Tibet border Kaza the principal city of Spiti, would be treatedas out side the inner circle.

Out of the total area of Himachal Pradesh, 63.8% is under forest cover. The major flora of the state include deodar, kail, chil, spur, oak, etc. Due to its unique geographical location and divergent climatic conditions, the state has a wide variety of fauna species available. According to some estimates, there are around 359 species of mammals, 1,200 species of birds, and more than 20,000 species of insects in the state. To save the unique wildlife of the state from extinction, the government has established two national parks and a few wildlife sanctuaries in the state.