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Shimla district
District of Himachal Pradesh
Clockwise from top-left: Shimla City, Rashtrapati Niwas, Tani Jubbar Lake near Narkanda, Chandranahan Sangla Pass, Bhimakali Temple at Sarahan
Nickname: The Queen of Hills
Shimla districtLocation in Himachal Pradesh
Country	India
State	Himachal Pradesh
Headquarters	Shimla
Government
• Deputy Commissioner	Aditya Negi, IAS
• Superintendent of Police	Sanjay Gandhi, IPS
• Lok Sabha Constituencies	Shimla
• Vidhan. Sabha Constituencies	Shimla Shimla Rural Rampur Kasumpti Theog Jubbal-Kotkhai Rohru Chopal
Area
• Total	5,131 km (1,981 sq mi)
Population
• Total	814,010
• Rank	3rd
• Density	160/km (410/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Hindi
Demographics
• Sex ratio	916
• Literacy	84.55
• Literacy: male	90.73
• Literacy: female	77.80
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Area code	91 177 xxxxxxx
ISO 3166 code	IN-HP
Largest city	Shimla
Climate	ETh (Köppen)
Precipitation	1,520 millimetres (60 in)
Avg. annual temperature	17 °C (63 °F)
Avg. summer temperature	22 °C (72 °F)
Avg. winter temperature	4 °C (39 °F)
Website	hpshimla.nic.in/welcome.asp

Shimla district, known as Simla district until 1972, is one of the twelve districts of the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. Its headquarters is the state capital of Shimla. Neighbouring districts are Mandi and Kullu in the north, Kinnaur in the east, Uttarakhand in the southeast, Solan to the southwest and Sirmaur in the south. The elevation of the district ranges from 987 metres (3,238 ft) to 4,500 metres (14,764 ft).

As of 2011, it is the third most populated district of Himachal Pradesh (out of 12), after Kangra and Mandi. It is the most urbanized district of Himachal Pradesh.

Administrative structure

Access

By road

Shimla is connected by road to all the major towns. Distance between the major towns and Shimla:

• Kalka - 80 km
• Patiala - 172 km
• Chandigarh - 119 km
• Ambala - 166 km
• Delhi - 380 km
• Agra - 568 km
• Amritsar - 342 km
• Jammu (via Pathankot) - 482 km
• Srinagar - 787 km
• Jaipur - 629 km
• Dharmsala (via Mandi) - 290 km
• Dharamsala (via Hamirpur) - 235 km
• Dalhousie - 345 km
• Chamba - 401 km
• Kullu - 235 km
• Manali - 280 km
• Mandi - 153 km
• Palampur - 270 km
• Dehradoon - 275 km
• Rampur - 132 km
• Kumarsain - 80 km
• Narkanda - 60 km
• Rohru - 129 km
• Theog - 28 km
• Chaupal - 100 km

Climate

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, the district had a population of 814,010. This gives it a ranking of 483rd in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 159 inhabitants per square kilometre (410/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 12.67%. Shimla has a sex ratio of 915 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 83.64%. 24.74% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 26.51% and 1.08% of the population respectively.

Religion

Religion in Shimla District

Religion	2011
	Pop.	%
Hinduism	791,449	97.23%
Islam	11,810	1.45%
Sikhism	4,047	0.5%
Buddhism	3,262	0.4%
Christianity	2,025	0.25%
Jainism	185	0.02%
Others	1,232	0.15%
Total population	814,010	100%

Religious groups in Shimla District (British Punjab province era)

Religious group	1901		1911		1921		1931		1941
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Hinduism	30,299	75.09%	29,047	73.87%	33,228	73.31%	28,661	77.91%	29,466	76.38%
Islam	6,675	16.54%	5,820	14.8%	6,953	15.34%	5,810	15.79%	7,022	18.2%
Christianity	2,798	6.93%	3,666	9.32%	3,823	8.43%	1,540	4.19%	934	2.42%
Sikhism	544	1.35%	693	1.76%	1,173	2.59%	760	2.07%	1,032	2.68%
Jainism	32	0.08%	49	0.12%	90	0.2%	1	0%	114	0.3%
Zoroastrianism	3	0.01%	16	0.04%	36	0.08%	0	0%	3	0.01%
Buddhism	0	0%	26	0.07%	20	0.04%	14	0.04%	5	0.01%
Judaism	0	0%	3	0.01%	1	0%	0	0%	0	0%
Others	0	0%	0	0%	3	0.01%	0	0%	0	0%
Total population	40,351	100%	39,320	100%	45,327	100%	36,786	100%	38,576	100%
Note: British Punjab province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.

Religion in the Tehsils of Shimla District (1921)

Tehsil	Hinduism		Islam		Sikhism		Christianity		Jainism		Others		Total
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Shimla Tehsil	23,237	66.39%	6,727	19.22%	1,171	3.35%	3,726	10.64%	85	0.24%	57	0.16%	35,003	100%
Kot Khai Tehsil	9,991	96.77%	226	2.19%	2	0.02%	100	0.97%	5	0.05%	0	0%	10,324	100%
Note: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.

Religion in the Tehsils of Shimla District (1941)

Tehsil	Hinduism		Islam		Sikhism		Christianity		Jainism		Others		Total
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Shimla Tehsil	17,950	67.01%	6,825	25.48%	1,024	3.82%	439	1.64%	114	0.43%	434	1.62%	26,786	100%
Kot Khai Tehsil	11,516	97.68%	197	1.67%	8	0.07%	69	0.59%	0	0%	0	0%	11,790	100%
Note1: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. Note2: Tehsil religious breakdown figures for Christianity only includes local Christians, labeled as "Indian Christians" on census. Does not include Anglo-Indian Christians or British Christians, who were classified under "Other" category.

Religious groups in Simla Hill States (British Punjab province era)

Religious group	1901		1911		1921		1931		1941
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Hinduism	373,886	96.03%	386,953	95.7%	292,768	95.45%	317,390	95.93%	345,716	96.16%
Islam	11,535	2.96%	11,374	2.81%	9,551	3.11%	10,017	3.03%	10,812	3.01%
Buddhism	2,223	0.57%	2,709	0.67%	2,052	0.67%	1,308	0.4%	10	0%
Sikhism	1,318	0.34%	2,911	0.72%	2,040	0.67%	1,817	0.55%	2,693	0.75%
Jainism	274	0.07%	172	0.04%	142	0.05%	141	0.04%	126	0.04%
Christianity	113	0.03%	224	0.06%	164	0.05%	176	0.05%	161	0.04%
Zoroastrianism	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	1	0%	2	0%
Judaism	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%
Others	0	0%	0	0%	1	0%	0	0%	0	0%
Total population	389,349	100%	404,343	100%	306,718	100%	330,850	100%	359,520	100%
Note1: British Punjab province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. Note2: 1901-1911 census: Including Jubbal, Bashahr, Keonthal, Baghal, Bilaspur, Nalagarh, and other minor hill states. Note3: 1921-1931 census: Including Bashahr, Nalagarh, Keonthal, Baghal, Jubbal, and other minor hill states. Note3: 1941 census: Including Bashahr, Nalagarh, Keonthal, Baghal, Jubbal, Baghat, Kumarsain, Bhajji, Mahlog, Balsan, Dhami, Kuthar, Kunihar, Mangal, Bija, Darkoti, Tharoch, and Sangri states.

Language

Languages of Shimla district (2011)

At the time of the 2011 census of India, 67.61% of the population recorded their language as Pahari, 20.31% Hindi, 4.63% Nepali, 1.39% Punjabi and 1.05% Kangri as their first language.

Notable people

• Priety Zinta, a bollywood actress

Notes

1. ^ 1931-1941: Including Ad-Dharmis
2. Including Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Tribals, others, or not stated
3. Including Anglo-Indian Christians, British Christians, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Tribals, others, or not stated

References

1. ^ "District Census Handbook: Shimla" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
2. "Subdivisions & Blocks | Shimla District, Government of Himachal Pradesh | India". Retrieved 1 December 2022.
3. "Tehsils | Shimla District, Government of Himachal Pradesh | India". Retrieved 1 December 2022.
4. "Tehsils | Shimla District, Government of Himachal Pradesh | India". Retrieved 1 December 2022.
5. "Subdivisions & Blocks | Shimla District, Government of Himachal Pradesh | India". Retrieved 1 December 2022.
6. "Shimla Climatological Table Period: 1951–1980". India Meteorological Department. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
7. "Ever recorded Maximum and minimum temperatures up to 2010" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
8. Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
9. ^ "Table C-01 Population by Religion: Himachal Pradesh". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
10. ^ "Census of India 1901. [Vol. 17A]. Imperial tables, I-VIII, X-XV, XVII and XVIII for the Punjab, with the native states under the political control of the Punjab Government, and for the North-west Frontier Province". 1901. p. 34. JSTOR saoa.crl.25363739. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
11. ^ "Census of India 1911. Vol. 14, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1911. p. 27. JSTOR saoa.crl.25393788. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
12. ^ Kaul, Harikishan (1911). "Census Of India 1911 Punjab Vol XIV Part II". p. 27. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
13. ^ "Census of India 1921. Vol. 15, Punjab and Delhi. Pt. 2, Tables". 1921. p. 29. JSTOR saoa.crl.25430165. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
14. ^ "Census of India 1931. Vol. 17, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1931. p. 277. JSTOR saoa.crl.25793242. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
15. ^ "Census of India, 1941. Vol. 6, Punjab". 1941. p. 42. JSTOR saoa.crl.28215541. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
16. ^ "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Himachal Pradesh". www.censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.

External links

• Official website of the Shimla district
• District Profile
• Cultural & tourism heritage of the district

v t e Places adjacent to Shimla district
Mandi District Kullu district Solan district Shimla district Kinnaur district Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand Sirmaur district Dehradun district, Uttarakhand

v t e Geography of Himachal Pradesh
Lakes	Renuka Lake Maharana Pratap Sagar Gobind Sagar more...
Rivers	Beas Chenab Ravi Sutlej Yamuna
Districts	Bilaspur Chamba Hamirpur Kangra Kinnaur Kullu Lahaul and Spiti Mandi Sirmaur Shimla Solan Una
Other	Climate Protected areas Peaks Highest points by district

• Shimla district
• Districts of Himachal Pradesh