The Himalayan Belt in India stretches 2500 km and covers a total of 13 states and union territories. With a combined population of more than 50 million, these regions are characterised by diverse demography, topology, and a peculiar socio-economic environment. While most of these states are unique in their ways, some of them share more aspects in common than others. Notable among these are Himachal Pradesh (HP) and Uttarakhand (UK) in the Northern part of the country which can be deemed similar on a multitude of fronts: Their area (53000 sq. km vs 55000 sq. km), number of districts (12 vs 13), literacy rate (84 percent vs 80 percent), life expectancy (~71 years) or famous tourist destinations (Manali, Kullu, Dalhousie vs Kausani, Ranikhet, Chamoli). One can hardly even differentiate between the beautiful hill stations of Shimla and Mussoorie.
[This article has been published with permission from IIM Bangalore. www.iimb.ac.in Views expressed are personal.]