75 Districts & 18 Divisions of UP
Complete list of all 18 administrative divisions (mandals) of Uttar Pradesh with headquarters, districts, and key facts about the largest, smallest, and most populous districts for UPSSSC AGTA.
Administrative Framework
Uttar Pradesh follows a well-defined administrative hierarchy for governance and development planning. Understanding this structure is essential because UPSSSC exams frequently test knowledge of divisions, district counts, and administrative units.
| Level | Hindi Term | Total Count |
|---|---|---|
| Division (मण्डल) | Mandal | 18 |
| District (जिला) | Zila | 75 |
| Tehsil (तहसील) | Tehsil | ~350 |
| Block (खण्ड) | Vikas Khand | 821 |
| Gram Panchayat (ग्राम पंचायत) | Gram Panchayat | 59,163 |
Each division is headed by a Divisional Commissioner (मण्डलायुक्त), each district by a District Magistrate / Collector (जिलाधिकारी), and each tehsil by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (उप-जिलाधिकारी).
Exam Tip: The numbers 18-75-821 form a frequently tested trio. Remember: 18 divisions, 75 districts, 821 development blocks.
The 18 Divisions of Uttar Pradesh
Below is the complete list of all 18 divisions with their headquarters and constituent districts. This table is one of the most important for UPSSSC preparation.
| S.No. | Division (मण्डल) | Headquarters | Districts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lucknow | Lucknow | Lucknow, Hardoi, Lakhimpur Kheri, Raebareli, Sitapur, Unnao |
| 2 | Agra | Agra | Agra, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Mathura |
| 3 | Aligarh | Aligarh | Aligarh, Etah, Hathras, Kasganj |
| 4 | Prayagraj | Prayagraj | Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Kaushambi, Pratapgarh |
| 5 | Ayodhya | Ayodhya | Ayodhya, Ambedkar Nagar, Amethi, Barabanki, Sultanpur |
| 6 | Azamgarh | Azamgarh | Azamgarh, Ballia, Mau |
| 7 | Bareilly | Bareilly | Bareilly, Badaun, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur |
| 8 | Basti | Basti | Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddharth Nagar |
| 9 | Chitrakoot | Banda | Banda, Chitrakoot, Hamirpur, Mahoba |
| 10 | Devipatan | Gonda | Gonda, Balrampur, Bahraich, Shravasti |
| 11 | Gorakhpur | Gorakhpur | Gorakhpur, Deoria, Kushinagar, Maharajganj |
| 12 | Jhansi | Jhansi | Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur |
| 13 | Kanpur | Kanpur Nagar | Kanpur Nagar, Kanpur Dehat, Auraiya, Etawah, Farrukhabad, Kannauj |
| 14 | Meerut | Meerut | Meerut, Baghpat, Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Gautam Buddha Nagar |
| 15 | Mirzapur | Mirzapur | Mirzapur, Sant Ravidas Nagar (Bhadohi), Sonbhadra |
| 16 | Moradabad | Moradabad | Moradabad, Amroha, Bijnor, Rampur, Sambhal |
| 17 | Saharanpur | Saharanpur | Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli |
| 18 | Varanasi | Varanasi | Varanasi, Chandauli, Ghazipur, Jaunpur |
Notable Division Facts
Some divisions have unique characteristics that examiners love to test:
- Chitrakoot Division — headquarters is at Banda, not Chitrakoot town itself. This is a common trick question.
- Devipatan Division — headquarters is at Gonda, not Devipatan. Named after the famous Devipatan temple in Balrampur.
- Lucknow Division has the most districts (6) along with Kanpur and Meerut divisions.
- Jhansi Division has the fewest districts (3), along with Azamgarh, Basti, Mirzapur, and Saharanpur.
Exam Tip: Two divisions have their HQ in a city different from the division name — Chitrakoot (HQ: Banda) and Devipatan (HQ: Gonda). This is asked repeatedly.
District Extremes — Size, Population & Records
By Area
| Record | District | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Largest district by area | Lakhimpur Kheri | 7,680 sq km |
| Smallest district by area | Hapur | ~660 sq km |
Lakhimpur Kheri is massive — it is larger than several Indian states and Union Territories. It also houses the famous Dudhwa National Park, home to the state animal Barasingha.
By Population (Census 2011)
| Record | District |
|---|---|
| Most populous district | Prayagraj (Allahabad) |
| Least populous district | Mahoba |
| Most densely populated | Ghaziabad |
| Least densely populated | Sonbhadra |
Recently Created Districts
UP’s district count has grown over the decades. Some of the more recently carved districts that appear in exams include:
| District | Carved From | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Hapur | Ghaziabad | 2011 |
| Shamli | Muzaffarnagar | 2011 |
| Sambhal | Moradabad | 2011 |
| Amethi | Sultanpur | 2010 |
| Kasganj | Etah | 2008 |
| Prayagraj | Renamed from Allahabad | 2018 |
Exam Tip: Hapur, Shamli, and Sambhal were all created in 2011, making them the newest districts. Prayagraj was renamed (not newly created) in 2018.
Division-Wise District Count
| Districts in Division | Divisions |
|---|---|
| 6 districts | Lucknow, Kanpur, Meerut |
| 5 districts | Ayodhya, Moradabad |
| 4 districts | Agra, Aligarh, Prayagraj, Bareilly, Chitrakoot, Devipatan, Gorakhpur, Varanasi |
| 3 districts | Azamgarh, Basti, Jhansi, Mirzapur, Saharanpur |
Key Takeaways
- UP has 18 divisions, 75 districts, 821 blocks, and 59,163 gram panchayats
- Largest district by area: Lakhimpur Kheri (7,680 sq km)
- Smallest district by area: Hapur (~660 sq km)
- Most populous district: Prayagraj; Least populous: Mahoba
- Chitrakoot Division HQ is Banda (not Chitrakoot)
- Devipatan Division HQ is Gonda (not Devipatan)
- Newest districts (2011): Hapur, Shamli, Sambhal
- Division hierarchy: Commissioner → DM → SDM → BDO → Gram Pradhan
Summary Cheat Sheet
| Item | Quick Fact |
|---|---|
| Total Divisions | 18 |
| Total Districts | 75 |
| Total Tehsils | ~350 |
| Total Blocks | 821 |
| Total Gram Panchayats | 59,163 |
| Largest District (Area) | Lakhimpur Kheri (7,680 sq km) |
| Smallest District (Area) | Hapur (~660 sq km) |
| Most Populous District | Prayagraj |
| Least Populous District | Mahoba |
| Trick HQ #1 | Chitrakoot Division → Banda |
| Trick HQ #2 | Devipatan Division → Gonda |
| Newest Districts | Hapur, Shamli, Sambhal (2011) |
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