Shimla district is one of the important districts of Himachal Pradesh located in the Middle Western ranges
of the Himalayas. This region has a hilly terrain and has an uneven
cover of evergreen pine forests. The district is surrounded by Mandi and
Kullu in the north, Kinnaur in the east, the state of Uttaranchal in the south, Sirmaur district in the west. The altitude of the district varies between 300 and 6000 metres. The topology of the district is rugged and tough. Shimla district derives its name from Shimla
town which was once a small village. The district in its present form
came into being on 1st Sept, 1972 due to the reorganization of the
districts of the state.
Shimla city, the capital of Himachal
Pradesh, and summer capital of British India, retains a colonial aura
with grand old buildings and monuments. Its spectacular location,
thickly forested slopes, salubrious climate have attracted countless
visitors from India and abroad. Some of the worth visiting sites in the
district are: The Ridge, Christ Church, The Mall, Lower Bazaar, Jakhu Hill Temple and State Museum.
Facts & Figures
| Area | 5131 sq. km |
| Area under forests | 119331 Hect |
| Latitude | 30º45'48'' to 30º43'0'' North |
| Longitude | 76º59'22'' to 78º18'40'' East |
| Average Altitude | 2000 metres |
| Population | 7, 21,745 |
| Population Density | 141 per sq. km |
| Male | 3, 80,244 |
| Female | 3, 41,501 |
| Sex ratio | 898 females per 1000 males |
| Male Literacy | 87.72% |
| Female Literacy | 70.68% |
| Tehsil | 12 |
| Sub-Tehsil | 5 |
| No. of Villages | 2895 |
| No. of Panchayats | 331 |
| Sub-Division | 7 |
| Block | 9 |
| STDCode | 0177 |
| Postal Code | 171 0xx |
| Vehicle Code | HP-03, HP-51 |
| Major Religions | Hindu |
| Languages spoken | Hindi, Pahari |
| Average Rainfall | 1252.6 mm |
| Temperature | 33.3ºC (Max.) - 3.1ºC (Min.) |
How to reach
Shimla is well connected by air, rail and road but the most preferred transportation is by road.
By Air:
Shimla
Airport is located at Jubbarhatti, 23 km from the city centre and is
connected to Delhi, Chandigarh and Kullu. Jagson Airlines operates three
flights a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) connecting Shimla with Delhi and Kullu.
By Rail:
Shimla Railway Station is just over a kilometer from the downtown Shimla. The narrow gauge Kalka Shimla Railway connects Shimla to the main railway network at Kalka. Travel by rail is slow but the scenery and 103 tunnels en route make it a tourist attraction.
By Road:
Shimla is on the national highway no. 22 (NH - 22). There are Volvo buses (super deluxe), operated by the state owned roadways that run between Shimla and Delhi via Chandigarh. Other buses are frequently available from Chandigarh to Shimla with a gap of half an hour.
Distances from Shimla
- Agra 568 Kms
- Ambala 166 Kms
- Amritsar 342 Kms
- Chandigarh 119 Kms
- Dehradun 245 Kms
- Delhi 370 Kms
- Jaipur 629 Kms
- Jammu (via Pathankot) 482 Kms
- Kalka 80 Kms
- Kasuali 075 Kms
- Kullu 235 Kms
- Lucknow 867 Kms
- Manali 280 Kms
- Srinagar 787 Kms