Jammu and Kashmir has the highest number of districts and Lakshadweep has only 1 district.
Updated: August 9, 2025 11:14 PM IST
New Delhi: The Republic of India, as known today, has its roots in thousands of years-old civilisations. India has evolved through centuries with an amalgamation of different cultures, languages, traditions, topographies, food, and many other factors. India is the seventh-largest country in the world by area and the most populous country. To its south lies the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast. It shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
How many states and Union Territories are there in India?
India currently has 28 states and 8 union territories. The number of states was reduced from 29 to 28 when the state of Jammu and Kashmir was restructured into two union territories on 5 August 2019. Together, these 28 states and 8 union territories form the foundation of the country’s administrative and political structure.
The states and union territories are further segmented into districts. These districts play a vital role in local governance, administration, and public service delivery.
How many districts are in India?
According to the data updated till 27 March 2025, there are a total of 780 districts in India. Among the top 3 states in terms of the number of districts, Uttar Pradesh has 76 districts, Madhya Pradesh has 57 districts, and Rajasthan has 55 districts.
Talking about the number of districts in the union territories, Jammu and Kashmir has the highest number of districts, with a total of 20, and Lakshadweep has only 1 district.
Which is the smallest district of India by area?
The smallest district of India by area is Mahé, Puducherry, with an area of 8.69 km2. It is one of the four census districts of Puducherry. Administratively, it falls under the Puducherry district and consists of the whole of the Mahé region.
Mahé is the smallest district of India in terms of land area. It is the sixth least populous district in the country out of 780.
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