Punjab, India

**Punjab** (, ) is a state in the northern Republic of India. About 30 million people live there. Its national capital city is Chandigarh. The state is in the Punjab region. It covers an area of 19,445 mi² or 50,362 km². It is bigger than Slovakia but smaller than Costa Rica. In traditional Indian geography it falls under the North Indian zone. The state of Punjab has 22 districts. It is mainly known as the land of god/gurus, Punjab's culture is very rich and the dwellers of Punjab respect their culture . The half population of Punjab depends on agriculture, that's why its known as food-provider (anna-datta-  in Punjabi). In Punjab people of all religions live with integrity and love .

## Etymology

The word _Doab_ is a combination of the Indo-Iranian words _Doab_ (_two_) and _āb_ (_water_), and thus the (land of) _two rivers_. The two rivers are the Beas and Sutlej. Sometimes, in English, there can be a definite article before the name i.e. _the Doaba_. The name is also sometimes spelled as _Duoab_ or _Douaab_ or _Doaab_.
It originally contained 5 rivers before partition, British influence and the influence of the Indian government, so therefore its name came from the Punjabi word for five (Panj/Punj) and the word for river/water (ab).

## History

All of India and Pakistan was once ruled by the British Empire. The Indians wanted freedom, but the Hindus, Sikhs and the Muslims of India always argued. So it was decided to divide the country into two parts—one part for Muslims and one part for Hindus and Sikhs. In 1947 Punjab (British India),  which was a province of India, was divided into West Punjab and East Punjab (which the state is home to the active independence movement of Khalistan by the Sikh nationalists). East Punjab went to the Republic of modern India, and West Punjab went to Islamic Pakistan.

## Infobox (region symbols)

- **embedded**: yes
- **region**: Punjab
- **country**: India
- **emblem**: Lion Capital of Ashoka with Wheat stem (above) and Crossed Swords (below)
- **language**: Punjabi language, Punjabi
- **dance**: Bhangra (dance), Bhangra, Giddha
- **mammal**: Blackbuck
- **bird**: Northern goshawk, Baaz _(Accipiter gentilis)_


## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Punjab
- **type**: States and union territories of India, State
- **image map**: IN-PB.svg
- **map caption**: Location of Punjab in India
- **coor pinpoint**: Chandigarh
- **subdivision type**: List of sovereign states, Country
- **parts type**: List of Indian districts, Districts
- **parts style**: para
- **p1**: List of districts of Punjab, India, 22
- **seat type**: Capital
- **seat**: Chandigarh
- **seat1 type**: Largest city
- **seat1**: Ludhiana
- **leader title**: List of Governors of Punjab (India), Governor
- **leader name**: Banwarilal Purohit
- **leader title1**: List of Chief Ministers of Punjab (India), Chief Minister
- **leader name1**: Bhagwant Mann (Indian National Congress, INC)
- **leader title2**: Punjab Legislative Assembly, Legislature
- **leader name2**: Unicameral (117 seats)
- **leader title3**: Lok Sabha, Parliamentary constituency
- **leader name3**: Lok Sabha (13 seats)
Rajya Sabha (7 seats)
- **leader title4**: High Courts of India, High Court
- **leader name4**: Punjab and Haryana High Court
- **unit pref**: Metric
- **area total km2**: 50362
- **area rank**: List of states and territories of India by area, 20th
- **elevation max m**: 551
- **elevation min m**: 150
- **population total**: 27,704,236
- **population as of**: 2011
- **population rank**: List of states and union territories of India by population, 16th
- **population density km2**: auto
- **population demonym**: Punjabis, Punjabi
- **demographics type1**: GDP
- **demographics1 title1**: List of Indian states and union territories by GDP, Total
- **demographics1 title2**: List of Indian states and union territories by GDP per capita, Per capita
- **timezone1**: Indian Standard Time, IST
- **utc offset1**: +05:30
- **iso code**: ISO 3166-2:IN, IN-PB
- **blank name sec1**: Human Development Index, HDI
- **blank info sec1**: 0.721 (<span style="color:#090">high</span>) · List of Indian states and territories by Human Development Index, 8th
- **blank1 name sec1**: Literacy in India, Literacy
- **blank1 info sec1**: 76.68%
- **blank1 info sec2**: Punjabi language, Punjabi
- **footnotes**: Joint Capital with Haryana.
Common for Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
- **native name**: पंजाब
 ਪੰਜਾਬ