ABSTRACT
The State of Punjab lies in north-western India, a fragment of the historic Punjab, ‘the land of five rivers’, which is now partitioned between India (Punjab itself, Haryana and parts of Himachal Pradesh) and Pakistan. The state forms a rough triangle, set on a southern base, the international frontier on the west, rising towards an apex truncated by a short northern border with Jammu and Kashmir. Himachal Pradesh lies to the northeast. In the south-west is Rajasthan, the rest of the southern border being with Haryana (a part of the greater Punjab state until 1966), a border which undulates in a rough crescent, ultimately curving into a border running northward to meet Himachal Pradesh. Here the separate Union Territory of Chandigarh abuts into Punjab from the east. A single Punjab state had been formed in 1956-on 1 November 1966 the south-eastern end was made into Haryana, while some hill territories in the north-west were added to Himachal Pradesh and the new state capital of Chandigarh was also constituted as a separate unit, administered by the Centre, but continuing to serve as the headquarters of both Punjab
and Haryana. Since that date the territory of the State of Punjab has remained unchanged, with an area of 50,362 sq km (19,440 sq miles).
