About Shimla
A brief introduction to the town:
Located in the north-west Himalayas at an average altitude of 2,205 meters (7,234 ft), the town of Shimla is rich in forests of pine, rhododendron and oak and experiences pleasant summers and cold, snowy winters. The town is the capital of the Northern Indian State of Himachal Pradesh.
The town is famous for its buildings styled in Tudor, Elizabethan and neo-gothic architecture dating from the colonial era. It was the summer capital of India during the British Raj. There is a high concentration of quality schools and colleges in the town that are very well renowned in the country. The town has a significant student population and on weekends one can see local youngsters and students from resident halls out and about on the Mall Road.
Shimla is a mid-sized town, but being the state capital, it has many government offices, including the state secretariat, the high court, the main state hospital and medical college as well as head quarters of various government functions such as the police and other parts of the administration. Nearly half of the town’s population is employed by the government. Other than that the tourism industry is the next major employer. Tourism is one of the key industries of the state along with hydro-electricity and agriculture. Being a tourist town the residents are warm and friendly. Conservation and tourism form the bedrock of Government policy in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla has been designated a heritage city by the central government, which will drive investment into the city and surrounding areas in the months and years ahead.
With convenient access by road, rail and air, Shimla is easy to reach for both local and foreign travelers and is one of the main global destinations for tourists looking to travel to and explore the Himalayas.
Statistics as per Census Data 2011
Located in the north-west Himalayas at an average altitude of 2,205 meters (7,234 ft), the town of Shimla is rich in forests of pine, rhododendron and oak and experiences pleasant summers and cold, snowy winters. The town is the capital of the Northern Indian State of Himachal Pradesh.
The town is famous for its buildings styled in Tudor, Elizabethan and neo-gothic architecture dating from the colonial era. It was the summer capital of India during the British Raj. There is a high concentration of quality schools and colleges in the town that are very well renowned in the country. The town has a significant student population and on weekends one can see local youngsters and students from resident halls out and about on the Mall Road.
Shimla is a mid-sized town, but being the state capital, it has many government offices, including the state secretariat, the high court, the main state hospital and medical college as well as head quarters of various government functions such as the police and other parts of the administration. Nearly half of the town’s population is employed by the government. Other than that the tourism industry is the next major employer. Tourism is one of the key industries of the state along with hydro-electricity and agriculture. Being a tourist town the residents are warm and friendly. Conservation and tourism form the bedrock of Government policy in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla has been designated a heritage city by the central government, which will drive investment into the city and surrounding areas in the months and years ahead.
With convenient access by road, rail and air, Shimla is easy to reach for both local and foreign travelers and is one of the main global destinations for tourists looking to travel to and explore the Himalayas.
Statistics as per Census Data 2011
| District Population (includes areas outside the town) | |
| Shimla | 813,384 |
| Literacy Rate | Total | Male | Female |
| 84.55% | 813,384 | 90.73% | 77.80% |