It was part of the Princely State of United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. After independence, it was named as Uttar Pradesh by the first CM Govind Ballabh Pant from January 1950, and retained as such by the States Reorganisation process. On 9.11.2000, a portion of it has been carved out to make the new state of Uttarakhand.

Lucknow, Agra, Allahabad, Aligarh, Bareily, Ghaziabad, Jhansi, Kanpur, Rae Bareily, Mathura, Varnasi, Meerut, Noida, Gorakhpur.

Agra, Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, Prayag, Jogeshwar, Vrindavan, Shravasti, Kushinagar, Allahabad, and Dodhwa Sanctuary.

1. AGRA: The city was founded by Sikandar Lody in 1506. It was the capital of Mughal Empire from 1526 to 1658. Lies on the banks of Yamuna river. Following are the places of interest. Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Itmad-ud-doula Tomb, Jama Masjid, Chini-ka-Ranza, Aaram Bagh, Sikandra (Akbar's Tomb) and few other places of interest. Leather goods are famous from here.
2. ALLAHABAD: The major town of UP. Number of higher educational Institutions are there. Kumbh Mela is held here once in 12 years. Few otherplaces of interest.
3. ALIGARH: Originally established as a fort in the 12th century and then became a town in 1776. Lock industry is famous.
4. AMBEDKAR NAGAR .
5. AURAIYA
6. AZAMGARH
7. BADAUN
8. BAGHPAT.
9. BAHRAICH : Shravasti in this district is famous for Buddhist monasteries.
10. BIJNOR .
11. BARABANKI
12. BHIMNAGAR
13. BALLIYA : The district is famous for "Donkey Fair".
14. BANDA: Famous for Shajar Stone used in jewellery making. Kajuraho the famous world heritage site is located in this district. Kalinjar fort is a place of interest.
15.BALRAMPUR:
16. BAREILLY : A big town of UP and a trading centre for cotton, sugar and cereals. Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Asia's biggest camphor factory are located here. The district is famous for kites, glass laced string (Manja), Surma (eye liner), Zardosi Handicrafts and furniture are famous here.
17. BASTI:
18. BULANDSHAHR: Atomic Power Plant is at Narora. Pottery industry.
19. CHANDAULI ;
20.CHITRAKOOT: Famous for Hindu Temples. Arogyadham a famous Ayurvedic and Yoga centre lies in this district.
22. CHATRAPATI SHAHUJI MAHARAJNAGAR;
23. DEORIA :
24. ETAH .
25. ETAWAH : Allan Octavian Hume - A.O.Hume - who was the collector of this district founded the Indian National Congress. Yamuna and Chambal rivers confluence here.
26. FIROZABAD : Famous for glass and bangle industries.
27. FARUKKABAD:
28. FATEHPUR : Lies on the banks of Yamuna and Ganga.
29. FAIZABAD: The famous Hindu religious place Ayodhya is a joint city. Ayodhya is also the birth place of First Jain Thirthankara Rishab Dev. Ayodhya was earlier known as Saket in ancient times.
30. GAUTAM BUDH NAGAR: Noida the industrial city is the headquarters.Noida - stands for "New Okhla Industrial Development Authority". Although, it is in UP, it forms a suburb of Delhi. The city was developed by Sanjay Gandhi. Noida Film City, major IT companies and Amity University are located here.
31. GONDA :
32. GHAZIPUR : India's only opium factory is located here. Lord Cornwallis The British Governor General died here at Ghazipur. Rahi Mezoom Reza a famous author and writer belong to this district.
33.. GORAKHPUR : Shares borders with Nepal. Goraknath Temple is very famous. It is the Zonal headquarters of NE Rlys. Kushinagar is famous for Buddhist sites.
34. GHAZIABAD : An industrial town. Advance Level Telecommunication Training Centre is located here.
35. HAMIRPUR :
36. HARDOI : Main town of this district. M/s. Saf Yeast Co.Ltd., the single largest producer of Yeast in India is located here.
37. MAHAMAYA NAGAR : Asafoetida and Desi Ghee is the major produce.
38. JHANSI : Major railway junction and Division. Fort, Palace, Hindu Temples are the places of interest. Jhansi Rani (Rani Laxmibhai) belong to this place. Dhayan Chand, the legendary hockey player belong to this district/place.
39. JALAUN
40. JYOTIBA PHULE .
41. JAUNPUR
42. KANNAUJ
43. KANPUR NAGAR: The city lies on the banks of Ganges. Tanneries and Leather Works (Kanpur Chappals) dominate. Ordnance Factory, Parachute Factory, Pan Masala and Gutkha factories are located here. Has a number of educational institutions including an IIT located here.
44. KANSHIRAMNAGAR :
45. KAUSAMBI
46. KUSHINAGAR.
47. LALITPUR
48.LAKHIMPUR KHERI
49. LUCKNOW: a) Capital City. The city was founded by the Nawabs of Awadh rulers. Later expanded and improved during Major General Claude Martin of British Rule. b) Politically an important constitutency where top leaders like Atal Behari Vajpayee, Amitabh Bhachan etc., have contested. c) Indian Institute of Management and other educational institutions are available. La Martin School one of the world's oldest school is located here. Few research institutions of CSIR is located here. d) Vidhan Sabha, State Secretariate, Charbagh Railway Station, Claude Martin Palace and few other places of interest are there.
50. MAU: Textile weaving is a major occupation.
51. MEERUT : Historically famous. It is here the Sepoy Mutiny began.
52. MAHARAJGANJ
53. MAHOBA:
54. MIRZAPUR.
55. MORADABAD : Called the " Brass City " with Brass handicrafts and exports dominating the activities.
56. MAINPURI : Famous for Tobacco, cotton ginning and glass industries.
57. MATHURA: Birth place of Lord Krishna. Important religious centre for Hindus. Oil Refinery, Silver Polishing, Saree Printing are the important activities.
58. MUZZAFARPUR : Jaggery market is the important activity.
59. . PILIBHIT :
60. PRATAP NAGAR : A famous fort around which the city has developed. Aonla Fruit is popular here.
61. PANCH SHEEL NAGAR
62. PRABUDH NAGAR
63. RAMPUR :
64. RAE BAREILLY : Politically important. Smt. Indira Gandhi and her family represent this constituency. Now Sonia Gandhi represents.
65. SAHARANPUR : Basmati Rice, fruits, Grains are the major agricultural produce. Few industries are also there.
66. SITAPUR :
67. SHAHJAHANPUR : The town is famous for carpets. Tihar Jail is located here.
68. SANT KABIRNAGAR .
69. SIDDHARTH NAGAR : Kapilavatsu, the place where Buddha lived lies in this District.
70. SONBHADRA: Called the "Power Capital" as number of power plats are there.
71. SANT RAVIDAS NAGAR : Famous for carpets.
72. SULTANPUR :
73. SHRAVASTI :
74. UNNAO .
75. VARANASI : Lies on the banks of river ganges. Important pilgrimage centre for Hindus. Home district for Hindustani classical music. Kashi Vishwanath one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and also one of the Shakti Peetas are located here. The place is also a pilgrimage centre for Jains. Benares Hindu University and a few other educational institutions are there.

Agriculture forms the major economic activity, with the largest produce of Sugarcane, food grains, wheat, maize, barley, grams, oil seeds, edible oil, potatoes, handloom textiles, paper, cement, aluminium, handicrafts are the economic activities of Uttar Pradesh.

1. Kabir, Munshi Premchand, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Bismillah Khan and many others are all famous musicians.
2. Lord Rama and Lord Krishna - birth places lie here at Ayodhya and Mathura.
3. Mangal Pandey - earliest and great freedom fighter.
4. Prem Chand - writer and novelist.
5. Lal Bahadur Shastri - former Prime Minister.
6. Motilal and Jawaharlal Nehru.
7. Kanshi Ram - founder of Bahujan Samajwadi Party.
8. Mayawati - Leader of Bahujan Samajwadi Party.
9. Mohammad Kaif - Cricketer.
10. Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav (present CM) - father and son CMs, politician and leader of Samajwadi Party.
11. Chandrasekhar - former PM.
12. Raj Babbar, Gulshan Kumar, Amitabh Bachhan - all cine actors.
13. Madan Mohan Malaviya - founder Benares Hindu University.
14. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi - spiritualist.
15. Harvansh Rai Bachhan - famous poet and father of Amitabh Bachhan.
16. Govind Vallabh Pant - freedom fighter and first CM of Uttar Pradesh.
17. G.S.Pathak - former vice president.
18. G.L.Nanda - former PM.
19. H. N. Bahuguna - former deputy PM.
20. Dr. M.M.Joshi - politician, Bharatiya Janata Party.
21. Mahadevi Varma - poetess.
22. Indira Gandhi - former PM.

He was CM of UP for three days - 21.2.1998 to 23.2.1998 - Presently he is the Member of Parliament from the Domariyaganj constituency of Siddharthnagar district of UP.

It was renamed as "Mahamaya Nagar" from November 2008. The politics in this is it has undergone this change of name thrice. It was renamed as Mahamaya Nagar in 1997 and 2002 but was reversed by the subsequent Governments headed by Shri Kalyan Singh and Mulayam Singh respectively.

Govind Ballabh Pant - 1947 - 1954.

Prabhuddhanagar, Panchsheel Ngar and Bhimnagar.