Uttarakhand became the 27th state of India in 2000 after being carved out of Uttar Pradesh. It has great geographical diversity including snow-clad mountains, hills, valleys, rivers and lakes. The state's economy depends heavily on tourism, with popular hill stations including Nainital, Mussoorie, and Ranikhet. Uttarakhand has a predominantly Hindu population that speaks languages like Hindi, Garhwali, and Kumauni and engages in cultural traditions around music, dance, festivals, and local deities.