Presidencies and provinces

British India in the strict statutory sense — the definition in section 18 of the Interpretation Act 1889 — is the territory directly administered by the Governor-General of India. These are its units: the three East India Company presidencies of Bengal, Madras and Bombay, and the provinces and chief commissioners’ provinces of the Crown period after 1858.

Princely states are excluded from this list by definition and are set out separately. Boundaries and names changed repeatedly; the years shown are those the cited source establishes, not the full life of every territory.

• AdenChief Commissioner's Province1839–1937

  Directly administered — Annexed 1839 (Royal Marines landed 18 January 1839); first the Aden Settlement subordinate to the Bombay Presidency, later a chief commissioner's province; detached from British India as a separate Crown colony on 1 April 1937 under the Government of India Act 1935. The surrounding Aden Protectorate was governed separately.source

• AgraDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• AhmedabadDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bombay Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• AjmerDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Ajmer-Merwara. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Ajmer-MerwaraChief Commissioner's Provinceuntil 1947

  Directly administered — Directly-administered enclave within the Rajputana Agency. Start date not established in the project's cited sources.source

• AkyabDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Burma. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• AligarhDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• AllahabadDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• AlmoraDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• AmbalaDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Punjab. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• AmherstDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Burma. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• AmritsarDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Punjab. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Andaman and Nicobar IslandsChief Commissioner's Provinceuntil 1947

  Directly administeredsource

• AssamChief Commissioner's Province1874–1947

  Directly administered — Severed from Bengal (including Sylhet) on 6 February 1874 as a separate non-regulation province; Shillong chosen as capital in September 1874. Merged into Eastern Bengal and Assam 1905–1912.source

• BaluchistanChief Commissioner's Provinceuntil 1947

  Directly administered — British Baluchistan, a chief commissioner's province; the Baluchistan States were separately in subsidiary alliance.source

• BareillyDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• BasseinDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Burma. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• BelgaumDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bombay Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• BellaryDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• BenaresDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Bengal PresidencyPresidency1765–1947

  Directly administered — Company territorial administration in Bengal dates from the diwani granted by the Treaty of Allahabad, 16 August 1765. Before the 1905 partition the presidency covered Bengal, Bihar, parts of present Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Assam.source

• BerarProvinceuntil 1903

  Directly administered — The Hyderabad Assigned Districts: territory of the Nizam of Hyderabad administered by the British. Administratively joined to the Central Provinces in 1903.source

• BhagalpurDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• BiharProvince1936–1947

  Directly administeredsource

• Bihar and OrissaProvince1912–1936

  Directly administered — Bihar and Orissa divisions separated from the Bengal Presidency on 22 March 1912 and detached as a province on 1 April 1912; split into Bihar and Orissa on 1 April 1936.source

• Bombay CityDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bombay Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Bombay PresidencyPresidencyuntil 1947

  Directly administered — Sindh became part of British India and of the Bombay Presidency on 1 October 1848; Sind was separated on 1 April 1936. Foundation date not established in the project's cited sources.source

• BurmaProvince1862–1937

  Directly administered — Burma Division from 24 February 1826 within the Bengal Presidency; Burma Province established 31 January 1862 as a chief commissioner's province; Upper Burma annexed 1 January 1886; a major province from 1897; separated from British India as a distinct Crown colony on 1 April 1937.source

• CawnporeDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Central ProvincesChief Commissioner's Province1861–1903

  Directly administeredsource

• Central Provinces and BerarProvince1903–1947

  Directly administered — Formed when Berar, leased from the Nizam of Hyderabad, was placed under the Central Provinces administration in 1903.source

• ChingleputDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• ChittagongDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• CoimbatoreDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• CoorgChief Commissioner's Provinceuntil 1947

  Directly administeredsource

• CuttackDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• DaccaDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• DarjeelingDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Dehra DunDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• DelhiChief Commissioner's Province1912–1947

  Directly administered — Created after George V announced the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi at the Delhi Durbar of 12 December 1911; New Delhi inaugurated as the seat of government on 13 February 1931.source

• Dera Ismail KhanDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under North-West Frontier Province. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• DharwarDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bombay Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Eastern Bengal and AssamProvince1905–1912

  Directly administered — Formed 16 October 1905 from fifteen eastern districts of Bengal joined with Assam, centred on Dhaka, c.31 million people. Annulment announced at the Delhi Durbar of 12 December 1911 and effected in 1912.source

• EllichpurDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Berar. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• FerozeporeDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Punjab. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• FyzabadDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• GayaDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• GodavariDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• GorakhpurDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• GunturDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• HazaraDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under North-West Frontier Province. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• JhansiDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• JhelumDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Punjab. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• JubbulporeDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Central Provinces. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• JullundurDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Punjab. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• KarachiDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bombay Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Khyber AgencyDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under North-West Frontier Province. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• KistnaDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• KohatDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under North-West Frontier Province. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• LahoreDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Punjab. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• LucknowDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Madras CityDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Madras PresidencyPresidencyuntil 1947

  Directly administered — Foundation date not established in the project's cited sources; recorded as NULL rather than inferred.source

• MaduraDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• MalabarDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• MandalayDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Burma. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• MeerutDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• MonghyrDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• MoradabadDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• MultanDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Punjab. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• MurshidabadDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• NagpurDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Central Provinces. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Naini TalDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• NasikDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bombay Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• NilgirisDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• North ArcotDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• North-West Frontier ProvinceChief Commissioner's Province1901–1947

  Directly administeredsource

• North-Western ProvincesProvinceuntil 1902

  Directly administered — Superseded in 1902 by the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Start date not established in the project's cited sources.source

• OrissaProvince1936–1947

  Directly administered — Created 1 April 1936 with transfers from Ganjam and Vizagapatam districts (Madras), the Vizagapatam and Ganjam Hill Tracts Agencies, and Khariar (Central Provinces and Berar).source

• PatnaDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• PeguDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Burma. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• PeshawarDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under North-West Frontier Province. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• PoonaDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bombay Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• PromeDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Burma. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• PunjabProvince1849–1947

  Directly administered — Annexed 1849. The North-West Frontier Province was carved from its trans-Indus districts in 1901.source

• PuriDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Quetta-PishinDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Baluchistan. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• RajshahiDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• RanchiDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Rangoon TownDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Burma. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• RawalpindiDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Punjab. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• SalemDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• SholapurDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bombay Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• SialkotDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Punjab. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• SimlaDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Punjab. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• SindProvince1936–1947

  Directly administered — Separated from the Bombay Presidency and given provincial status on 1 April 1936 under the Government of India Act 1935 (Royal Assent 2 August 1935). Sindh had been part of British India and the Bombay Presidency since 1 October 1848.source

• SuratDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bombay Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• SylhetDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Assam. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• TanjoreDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• TipperaDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• ToungooDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Burma. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• TrichinopolyDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• Twenty-four ParganasDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Bengal Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.

• United Provinces of Agra and OudhProvince1902–1947

  Directly administeredsource

• VizagapatamDistrictDates not recorded

  Directly administered — District as recorded in the 1901 census / Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908-31), under Madras Presidency. Dates of creation and abolition not established in the project's cited sources.