Chandigarh, functioning as both a city and union territory, serves as the capital for two states - Punjab and Haryana. Punjab lies to its north while Haryana to its east. Chandigarh is located at 1053 feet above the sea level near the foothills of the Shivalk range, with the Himalayas to its northwest. It is a tri-lingual city as English, Punjabi and Hindi are widely spoken here but majority of the population speaks Punjabi, which is written in Gurumukhi / Nagari Script. As per 2011 census data, the total population is 1 million, out of which 16 percent belongs to the working age group. Out of total working population, only 1 percent is engaged in agricultural activities and 2 percent in the household industry. Majority of the working population i.e. 97 percent is employed in the manufacturing, trade and commerce, business and information technology sectors. The city has one of the highest per capita income in the country. Post Independence, the city of Chandigarh emerged as the first planned city in India and is known the world over for its architecture, urban design and planning. Prominent architects such as Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry played a part in designing Chandigarh. Chandigarh is rich in flora and fauna as compared to its neighboring cities and states. The forests surrounding the flat and fertile plains of the city help sustain numerous animal and plant species. Most of Chandigarh is covered by dense Banyan and Eucalyptus plantations. Asoka, Cassia, Mulberry, Shisham, Khair, Kikar, Musket, Soo-babul, Amla, Simbal, Kachnar, Siris, Behra, Ber, Peepal, Pilkhan, Tun, Mango and Neem are amongst the other trees flourishing in the region. Deers, Sambars, Parrots, Woodpeckers and Peacocks inhabit the protected forests area. Besides this, Sukhna Lake in the city hosts a variety of ducks and geese, and attracts migratory birds from parts of Siberia and Japan in the winter seasons.
