Dehradun (Hindi: देहरादून) pronunciation, also sometimes spelled Dehra Doon, is the capital city of the Uttarakhand state (earlier called Uttaranchal) in India, and the headquarters of Dehradun District. It is located in the Doon valley, 230 kilometers north of India's capital New Delhi and the Delhi metropolitan area. The district is surrounded by the Himalayas in the north, Shivalik Hills in the south, the river Ganga in the east, and the river Yamuna in the west. The water divide of Ganga and Yamuna passes through the city. It is also located on the north western side of the fertile Gangetic plains of India. Before the creation of Uttarakhand on November 9 2000, Dehradun was a part of Uttar Pradesh. Neighbouring cities and towns include Haridwar, Rishikesh, Roorkee, Mussoorie and Saharanpur. A product that has made Dehradun known within India is "Dehradooni basmati rice". Dehradun is also known for Lychee. Dehradun is also known for educational institutes.