Short answers, pulled from the story.
Over 241 million people call Uttar Pradesh home, making its population larger than any other region on Earth. If treated as a sovereign nation, this population would rank sixth globally.
The Maurya Empire ruled this region between 320 BCE and 200 BCE while the Gupta dynasty held sway from 350 CE until 600 CE. Harshavardhana established his Kannauj empire in the 7th century with power stretching from Punjab to Bengal.
Dissatisfaction with British administration sparked a serious rebellion across North India in 1857 starting at Meerut cantonment. Mangal Pandey, a sepoy stationed there, is widely considered the starting point of this uprising.
Uttar Pradesh has provided nine prime ministers more than any other Indian state. It contributes 80 seats to the Lok Sabha and 31 seats to the Rajya Sabha making it politically dominant.
About 70 percent of India's sugar comes from Uttar Pradesh making sugarcane its most important cash crop. Total sugarcane production reached 7.35 million tonnes in fiscal year ending September 2015.