Chandigarh is located in the northwest of India, near the foothills of the Sivalik range of the Himalayas. The city covers an area of 114 square kilometers (44 sq mi) and is bounded by the state of Punjab to the north, west, and south, and the state of Haryana to the east.
The city's physical geography is defined by its transition from the plains to the mountainous foothills. It sits on fertile, alluvial soils that are typical of the Indo-Gangetic plain. The city was built between two seasonal rivulets—the Sukhna Choe to the east and the Patiala Ki Rao to the west—which provide natural drainage.
One of the most defining geographical features of the city is its extensive urban forest cover, which is rigorously protected. Surrounding the city are remnants of natural forest, acting as a green buffer. Sukhna Lake, a large artificial reservoir at the foothills of the Shivaliks, is the geographical heart of the city's recreational life.