Meerut is a city that serves as the administrative headquarters of the Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city lies in western Uttar Pradesh and is part of the Indian National Capital Region (NCR). Meerut is located 80 km (50 mi) northeast of the national capital, New Delhi, and 480 km (300 mi) northwest of the state capital, Lucknow. As of 2025, Meerut's urban (metro) population is estimated at ≈ 1.875 million. The population of Meerut Municipal Corporation is projected to be about 1.907 million, while the wider Meerut metropolitan region is estimated at approximately 2.077 million. Meerut is the second or third-most populous city in NCR, after Delhi and Ghaziabad.