Geography
Orissa extends from 17o 49'N to 22o 34'N latitude and from 81o 29'E to 87o 29'E longitude on the eastern coast of India. It has an area about 155,707 Sq Km. It is bounded by West Bengal in the north-east, Bihar in the north, Madhya Pradesh in the west, Andhra Pradesh in the south and the Bay of Bengal in the east. Orissa was separated from Bihar and came into existence on 1 April 1936. The capital was established at the historic city of Cuttack, located at the apex of the Mahanadi delta. In 1956, it shifted to Bhubaneswar, a planned modern town of the post-independence period.
Physiographically, Orissa can be divided into three broad regions 1) The Coastal plains, (2) The Middle mountainous country (3) The Plateaus and rolling up lands.
History:
Orissa was originally inhabited by the aboriginal tribes, the Buiyas and Gonds. They confined themselves to the forest and hills when the Dravidian race settled here. Orissa was known as Kalinga in the early period. Kalinga is related with the greatest Mauryan empire ruler Ashoka, who, on seeing the horrors of war in his battle with the Kalingan army abandoned warfare and, embraced Buddhism. In the second century AD, Kharavela established a strong rule . The Guptas dominated over this region in about the 4th century AD. Till the 10th century Orissa witnessed the rule of the Bhaumakara dynasty, followed by the Soma dynasty. From the 11th to 12th century, The Gangas became prominent. The Muslims Sultanate their influence on Orissa during the 13th and 14th centuries. This continued till 1568. This was followed by the rule of the Mughals which lasted till the death of Aurangzeb. After his death the Mughal power which declined bringing in the influence of the Nawab off Bengal who ruled it till he ceded this territory over Orissa began in about 1803 AD when the Marathas were suppressed by the diplomatic treaty's of the East India Company. It was only in 1949 that the state of Orissa attained its present status.
The state of Orissa has an area of 155,707 sq. km. and a population of 36.80 million. There are 30 districts, 314 blocks and 51349 villages. The State has population density of 236 per sq. km. (as against the national average of 312). The decadal growth rate of the state is 16.25% (against 21.54% for the country) and the population of the state is growing at a slower rate than the national rate.
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