Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh is located in center of India. It was formed on November 1, 2000. It is the ninth largest state of India. Chhattisgarh is gifted with all major minerals including diamonds and is amongst the richest in terms of mineral affluence. This state is spread over an area of 135194 square kilometers and comprises of sixteen districts of Koriya, Surguja and Jashpurnagar to the north, Korba, Bilaspur, Janjgir Chhampa and Raigarh in the North central, Kawardah, Rajnandgaon, Durg, Raipur, Dhamtari and Mahasamnd in the centre and Kanker, Bastar and Dantewara in the South. Statistical data collected in 1991 represent that the total population of the Chhattisgarh was 1.761 crores, which was 2.1 percent of the population of India. The state of Chhattisgarh has 20378 villages of which 19,720 are inhabited villages. The state has a total of 96 tehsils and 146 janpad panchayats or blocks.

The Chhattisgarhi language is the major language in the region. People residing in southern Chhattisgarh, Bastar, speak dialects of Dravidian languages. Other languages spoken in Chhattishgarh are Hindi, Oriya, Marathi and tribal languages. The north and south parts of the state are mountainous, while the central part is a productive plain. Chhattisgarh is rich in forest resources. Forests cover roughly forty-four percent of the state. The Mahanadi is the chief river of the state. Other rivers are Hasdo, Rihand, Indravati, Jonk and Arpa. The Climate of Chhattisgarh is mainly tropical, humid and sub-humid. The climate is hot because of its positioning on the tropic of cancer. May is the hottest month and December-January is the coldest ones. The state is completely dependent on the monsoons for rains. It receives an annual average rainfall of 60 inches. Rice is the main crop of the state. Chhattisgarh is famous in the entire country for its sal forests. In addition, teak, bamboo, saja, sarai, haldi etc. are also found in large numbers. Tendu leaf, which is used in beedi-making, is a principal forest produce of the state. Chhattisgarh produces a large number of minor forest products as well.