east India
Odisha
Odisha is an eastern coastal state with Bhubaneswar as capital, known for ancient Kalinga, the Kalinga War, Jagannath culture, Kalinga temple architecture, Odia linguistic identity, tribal societies, mineral belts, ports, Chilika Lake, mangroves, Olive Ridley turtles and cyclone-management lessons.
Capital
Bhubaneswar
Population
4.20 Cr
Census of India 2011
Area
1,55,707 sq km
Census of India 2011
Literacy
72.9%
Census of India 2011
Districts
30
State Profile
Odisha overview
Odisha lies on India eastern coast along the Bay of Bengal. With Bhubaneswar as capital and Cuttack as an older administrative-judicial centre, the state combines ancient Kalinga history, Odia linguistic identity, Jagannath culture, temple architecture, mineral belts, ports, tribal hill regions, forests, wetlands and cyclone-prone coastal ecology.
Capital
Bhubaneswar
Region
east
Population
4.20 Cr
Census of India 2011
Area
1,55,707 sq km
Census of India 2011
Snapshot
Quick facts
Core facts useful for prelims, maps, and state comparison.
- Capital
- Bhubaneswar
- Largest city
- Bhubaneswar
- Region
- east
- Population
- 4.20 CrCensus of India 2011
- Area
- 1,55,707 sq kmCensus of India 2011
- Languages
- Odia, Hindi, English, Sambalpuri/Kosali, Kui, Santali, Saora/Savara, Ho, Mundari, Telugu, Bengali
Snapshot
Economy snapshot
A quick view of source-backed output, income, growth, and major sectors.
- Industries
- Agriculture, Fisheries, Mining, Iron ore
UPSC Focus
Why it matters
Important UPSC-relevant themes connected with this state.
- It is one of India strongest UPSC case studies for Kalinga, Ashoka, Buddhism, Jainism, maritime trade, Kalinga temple architecture, Jagannath culture and linguistic identity.
- It connects geography and governance through the Mahanadi delta, Chilika Lake, Bhitarkanika mangroves, Olive Ridley turtle nesting, Bay of Bengal cyclones and disaster-management reforms after the 1999 super cyclone.
- It is central to GS3 debates on minerals, steel, aluminium, ports, mining-environment balance, displacement, forest rights, tribal welfare, coastal regulation and climate resilience.
- Its map value is high: Bay of Bengal coast, Mahanadi-Brahmani-Baitarani systems, Eastern Ghats, mineral belts, Paradip-Dhamra-Gopalpur ports, Chilika, Similipal and southern tribal hill districts.
UPSC Focus
Identity markers
Cultural, historical, geographical, or economic identifiers.
- Capital: Bhubaneswar; High Court of Orissa: Cuttack.
- Odisha was earlier officially known in English as Orissa; the state name changed to Odisha and the language name from Oriya to Odia in 2011.
- Odisha became a separate province on 1 April 1936 on linguistic basis, separated from Bihar and Orissa Province. Odisha Day or Utkal Dibasa is observed on 1 April.
- The High Court of Orissa is located at Cuttack and was formally inaugurated on 26 July 1948.
- Major physical regions include Coastal Odisha, the Mahanadi delta, Northern Plateau, Eastern Ghats, Central Tableland, Western Odisha uplands and Southern Odisha tribal hill regions.
- Important centres include Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Konark, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Berhampur/Brahmapur, Balasore, Baripada, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Keonjhar, Koraput, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Balangir, Jharsuguda, Paradip, Chilika, Gopalpur and Bhitarkanika.
- Major heritage and cultural sites include Konark Sun Temple, Jagannath Temple Puri, Lingaraja Temple, Udayagiri-Khandagiri caves, Dhauli, Ratnagiri-Lalitgiri-Udayagiri Buddhist sites, Mukteswara Temple, Rajarani Temple, Samaleswari Temple, Hirakud Dam and Chilika Lake.
- Konark Sun Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major example of Kalinga architecture.