Nabarangpur District of
Orissa was formed in 1992. It is surrounded by the
Kalahandi District in the east,
Koraput District in the south and the state of
Chhattisgarh covering the northern and western part. With its headquarters at
Nabarangpur, the district has an area of 5,135 sq km with a population of over 1 million.
Nabarangpur is at an altitude of 2,000 ft. The main river system is the Indravati River which forms the boundary between Nabarangpur and Koraput District. River Tel separates the district from Kalahandi. The highest peak is Podagarh, which is 3,050 ft high.
The population mainly consists of tribes and nomads and they mostly depend on cultivation and forest products. The chief crop is paddy. Sal and bamboo are found in abundance in the forests. Rich in its mineral deposits, the main ores are iron, chlorite, mica, quartz and granites. The region is also famous for its fauna. Common among them are Panther, Leopard, Tiger, Hyena, Buffalo, Black Bear, Bison, red and grey jungle fowl, spotted deer, Sambar and Barking deer.
Major tourist attractions are
Maa Pendrani Temple,
Sahid Minar,
Khatiguda Dam, Maa Bhandaragharani Temple and Lord Jagannath Temple. The main festivals are the
Rath Yatra,
Dussehra,
Holi and
Maha Shivaratri.
