Odisha (ଓଡ଼ିଶା), known until 2011 as Orissa, is a state on the eastern coast of India, on the Bay of Bengal. Its capital is Bhubaneswar, its official language is Odia, and it was formed as a separate province on 1 April 1936. The 2011 Census counted 41,974,218 people in an area of 155,707 sq km, divided today into 30 districts.
This page collects the most-asked facts in one place. Figures are from the 2011 Census unless stated, since no later census results had been published at the time of writing.
Odisha quick facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Odisha (ଓଡ଼ିଶା); Orissa until 2011 |
| Name origin | From the ancient Odra people and region (Odra Desa, Odra Vishaya) |
| Older names for the region | Kalinga, Utkala, Odra |
| Capital | Bhubaneswar |
| Former capital | Cuttack (capital of the province from 1936) |
| Formed | 1 April 1936, as the province of Orissa |
| Official language | Odia (English is also used officially) |
| High Court | Orissa High Court, Cuttack |
| Legislature | Unicameral; 147-member Legislative Assembly |
| Seats in Parliament | 21 Lok Sabha, 10 Rajya Sabha |
| Chief Minister | Mohan Charan Majhi (since 12 June 2024) |
| State song | Bande Utkala Janani, by Laxmikanta Mohapatra |
| State day | Utkal Divas (Odisha Day), 1 April |
Geography
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Area | 155,707 sq km |
| Rank by area | 8th largest Indian state |
| Coastline | About 480 km on the Bay of Bengal (sources give 480 to 485 km) |
| Neighbouring states | West Bengal (north-east), Jharkhand (north), Chhattisgarh (west), Andhra Pradesh (south) |
| Highest peak | Deomali, about 1,672 m, in Koraput district |
| Main physical regions | Coastal plains, central river valleys, the Eastern Ghats hills and the northern plateau |
| Largest lagoon | Chilika Lake, a Ramsar site since 1 October 1981 |
| Largest district by area | Mayurbhanj (10,418 sq km) |
| Smallest district by area | Jagatsinghpur (1,759 sq km) |
Major rivers of Odisha
| River | Notes |
|---|---|
| Mahanadi | Odisha's largest river, about 900 km long; rises in Chhattisgarh, is dammed at Hirakud near Sambalpur, flows past Cuttack and forms a large delta on the coast |
| Brahmani | Flows through north-central Odisha to the coast; its delta adjoins those of the Mahanadi and Baitarani |
| Baitarani | Northern Odisha; flows past Jajpur to the coast |
| Subarnarekha | Enters Odisha from Jharkhand in the far north and reaches the sea in Balasore district |
| Budhabalanga | Flows through Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts to the Bay of Bengal |
| Rushikulya | Southern Odisha; reaches the sea in Ganjam district |
Learn more on the Chilika Lake page, or explore the state on the Odisha map.
Population and people (Census 2011)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 41,974,218 |
| Decadal growth 2001–2011 | 13.97% |
| Density | About 270 people per sq km |
| Sex ratio | 979 females per 1,000 males (provisional figure 978) |
| Child sex ratio (0–6 years) | 934 |
| Literacy | 72.87% (male 81.59%, female 64.01%) |
| Highest district literacy | Khordha, 86.88% |
| Lowest district literacy | Nabarangpur, 46.43% |
| Scheduled Tribes | About 9.6 million people |
| Scheduled Castes | About 7.2 million people |
| Most populous district | Ganjam (3,529,031) |
| Least populous district | Deogarh (312,520) |
| Largest city | Bhubaneswar (837,737 in the municipal area) |
| Odia as mother tongue | About 82.7% of residents |
Census 2011 population figures were first released as provisional data (41,947,358), and some government pages still show that number. The final Census figure is 41,974,218.
Administration: 30 districts
Odisha has 30 districts, grouped into three revenue divisions of ten districts each.
| Revenue division | Headquarters | Districts |
|---|---|---|
| Central | Cuttack | Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Khordha, Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh, Puri |
| Northern | Sambalpur | Angul, Bargarh, Balangir, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Jharsuguda, Kendujhar, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Sundargarh |
| Southern | Berhampur | Boudh, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Rayagada |
When the province was formed in 1936 it had six districts: Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Sambalpur, Koraput and Ganjam. Princely states were merged after independence, and a reorganisation between October 1992 and January 1994 split larger districts to create the present 30. Browse all of them on the districts of Odisha page.
State symbols of Odisha
| Symbol | Name | Scientific name |
|---|---|---|
| State animal | Sambar deer | Rusa unicolor |
| State bird | Indian roller | Coracias benghalensis |
| State flower | Ashoka | Saraca asoca |
| State tree | Peepal (sacred fig, ashwattha) | Ficus religiosa |
| State fish | Mahanadi mahseer | Tor mosal mahanadicus |
| State song | Bande Utkala Janani | — |
Bande Utkala Janani was written by Laxmikanta Mohapatra in 1912 and was formally given the status of state anthem by the Odisha Cabinet on 7 June 2020.
Heritage and culture at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | Sun Temple, Konark (inscribed 1984) |
| UNESCO Tentative List | Ekamra Kshetra, the temple city of Bhubaneswar (2014); Chilika Lake (2014); Buddhist Triangle sites of Odisha (2025) |
| UNESCO biosphere reserve | Similipal (designated 2009) |
| Classical language | Odia, since 2014 |
| Classical dance | Odissi |
| Most famous festival | Ratha Yatra of Lord Jagannath at Puri |
| Geographical Indications | 26 registered entries (GI Registry list, 31 December 2025) |
See the Konark Sun Temple, Odissi dance, Rath Yatra and the full list of GI tags of Odisha.
Key dates in Odisha's history
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 261 BCE | Ashoka's Kalinga War |
| c. 1st century BCE | Kharavela rules Kalinga; Hathigumpha inscription |
| 1078 to 1147 (approx.) | Reign of Anantavarman Chodaganga, Eastern Ganga dynasty |
| c. 1250 | Konark Sun Temple built under Narasimhadeva I |
| 1435 | Kapilendra Deva founds the Suryavamsi Gajapati dynasty |
| 1590s | Mughal conquest of Odisha |
| 1803 | British conquest of Odisha from the Marathas |
| 1817 | Paika Rebellion |
| 1 April 1936 | Odisha becomes a separate province |
| 1948 to 1949 | Princely states merged with Odisha |
| 2011 | Orissa renamed Odisha; Oriya becomes Odia |
| 2014 | Odia declared a classical language |
Dates for early rulers are approximate and sources differ. For the full story see the brief history of Odisha and the Odisha timeline.