The state of Jharkhand is located in eastern India and came into existence in the year 2000 by reorganizing the southern regions of Bihar state. Jharkhand has common borders with Bihar in the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in the west, Orissa in the south, and West Bengal in the east.
The Chota Nagpur Plateau forms most of the area of Jharkhand. The plateau is the source of many rivers including Damodar, Koel and Subarnarekha. This area is also famous for its abundant mineral wealth - iron, coal, uranium, graphite, and magnite are among the minerals found here.
Jamshedpur, Bokaro aand Ranchi are centres of heavy industry based on these mineral resources.
Forests and woodlands cover a significant 29 percent of the state. Asian elephant, tiger and bison are among the inhabitants of these forests. Betla National Park in Palamu district and Hazaribagh Wildlife Sanctuary have a rich variety of flora and fauna.
Almost one-third of the population of Jharkhand belongs to indigenous tribal communities - Santhal, Oraon, Munda, Chero and Gond are the important ones. These tribal groups are known for their different languages (such as Santhali, Mundari, Khariya, Panchparagnia) and festivals (Sarhul, Karma, Sohrai, Badna).
Ranchi is the capital city of Jharkhand, earlier it was the summer capital of Bihar during the British rule. Ranchi is a famous tourist destination in the region, and has a number of beautiful waterfalls, especially after the rains; Hirni Falls, Jonha Falls, Hundru Falls and Dassam Falls are the most famous. The 17th-century Hindu Jagannath Temple is a replica of the famous temple at Puri in Orissa. The Parasnath Hill in Hazaribagh District is named after the Jain Tirthankar Parshvnath and one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots for Jains. Baidyanath Dham is located in the Santhal Paraganas district and is an important pilgrimage for the Hindus. The plateau of Netarhat is popularly called the 'Queen of Chhota Nagpur' and is attractive for its cool climes.
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