Geography & Plateau
Jharkhand GK · भूगोल और पठार · 18 facts
Jharkhand covers an area of 79,716 sq km and has 24 districts; it is a landlocked state surrounded by Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh.
Chhota Nagpur Plateau forms the geographical core of Jharkhand; it is an ancient Precambrian plateau made of granite and gneiss, rich in minerals.
The Palamu Plateau (Palamau) in western Jharkhand is part of the Chhota Nagpur highland; it is a forest-covered area famous for Betla National Park.
The Rajmahal Hills in northeastern Jharkhand (Sahebganj district) are volcanic hills bordering the Ganga basin and the Santhal Parganas region.
Damodar River, called 'Jharkhand's Sorrow' (due to frequent floods), originates in Jharkhand's plateau and flows through the coalfields of Jharia and Bokaro.
Subarnarekha River originates near Ranchi and flows through Jharkhand and West Bengal before entering the Bay of Bengal; Jamshedpur is on its bank.
Brahmani River originates in the Chhota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand and flows eastward through Odisha to the Bay of Bengal.
Barakar River, a major tributary of the Damodar, flows through the Bokaro and Dhanbad coalfields; the Maithon Dam is located on this river.
Betla National Park in Palamu district is Jharkhand's premier wildlife sanctuary; it has tigers, elephants, leopards, and Indian rhinoceros (historically).
Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary near Jamshedpur is known for its elephant population and is part of the Dalma-Saranda elephant corridor.
Hazaribagh National Park (now Hazaribagh Wildlife Sanctuary) is in the Hazaribagh district and is known for its tigers, leopards, and diverse bird species.
Parasnath Hill (Shikharji) in Giridih district is the highest peak in Jharkhand at 1,365 m; it is the most sacred pilgrimage site for Jains.
Netarhat is a picturesque hill station in Latehar district, known as the 'Queen of Chhota Nagpur', famous for its sunrises and sunsets and the Netarhat Residential School.
Hundru Falls (45 m) on the Subarnarekha River near Ranchi is Jharkhand's highest waterfall and a popular tourist destination.
Saranda forest in West Singhbhum is one of India's largest sal forests; it is home to elephants, leopards, and is ecologically significant.
Jharkhand receives rainfall primarily from the Bay of Bengal branch of the Southwest Monsoon (June–September); average annual rainfall is 1,200–1,400 mm.
Dimna Lake near Jamshedpur is an artificial reservoir on the Subarnarekha tributary; it is a popular picnic spot and supplies water to Jamshedpur.
Patratu Lake and the Patratu Valley in Ramgarh district are scenic tourist destinations in Jharkhand, with the thermal power plant reflected in the lake.