Jharkhand Geography for UPSC: Interactive Map, Rivers and Protected Areas
a state of the Chota Nagpur plateau's forested hills and coalfields
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Protected areas mapped
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Rivers mapped
At a glance
Capital
Ranchi
Language
Hindi
Dance
Chhau
Area
79,716 km²
Coastline
Landlocked
Highest peak
Parasnath hill · 1,365 m
Borders
Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh
Why UPSC asks about Jharkhand
Jharkhand is the Chota Nagpur plateau: Parasnath, the Damodar valley, and India's richest mineral belt (coal, iron, copper). UPSC tests the Damodar Valley Corporation, plateau drainage (Subarnarekha, Koel), and the mining-forest conflict geography.
Did you know
Jharkhand has no biosphere reserve. India's 18 biosphere reserves are spread across only 16 states, and Jharkhand is not among them. The nearest is Simlipal (Odisha).
Damodar
Rises Chhotanagpur Plateau, near Tori, Latehar district; flows to Joins the Hooghly in West Bengal · 80 km
The Damodar rises in the Chota Nagpur plateau; the DVC's dams tamed its floods, once the 'Sorrow of Bengal'.
Dams
- Tenughat Dam
- Panchet Dam
- Maithon Dam
Subarnarekha
Rises Ranchi plateau near Nagri; flows to Bay of Bengal at Kirtania (Balasore) · 80 km
The Subarnarekha's gold-trace sands give it the name 'golden line'.
Barakar
Rises Hazaribagh plateau; flows to joins the Damodar at Dishergarh · 80 km
The Barakar's Maithon and Tilaiya dams are part of the DVC system.
North Koel
Rises Ranchi plateau; flows to joins the Son near Palamau · 80 km
The North Koel's Kutku dam is a long-delayed irrigation project.
South Koel
Rises Chota Nagpur plateau near Ranchi; flows to joins the Sankh to form the Brahmani · 80 km
Together with the Sankh it forms the Brahmani at Rourkela.
Sankh
Rises Ranchi plateau; flows to joins the South Koel near Rourkela · 80 km
One of the two headstreams of the Brahmani.
Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary
Jharkhand's first Ramsar site (2024), a wetland bird sanctuary in Sahebganj district on the Ganga's floodplain, hosting migratory waterfowl.
Jharkhand's first Ramsar site (2024).
Betla NP
A park in the Palamu Tiger Reserve (Latehar district), one of India's earliest tiger reserves (1973), with sal forests and the historic Betla fort.
Core of Palamu Tiger Reserve, among India's first (1973).
Dalma WLS
A sanctuary on the Dalma hills near Jamshedpur, known for its wild elephant population that seasonally moves close to the city.
Dalma hills; elephants near Jamshedpur.
Hazaribagh WLS
A sanctuary around Hazaribagh town in the Chota Nagpur plateau, with sal forests and a long history as a protected area since 1954.
Chota Nagpur sal forests; protected since 1954.
Palkot WLS
A sanctuary in Gumla district with dry deciduous sal forests, part of an elephant corridor in the Chota Nagpur landscape.
Gumla district; a Chota Nagpur elephant corridor.
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