Odisha Geography for UPSC: Interactive Map, Rivers and Protected Areas

Mahanadi

Rises Sihawa, Dhamtari (Chhattisgarh); flows to Bay of Bengal through the Cuttack delta · 593 km

The Hirakud dam and the Mahanadi delta's Paradip coast define Odisha's lifeline river.

Brahmani

Rises Sankh, South Koel confluence at Rourkela; flows to Bay of Bengal at Dhamra · 519 km

Formed by the Sankh and Koel; the Rengali dam is on it.

Baitarani

Rises Gonasika, Keonjhar; flows to Bay of Bengal at Dhamra (near Chandbali) · 396 km

The Baitarani joins the Brahmani to form the Dhamra estuary.

Subarnarekha

Rises Ranchi plateau (Jharkhand); flows to Bay of Bengal at Kirtania (Balasore) · 173 km

Flows through the iron-ore belt into northern Odisha.

Rushikulya

Rises Daringbadi hills, Kandhamal district; flows to Bay of Bengal near Ganjam · 106 km

The Rushikulya river mouth is one of the world’s major mass-nesting (arribada) sites for Olive Ridley sea turtles.

Indravati

Rises Kalahandi; flows to joins the Godavari (Telangana) · 156 km

The Indravati's Odisha section holds the Indravati dam at Khatiguda.

Sankh

Rises Ranchi plateau; flows to joins the South Koel at Rourkela · 77 km

One of the two headstreams of the Brahmani.

Tel

Rises Nabarangpur; flows to joins the Mahanadi near Sonepur · 364 km

A right-bank Mahanadi tributary of western Odisha.

Chilika Lake

Asia's largest brackish-water lagoon, on Odisha's coast, designated Ramsar in 1981, among India's first two sites. Winter home to lakhs of migratory birds, habitat of the Irrawaddy dolphin, and one of the world's largest fisheries for local communities.

Ramsar (1981); Asia's largest brackish lagoon and Irrawaddy dolphin habitat.

Bhitarkanika Mangroves

A Ramsar site (2002) in the Bhitarkanika mangrove delta of Kendrapara, part of the national park, with India's largest estuarine crocodile population and olive ridley nesting beaches nearby.

Ramsar (2002); mangrove delta of estuarine crocodiles.

Satkosia Gorge

A Ramsar site (2021) in the Mahanadi gorge where the river cuts the Eastern Ghats, within the Satkosia Tiger Reserve, home to gharials and mugger crocodiles.

Ramsar (2021); Mahanadi gorge of gharials.

Tampara Lake

A freshwater lake in Ganjam district designated Ramsar in 2021, supporting waterbirds and local tourism.

Ramsar (2021); freshwater lake of Ganjam.

Hirakud Reservoir

The reservoir behind the Hirakud Dam, one of the world's longest earthen dams, on the Mahanadi, designated Ramsar in 2021, a wintering ground for waterbirds.

Ramsar (2021); reservoir of the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi.

Ansupa Lake

An oxbow lake of the Mahanadi in Cuttack district designated Ramsar in 2021, Odisha's largest freshwater lake, a habitat for migratory birds.

Ramsar (2021); Mahanadi oxbow lake of Cuttack.

Simlipal Biosphere

A biosphere reserve in Mayurbhanj around Simlipal NP, with sal forests, waterfalls and the famous melanistic (black) tigers, home to the Khadia and Mankidia tribal communities.

Mayurbhanj; melanistic tigers and sal forests.

Bhitarkanika NP

A park in Kendrapara district within the Bhitarkanika mangrove delta, a Ramsar site, hosting the largest congregation of estuarine (saltwater) crocodiles in India and a mass-nesting site for olive ridley turtles at nearby Gahirmatha.

Mangrove delta; India's largest estuarine crocodile population.

Simlipal NP

A park in Mayurbhanj district, part of the Simlipal Biosphere Reserve and a tiger reserve, known for its melanistic (black) tigers, orchids and the Barehipani waterfall.

Known for melanistic (black) tigers and Barehipani falls.

Nandankanan WLS

A sanctuary and zoological park near Bhubaneswar, famed for breeding white tigers and for its gharial and pangolin conservation programmes.

Zoo-sanctuary famous for white tiger breeding.

Satkosia WLS

A sanctuary in the Mahanadi gorge where the river cuts the Eastern Ghats, part of the Satkosia Tiger Reserve, home to gharials and the mugger crocodile.

Mahanadi gorge sanctuary; gharial habitat.

Gahirmatha WLS

A marine sanctuary on the Odisha coast, the world's largest rookery for the olive ridley turtle, where lakhs of turtles mass-nest (arribada) each winter.

World's largest olive ridley turtle rookery (arribada).