Jharkhand

State of northeast India, bordered by Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh; area 74,677 sq km/28,833 sq mi; population (2001 est) 26,909,400. It was carved from Bihar and was incorporated in November 2000. The capital is Ranchi. Jharkhand accounts for nearly half of India's mineral wealth, and there is an abundance of bauxite, limestone, mica, coal, iron, and copper ore. Industries include the Tata Iron and Steel Company and the Bokaro Steel Plant. The area is home to 30 tribal groups who are estimated to form one-third of the population. The principal languages spoken are Santali, Kurukh, Mundari, and Nagpuria.

Jharkhand was recognized as a separate state following years of protest by the indigenous population. It has 22 districts. Major cities include Dhandbad, Bokaro, Jamshedpur, and Sindi. Only 30% of the state's land is cultivable and, in 2000, 57% of the state's population lived below the poverty line.

Jharkhand is also home to Palamau Forest, and contains several well-known tourist spots including Hudru Falls, Lodha, and a wildlife sanctuary for tigers at Betla National Park.