Odisha

Capital

Bhubaneswar

Official Language

Odia

Area

155,707 km²

Districts

30

Largest City

Bhubaneswar

Geography & Nature

Eastern Ghats uplands, the Mahanadi delta, Chilika lagoon and the Bay of Bengal coast include forests and wetlands.

• Reported area: 155,707 km². Survey of India — Administrative Boundary Data.
• Forest and tree cover: 58,597.01 km²; India State of Forest Report 2023.

Districts & Cities

30 districts listed by the NIC directory on 2026-10-14.

• Major urban centres: Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Brahmapur, Sambalpur.
• Largest city/town: Bhubaneswar. Largest city/town using Census 2011 municipal or town boundaries; urban-agglomeration rankings can differ. Current city names are used.

State Administration

Odisha has a Governor and an elected government led by a Chief Minister. Its legislature has a Legislative Assembly. The capital is Bhubaneswar.

• Administrative capital: Bhubaneswar.
• Principal official language(s): Odia. The government language reference provides the administrative language context.

Government Institutions

Government institutions in Odisha include executive departments, district administration, public agencies and local bodies. The official directory provides routes to their published websites.

• The Legislative Assembly provides the elected legislative institution.
• District administrations and municipal or village institutions provide local public services.

People & Demographics

The official MoEFCC profile reports approximately 4.20 crore people on a Census 2011 basis. This is a historical, rounded population figure rather than a current population estimate.

• Principal official language(s): Odia.
• The Odisha profile includes both urban communities and rural or island settlements; language and social patterns vary locally.
• Census tables provide the detailed rural/urban, literacy, age and mother-tongue breakdowns.

Economy & Industries

Mining, steel, aluminium, power, agriculture, fisheries and services are significant economic activities.

• Economic centres include Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela.
• Use the government's economic surveys and departmental publications for dated output, employment and investment figures.

Infrastructure

Paradip and other ports, rail freight, highways, Bhubaneswar's airport and irrigation systems connect the state.

• Transport, electricity, water and digital networks support public services and economic activity.
• Project status and operational details are published by the responsible government departments and operators.

Education & Healthcare

Utkal University, IIT Bhubaneswar and NIT Rourkela are major institutions; AIIMS Bhubaneswar and government medical colleges provide healthcare and training.

• Schools, universities, government hospitals and primary care facilities serve different parts of the region.
• Check the relevant institution or department for current programmes, admissions and services.

Culture & History

Konark, Puri's Jagannath traditions, Odissi dance and regional textile and craft traditions are cultural highlights.

• Heritage sites, languages, crafts and community traditions vary across districts.
• The official tourism and culture portal provides place-specific information.

Schemes & Public Services

The Odisha government and citizen-service portal provide access to applications, certificates, departmental services and scheme information.

• Common service areas include revenue certificates, welfare applications, education, transport and local-government services; availability varies by portal.
• Open the official service listing for the current application process and requirements.