Country	India
Formation	1 November 2000†
Capital	Naya Raipur
Largest city	Raipur
Districts	27

History
In 1st November 2000, Chhattisgarh carved out of Madhya Pradesh and formed as India’s 26th state.

Chhattisgarh borders Madhya Pradesh on the northwest, Maharashtra on the west, Andhra Pradesh on the south, Orissa on the east, Jharkhand on the northeast and Uttar Pradesh on the north. Raipur is the capital of Chhattisgarh. It is the 10th-largest state in India by area of 52,199 sq mi (135,194 km). Chhattisgarh takes its name from 36 princely states that constitute this region (chhattis means “36”, and garh means “fort”).

The Chhattisgarhi language, a dialect of eastern Hindi, is a predominant language in the state, recognized along with Hindi as the official language of the state. Many tribal and some Dravidian influenced dialects or languages are spoken in various parts of Chhattisgarh.

Geography
Chhatisgarh is an exquisitely scenic state, with two mighty rivers (Indravati and Mahanadi), 12% of India’s forests, and a series of rolling hills. The north of the state lies on the edge of the great Indo-Gangetic plain: The Rihand River, a tributary of the Ganges, drains this area. The eastern end of the Satpura Range and the western edge of the Chota Nagpur Plateau form an east-west belt of hills that divide the Mahanadi River basin from the Indo-Gangetic plain.

The central part of the state lies in the fertile upper basin of the Mahanadi and its tributaries, with extensive rice cultivation. The upper Mahanadi basin is separated from the upper Narmada basin to the west by the Maikal Hills, (part of the Satpuras), and from the plains of Orissa to the east by ranges of hills. The southern part of the state lies on the Deccan plateau, in the watershed of the Godavari River and its tributary the Indravati River. Forests cover roughly 44% of the state.

Economy
The economy of Chhattisgarh has grown rapidly in recent years. More than 80% of the population depends on agriculture, and 43% of the land is cultivated. The main crops are paddy, wheat, maize, groundnut, pulses and oilseeds. Chhattisgarh is also called the “rice bowl of India”. It has very good irrigation systems, with dams and canals on various rivers. Chhattisgarh is also rich in minerals. It produces 20% of the country’s steel and cement. Iron-ore, limestone, dolomite, coal, bauxite are abundant. It is the only tin-ore producing state in the country. Other minerals include korandum, garnet, quartz, marble and diamonds. Industry is significant part of state’s economy. State-owned industries include Bhilai Steel Plant and NTPC. Big private companies include Balco (sterlite industry), Lafarge and Jindal steel.

Climate
From November to January, is a good time to visit, with lower temperatures, less humidity and the verdant greenery and raging waterfalls left by the monsoons.

Source: Wikipedia [Chhattisgarh]

Chhattisgarh Govt. cg.gov.in
Chhattisgarh Tourism www.chhattisgarhtourism.net