Odisha

Orissa
Orissa; ଓଡ଼ିଶା
	State of India
	Jagannath Temple, Puri
	Location of Orissa in the Republic of India
	Map of Orissa
Country	India
Region	East India
Government
• Legislature	Unicameral ( seats)
Area
• Total	155,820 km2 (60,160 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	41,947,358
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
Official languages	Oriya · English
	^*

Odisha, formerly Orissa, is a state in Eastern India, with an area of 60,162 square miles (155,820 km²),^[1] and population of almost 42 million.^[2] Oriya or Odia is the most widely spoken language in the state and is used on an official basis alongside English.^[3] Chilika lake which is located in Odisha is the largest migratory birds on the Indian subcontinent. Odisha is the 8th largest Indian State and the 11th most populous.^[4] The capital city is Bhubaneswar, and other major cities in the state are Cuttack, Sambalpur, and Rourkela. Odisha is bordered by the states of West Bengal to the north east, Jharkhand to the north west, Chhattisgarh to the west, Andhra Pradesh to the south, and has a 482km coastline along the Bay of Bengal.^[5]^[6]

Modern-day Odisha falls under the boundaries of the ancient kingdom of Kalinga in the 3rd Century BCE, and the state is still sometimes referred to as Kalinga. Odisha is also known as Utkal, and is mentioned in the Indian National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, under this name. The Orissa province was founded on the 1st April 1936, and the anniversary of this is celebrated as Utkal Dibas throughout the state. The state was created on the basis of the Odia language, encompassing the native speakers of the language.

Popular tourist destinations in Odisha include the Konark Sun Temple, the Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves, the Puri Jagannath Temple, and Chilika Lake. Odisha has a rich culture, the Odissi classical dance form originates from the state and Odia cuisine is well-renowned for its seafood dishes and desserts. Odisha has successfully hosted several sports events as Asian Junior Women's Rugby Tournament, the 22nd Asian Athletics Championship, and the Men's Hockey World Cup in 2018.^[7]

Odisha is mostly inhabited by the Odia people, with Hinduism being the major religion in the state and Christian and Muslim minorities.^[8] There is a large tribal population in Odisha, referred to as the adivasi people, they are the indigenous people and speak various tribal languages and follow traditional religions, although many have converted to Christianity. Jainism and Buddhism also have important histories in the state.

Biju Patnaik International Airport (BBI) is Odisha's only airport, and the state is well-connected by railways, and national highways. The current Chief Minister of the state is Naveen Patnaik.