Koriya district

Little is known of the area before the 16th century. Koriya was a princely state of British Empire in India; the other princely state that lay within the Koriya district was Chang Bhakar. After Indian Independence in 1947, the rulers of Koriya and Chang Bhakar acceded to the Union of India on 1 January 1948 and both were made part of Surguja District of Madhya Pradesh state. The district of Koriya came into existence on May 25, 1998, when it was carved out of Surguja district. After the formation of the new state of Chhattisgarh on November 1, 2000, Koriya District became part of the new state. It is currently a part of the Red Corridor. ==Geography==

Koriya District lies between 22°56′ and 23°48′ North and 81°56′ and 82°47′ East. It is bounded on the north-west by Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district, on the south by Korba District, on the east by Surajpur District. The area of the district is 5977 km2, of which 59.9% is forest area. The district is a vast mass of hill ranges. The general height of the lower tableland is 550 m (1800 feet) above sea level. The Sonhat Plateau has a maximum elevation of 755 m (2477 feet). The highest peak in the district is Deogarh, which is 1027 m (3370 feet) high. The climate is mild with a monsoon, a mild summer and a bearable winter. ==Divisions==

Koriya District consists of two subdivisions: Baikunthpur and Sonhat. The district encompasses 653 villages, 3 Janpad Panchayats, 236 garam Panchayats, 2 Nagar Panchayats and 1 municipality. ==Demographics==

According to the 2011 census Koriya district has a population of 658,917, roughly equal to the nation of Montenegro or the US state of Vermont. This gives it a ranking of 510th in India (out of a total of 640). ==Culture==

Three community dances, the Karma, Saila and Suva Dance are celebrated mainly in the district during different festivals. The main festivals of India such as Diwali, Dashehra and Holi are also celebrated in Korea District. Some other festivals are also special among the Koriyan communities, such as Ganga Dashera, Charta, Nuakhai and Surhul. ==Tourist places==

Main tourist places in the district are as follows: • Guru Ghasidas National Park. It is worth mentioning that after being persecuted in this region, the last known Indian cheetah was sighted in Koriya District in 1951. • Marine Fossil Park, Manendragarh • Karamghongha, Manendragarh • Boridand Junction railway station, located only 8 km from Manendragarh. • Sirouli Temple, Manendragarh • Siddh Baba Temple, Manendragarh • Amritdhara Waterfall, Manendragarh • Hasdeo River, Manendragarh • Ramdaha Waterfall • Gaurghat Waterfall, Tarra, Sonhat • Jagnnath Mandir, West Chirimiri • Jogi Math Kailashpur, Sonhat • Gangi Rani Ramgarh, Sonhat • Rock Painting Badra, Sonhat • Korea Palace, Baikunthpur • Jhumka Dam, Baikunthpur • Gej Dam, Baikunthpur • Ramdaiya Dham Mandir, Baikunthpur • Aaruni Bandh, Sarbhoka • Shri Karteskwar Shiv Mandir, Kathautiya, Manendragarh ==See also==