ODISHA GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

BY: HARISH SIR

TOPOGRAPHY OF ODISHA
Location
1. Latitude and Longitude: Between 17.49°N - 22.34°N and 81.27°E - 87.29°E.
2. Boundaries:
o East: Bay of Bengal
o West: Chhattisgarh
o South: Andhra Pradesh
3. Area: 155,707 sq. km (4.87% of India's total area).
4. Coastline: ~450 km along the Bay of Bengal.
5. Population (1991 Census): 31,512,070 (16,237,000 males and 15,275,070 females).
Relief and Physiographic Regions
1. Major Regions:
o Odisha Coastal Plains
o Middle Mountainous and Highlands Region
o Central Plateaus
o Western Rolling Uplands
o Major Flood Plains
Odisha Coastal Plains
1. Geology: Depositional landforms of the Post-Tertiary Period.
2. Boundary: Western boundary marked by the 75-meter contour line.
3. River Deltas: Formed by the Subarnarekha, Budhabalanga, Baitarani, Brahmani, Mahanadi, and
Rushikulya rivers.
4. Hexadeltaic Region: Known as the "Gift of Six Rivers."
5. Sub-regions:
o Northern Coastal Plain (Balasore Plain): Deltas of Subarnarekha and Budhabalanga rivers.
o Middle Coastal Plain (Mahanadi Delta): Compound deltas of Baitarani, Brahmani, and
Mahanadi rivers.
o Southern Coastal Plain (Ganjam Plain): Includes Chilika Lake and the Rushikulya delta.
Middle Mountainous and Highlands Region
1. Covers about three-fourths of Odisha.
2. Part of the Gondwanaland ancient landmass.
3. Includes the Eastern Ghats with valleys and watersheds.
4. Average elevation: ~900 meters above mean sea level.
Central Plateaus
1. Form the western slopes of the Eastern Ghats.
2. Elevation: 305-610 meters.
3. Sub-regions:
o Panposh-Keonjhar-Pallahara Plateau (Upper Baitarani Basin).
o Nabrangpur-Jeypore Plateau (Sabari Basin).
Western Rolling Uplands
1. Elevation: 153-305 meters.
2. Lower in height compared to the Central Plateaus.
Major Rivers
1. Groups:
o Origin outside Odisha: Subarnarekha, Brahmani, Mahanadi.
o Origin inside Odisha: Budhabalanga, Baitarani, Salandi, Rushikulya.
o Origin inside Odisha but flowing through other states: Bahuda, Vansadhara, Nagavali.
o Tributaries flowing into rivers outside Odisha: Machkund, Sileru, Kolab, Indravati.
2. Notable Rivers:
o Mahanadi: Longest in Odisha (494 km), total length 857 km.
o Brahmani: 799 km long (541 km in Odisha).
o Baitarani: 365 km long.
o Subarnarekha: 433 km long (70 km in Odisha).
o Budhabalanga: 175 km long.
o Rushikulya: 165 km long.
o Vansadhara: 230 km long (150 km in Odisha).
o Nagavali: 210 km long (100 km in Odisha).
Springs
1. Notable Mountain Springs:
o Badaghagara and Sanaghagara (Keonjhar).
o Chandikhole (Cuttack).
o Narayani and Nirmalajhar (Ganjam).
o Harisankar (Balangir).

Waterfalls
1. Major Waterfalls:
o Barehipani and Joranda (Similipal, Mayurbhanj).
o Khandadhara (Sundargarh).
o Phurlijharan and Khandabaladhar (Kalahandi).
Lakes
1. Chilika Lake:
o Largest brackish water lagoon.
o Area: ~1,100 sq. km.
2. Ansupa Lake: Sweetwater lake in Cuttack (3 km x 1.5 km).
3. Kanjia Lake: Sweetwater lake in Nandankanan (134 acres).

SOME MCQ PRACTICE QUESTIONS ON ODISHA TOPOGRAPHY (PYQ)

1. Which mountain range is known as the Eastern Ghats in Odisha?
(a) Satkosia Range
(b) Similipal Range
(c) Mahendragiri Range
(d) Malayagiri Range
2. Which is the highest peak in Odisha?
(a) Deomali
(b) Mahendragiri
(c) Gandhamardan
 (d) Malayagiri
3. The Mahanadi River flows through which important reservoir in Odisha?
(a) Hirakud Reservoir
(b) Rengali Reservoir
(c) Upper Kolab Reservoir
(d) Balimela Reservoir
4. Which river is referred to as the "Sorrow of Odisha"?
(a) Subarnarekha
(b) Brahmani
(c) Baitarani
(d) Mahanadi
5. The Chilika Lake is located near which river’s delta?
(a) Mahanadi
(b) Rushikulya
(c) Subarnarekha
(d) Baitarani
6. Which coastal plain in Odisha is known for its fertile alluvial soil?
(a) Mahanadi Delta
(b) Rushikulya Basin
(c) Baitarani Plains
 (d) Subarnarekha Plains
7. Which mineral-rich plateau is located in western Odisha?
(a) Daitari Plateau
(b) Sundargarh Plateau
(c) Koraput Plateau
(d) Keonjhar Plateau
8. The Similipal National Park is located in which district of Odisha?
(a) Keonjhar
(b) Mayurbhanj
(c) Koraput
(d) Sundargarh
9. Which Odisha river originates from the Similipal Hills?
(a) Subarnarekha
(b) Budhabalanga
(c) Brahmani
(d) Baitarani
10. What is the primary soil type found in the western region of Odisha?
(a) Alluvial soil
(b) Laterite soil
(c) Black soil
 (d) Red soil
11. Which major port in Odisha is located near the Subarnarekha River?
(a) Paradip Port
(b) Gopalpur Port
(c) Dhamra Port
(d) Subarnarekha Port
12. Which plateau is a major bauxite mining area in Odisha?
(a) Koraput Plateau
(b) Keonjhar Plateau
(c) Daitari Plateau
(d) Bonai Plateau
13. Which river basin is the smallest in Odisha?
(a) Subarnarekha Basin
(b) Rushikulya Basin
(c) Vamsadhara Basin
(d) Nagavali Basin
14. The Satkosia Gorge is located on which river in Odisha?
(a) Baitarani
(b) Brahmani
(c) Mahanadi
 (d) Rushikulya
15. Which district of Odisha is known as the "Granary of Odisha"?
(a) Sambalpur
(b) Balasore
(c) Cuttack
(d) Ganjam
16. The famous black pagoda, the Sun Temple, is located near which waterbody?
(a) Chilika Lake
(b) Bay of Bengal
(c) Rushikulya River
(d) Brahmani River
17. Which Odisha river is known for its deltaic floodplain and is rich in biodiversity?
(a) Mahanadi
(b) Brahmani
(c) Baitarani
(d) Rushikulya
18. What is the primary physiographic feature of northern Odisha?
(a) Plateaus
(b) Coastal Plains
(c) Rolling Uplands
 (d) River Valleys
19. Which river forms the boundary between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh?
(a) Nagavali
(b) Rushikulya
(c) Vamsadhara
(d) Godavari
20. Which Odisha mountain range is known for its rich iron ore deposits?
(a) Similipal Range
(b) Gandhamardan Hills
(c) Malayagiri Hills
(d) Daitari Hills
21. Which river drains into Chilika Lake?
(a) Vamsadhara
(b) Daya River
(c) Rushikulya River
(d) Subarnarekha
22. Which Odisha waterfall is formed by the Machkund River?
(a) Barehipani Falls
(b) Duduma Falls
(c) Badaghagara Falls
 (d) Khandadhar Falls
23. Which hill station in Odisha is known for its coffee plantations?
(a) Daringbadi
(b) Koraput
(c) Keonjhar
(d) Phulbani
24. The Hirakud Dam is located near which town?
(a) Sambalpur
(b) Rourkela
(c) Balangir
(d) Bhubaneswar
25. Which Odisha city is known as the "Temple City"?
(a) Puri
(b) Bhubaneswar
(c) Cuttack
(d) Balasore
26. The Bhitarkanika National Park is located in which river delta?
(a) Brahmani-Baitarani Delta
(b) Mahanadi Delta
(c) Subarnarekha Delta
 (d) Rushikulya Delta
27. Which Odisha mountain is associated with the legend of the Mahabharata?
(a) Mahendragiri
(b) Malayagiri
(c) Gandhamardan
(d) Deomali
28. Which Odisha river is a tributary of the Mahanadi?
(a) Baitarani
(b) Daya
(c) Rushikulya
(d) Nagavali
29. Which region of Odisha is prone to cyclones due to its geography?
(a) Northern Plains
(b) Coastal Odisha
(c) Southern Uplands
(d) Western Plateaus
30. Which Odisha town is famous for its weaving industry and ties to the Mahanadi River?
(a) Sambalpur
(b) Balangir
(c) Rourkela
 (d) Berhampur

Answer key
1. (c) Mahendragiri Range 13. (a) Subarnarekha 25. (b) Bhubaneswar
2. (a) Deomali Basin 26. (a) Brahmani-
3. (a) Hirakud Reservoir 14. (c) Mahanadi Baitarani Delta

4. (c) Baitarani 15. (c) Cuttack 27. (a) Mahendragiri

5. (a) Mahanadi 16. (b) Bay of Bengal 28. (b) Daya

6. (a) Mahanadi Delta 17. (b) Brahmani 29. (b) Coastal Odisha

7. (c) Koraput Plateau 18. (a) Plateaus 30. (a) Sambalpur

8. (b) Mayurbhanj 19. (c) Vamsadhara

9. (b) Budhabalanga 20. (d) Daitari Hills

10. (d) Red soil 21. (b) Daya River

11. (c) Dhamra Port 22. (b) Duduma Falls

12. (a) Koraput Plateau 23. (a) Daringbadi

24. (a) Sambalpur