{{Short description|Administrative district in Jharkhand, India}} {{About|the district|the eponymous town|Lohardaga}} {{more citations needed|date=January 2009}}
{{Infobox settlement | name = Lohardaga district | settlement_type = [[List of districts of Jharkhand|District]] of [[Jharkhand]] | total_type = Total | native_name = | image_skyline = {{multiple image | border = infobox | total_width = 250 | perrow = 1/1/1 | image1 = Khakparta Temple.jpg | image2 = Victoriya_lake.jpg | image3 = Lawapani Waterfall.jpg }} | image_caption = Top to bottom: Khakparta Temple, a protected Shiva shrine under [[Archaeological Survey of India|ASI]], Victoria Lake, [[Lawapani Falls|Lawapani waterfall]] | image_map = Lohardaga in Jharkhand (India).svg | map_caption = Location of Lohardaga district in Jharkhand | coordinates = | coor_pinpoint = Lohardaga | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|India}} | subdivision_type1 = [[States and union territories of India|State]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Jharkhand]] | subdivision_type2 = [[Administrative divisions of Jharkhand|Division]] | subdivision_name2 = [[South Chotanagpur division|South Chotanagpur]] | established_title = Established | established_date = | seat_type = Headquarters | seat = [[Lohardaga]] | parts_type = [[Tehsils of India|Tehsils]] | parts_style = para | p1 = | area_total_km2 = 1502 | area_footnotes = | population_as_of = 2011 | population_total = 461,790 | population_footnotes = | population_urban = | population_density_km2 = auto | demographics_type1 = Demographics | demographics1_title1 = [[Literacy in India|Literacy]] | demographics1_info1 = 68.29% | demographics1_title2 = Sex ratio | demographics1_info2 = 985 | leader_title = [[District magistrate|Deputy Commissioner]] | leader_name = Dr Waghmare Prasad Krishna ([[Indian Administrative Service|IAS]]) | leader_title1 = [[Lok Sabha|Lok Sabha constituencies]] | leader_name1 = [[Lohardaga Lok Sabha constituency|Lohardaga]] (shared with [[Gumla district]]) | leader_title2 = [[Vidhan Sabha|Vidhan Sabha constituencies]] | leader_name2 = 1 | timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]] | utc_offset1 = +05:30 | registration_plate = | blank_name_sec1 = | blank_info_sec1 = | blank_name_sec2 = | blank_info_sec2 = | website = {{url|lohardaga.nic.in}} | official_name = }}
'''Lohardaga district''' is one of the twenty-four districts of the [[India]]n [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[Jharkhand]]. The district is named after the town of [[Lohardaga]], the administrative headquarters of the district. The district was created from a portion of [[Ranchi district]] in 1983.<ref name="lohardaga.nic.in">{{Cite web|title=About District {{!}} Lohardaga {{!}} India|url=https://lohardaga.nic.in/about-district/|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-02}}</ref>
This district is surrounded by [[Latehar district]] in the north, [[Gumla district|Gumla]] district in south and west and [[Ranchi district]] in the east. The district is situated between 23°30' and 23°40' north latitudes and 84°40' and 84°50' east longitudes. The district covers an area of 1,502 km<sup>2</sup>.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tourism {{!}} Lohardaga {{!}} India|url=https://lohardaga.nic.in/tourism/|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-02}}</ref>
As of 2011, it is the least populous district of [[Jharkhand]] (out of [[Districts of Jharkhand|24]]).<ref name="districtcensus">{{Cite web |date=2011 |title=District Census Handbook: Lohardaga |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/550/download/1848/DH_2011_2011_PART_A_DCHB_LOHARDAGA.pdf |website=censusindia.gov.in |publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref>
It is currently a part of the [[Red Corridor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2009/12/naxal-menace-83-districts-under.html |title=83 districts under the Security Related Expenditure Scheme |publisher=IntelliBriefs |date= 2009-12-11 |accessdate=2011-09-17}}</ref>
== History == {{Unreferenced section|date=February 2025}} [[File:Districts of Jharkhand map.svg|thumb|The current district map of Jharkhand shows the yellow and green-shaded districts that were part of Lohardaga district until 1892, when the yellow-shaded region became Palamu district and the green-shaded region became Ranchi district. In subsequent years, other districts were carved out from these two districts.]] Lohardaga was the largest district in the [[Chota Nagpur Division]] of the [[Bengal Presidency]], covering {{convert|12044|sqmi|sqkm}} southwest areas of present-day Jharkhand. In 1892, it was bifurcated into the [[Palamu district|Palamu]] and [[Ranchi district]]s. By 1901, Ranchi covered {{convert|7128|sqmi|sqkm}} and Palamu {{convert|4914|sqmi|sqkm}}, with the Lohardaga area remaining part of Ranchi. [[Indian independence movement|Post-independence]], with an area of 1,502 km<sup>2</sup>, the Lohardaga region was reestablished as a district in 1983, following the bifurcation of Ranchi into three districts: Ranchi, Lohardaga, and [[Gumla district|Gumla]]. In 2007, the Khunti subdivision was carved out from Ranchi district to form a [[Khunti district|separate district]].
==Geography== District has a number of small hill blocks covered with forests. The general slope of the district is from west to east. [[Latehar district]] is situated in the north of this district, [[Ranchi district]] in the east and [[Gumla district]] in the south-west.
Lohardaga district consists of two broad physiographic divisions – the hilly tract and the plateau region. The hilly tract extends over the western and north-western parts of the district. The high hill tops of this region are known as ''pat''. The plateau region is a part of the Gumla Plateau; which lies in the southern portion of [[Chota Nagpur Plateau]]. Lohardaga and Bhandra CD blocks are entirely in the plateau region. Other administrative areas, such as Kisko, Senha and Kuru CD blocks are partly in the plateau region and partly in the hilly tract.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/20/2011_PART_A_DCHB_LOHARDAGA.pdf|title = District Census Handbook, Ranchi, Series 21, Part XII A| work= Page 9: Physical features |publisher= Directorate of Census Operations Jharkhand | access-date = 1 October 2021}}</ref>
The main rivers of the district are [[South Koel River|South Koel]], Sankh, Nandni, Chaupat’s and Fulijhar etc. These are mainly rain fed rivers which dry up in the summer months. Some springs are also seen in the hilly tract of the district. Geologically the area in comprised with Archean Granites and Gneisses. In the uplands considerable thickness of late-rite of Pleistocene age is found in the Granite and Gneisses tracts. Alluvium of recent to sub-recent age is found in the river valleys.<ref name="lohardaga.nic.in"/> The major part of the district is covered with Golden Alluvium, Red and Sandy and Red and Gravelly soils. [[Laterite]] and Red and Yellow soils are also found elsewhere in the district.
The most important mineral of the district is [[bauxite]]. Other minerals which are found in the district are [[feldspar]], [[fire clay]] and [[Kaolinite|china clay]] and have less economic importance.
The district enjoys a healthy and pleasant climate throughout the year. The annual average [[temperature]] is 23 °C and the district receives an annual average [[rain]]fall of 1000–1200 mm.<ref name="lohardaga.nic.in"/>
== Administration == Lohardaga district consists of 7 blocks. The following are the list of the blocks in Lohardaga district: {{Columns-list|colwidth=25em|style=left;| #[[Bhandra block]] #[[Kisko block]] #[[Lohardaga|Lohardaga block]] #[[Senha block]] #[[kuru block]] #[[Kairo block]] #[[Peshrar block]] }}
==Demographics== {{historical populations |1901|95,816 |1911|1,11,925 |1921|1,07,681 |1931|1,26,456 |1941|1,35,192 |1951|1,50,184 |1961|1,72,363 |1971|2,01,422 |1981|2,29,786 |1991|2,88,886 |2001|3,64,521 |2011|4,61,790 |source= Census of India<ref>{{cite web |title=Table A-02 Decadal Variation in Population Since 1901: Jharkhand |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/43353/download/47042/20%20A-2%20Jharkhand.pdf |website=census.gov.in|publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref>}}
According to the [[2011 census of India|2011 census]], Lohardaga district has a [[Demographics of India|population]] of 461,790,<ref name="districtcensus"/> roughly equal to the nation of [[Suriname]].<ref name="cia">{{cite web | author = US Directorate of Intelligence | title = Country Comparison:Population | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070613004507/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 13, 2007 | accessdate = 2011-10-01 | quote = Suriname 491,989 July 2011 est.}}</ref> This gives it a ranking of 549th in India (out of a total of [[Districts of India|640]]).<ref name=districtcensus/> The district has a population density of {{convert|307|PD/sqkm|PD/sqmi}}.<ref name=districtcensus/> Its [[Family planning in India|population growth rate]] over the decade 2001-2011 was 26.67%.<ref name=districtcensus/> Lohardaga has a [[sex ratio]] of 985 [[Women in India|females]] for every 1000 males,<ref name=districtcensus/> and a [[Literacy in India|literacy rate]] of 67.61%. 12.43% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 3.32% and 56.89% of the population respectively.<ref name=districtcensus/> ===Religion=== {{bar box |title=Religion in Lohardaga district (2011)<ref name="Religion"/> |titlebar=#Fcd116 |left1=Religion |right1=Percent |float=left |bars= {{bar percent|[[Tribal religions in India|ORP]]|maroon|51.10}} {{bar percent|[[Hinduism]]|darkorange|24.19}} {{bar percent|[[Islam]]|green|20.57}} {{bar percent|[[Christianity in Jharkhand|Christianity]]|dodgerblue|3.63}} {{bar percent|Other or not stated|black|0.35}} |caption=*''ORP mostly adherents of [[Sarnaism]]'' }}
In the district tribal religion (mainly Sarna) are practiced by half (i.e. 51.10%) of the population. While Hindus constitute 24.34%, Islam 20.57% and Christianity 3.63% of the population.<ref name="Religion">{{cite web |title=Table C-01 Population By Religion: Jharkhand|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11377/download/14490/DDW20C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=census.gov.in|publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref>
===Languages=== {{Pie chart |caption = Languages of Lohardaga district (2011)<ref name="language"/> |label1 = [[Kurukh language|Kurukh]] |value1 = 38.96 |color1 = mediumseagreen |label2 = [[Sadri language|Sadri]] |value2 = 33.17 |color2 = burlywood |label3 = [[Urdu]] |value3 = 13.87 |color3 = green |label4 = [[Hindi]] |value4 = 12.50 |color4 = orange |label5 = Others |value5 = 1.50 |color5 = grey }} At the time of the [[2011 Census of India]], 38.96% of the population in the district spoke [[Kurukh language|Kurukh]], 33.17% [[Sadri language|Sadri]], 13.87% [[Urdu]] and 12.50% [[Hindi]] as their first language.<ref name="language">{{Cite web |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/10207/download/13319/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-2000.XLSX|title=Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Jharkhand|website=censusindia.gov.in|publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref>
Other languages spoken here includes [[Asur language|Asuri]], a [[Munda languages|Munda language]] spoken by approximately 17,000 people.<ref name='ethnoaranadan'>{{cite encyclopedia | editor = M. Paul Lewis | encyclopedia = Ethnologue: Languages of the World | title = Asuri: A language of India | url = http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=asr | accessdate = 2011-09-28 | edition = 16th | year = 2009 | publisher = SIL International | location = Dallas, Texas}}</ref>
==Economy== The net sown area is only 55% of the total area of the district. Two blocks i.e. Kisko and Senha have large area under dense [[forest cover]]. The forest cover is around 32-35% of the total area of the district. The average land holding per household is 1.65 Ha. The per capita agriculture land is around 0.28 Ha. Net irrigated area is 13.4% of net sown area (0.8% by canals, 7% by wells, 2% by tanks & 3.6% by lift irrigation and others).
In 2006 the Indian government named Lohardaga one of the country's 250 [[Poverty in India|most backward districts]] (out of a total of [[Districts of India|640]]).<ref name=brgf/> It is one of the 21 districts in Jharkhand currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).<ref name=brgf>{{cite web|author=Ministry of Panchayati Raj |date=September 8, 2009 |title=A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme |publisher=National Institute of Rural Development |url=http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |accessdate=September 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405033402/http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |archivedate=April 5, 2012 }}</ref>
==Education == There are 318 primary schools, 68 middle schools, 20 High schools, 2 higher secondary schools and two degree colleges and one degree college for girls in the district.
== Healthcare == In this district, there is a district hospital, one referral hospital, five primary health sub-centres, ten additional primary health centres, seventy three health sub-centres.
==Politics== {{transcluded section|source=6th Jharkhand Assembly}} {{#section:6th Jharkhand Assembly|MLA Header}} {{#section:6th Jharkhand Assembly|Lohardaga district}} |}
==See also== * [[Bhakso Harratoli]] * [[Lohardaga]] * [[Latehar district]] * [[Gumla district]] * [[Ranchi district]] * [[Chatra district]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.traveljharkhand.com/jharkhand-tourism/jharkhand-districts/lohardaga.html Travel guide and maps of Lohardaga] *[http://lohardaga.nic.in/ Lohardaga district website]
{{Geographic location |Centre = Lohardaga district |North = [[Latehar district]] [[Gaya, India|Gaya]] [[Patna]] |Northeast = |East = [[Ranchi district]] |Southeast = |South = [[Rourkela]] |Southwest = [[Gumla district]] |West = |Northwest = }}
{{Jharkhand}} {{South Chotanagpur Division}} {{South Chotanagpur Division topics}} {{Authority control}}
{{Coord|23|26|N|84|41|E|type:adm3rd_source:itwiki|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lohardaga District}} [[Category:Lohardaga district| ]] [[Category:Districts of Jharkhand]] [[Category:1983 establishments in Bihar]]