Jharkhand, State, northeastern India. Area: 28,833 sq mi (74,677 sq km). Population: (2011) 32,966,238. Capital: Ranchi. It is bordered by Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh states. The state lies mainly on the Chota Nagpur plateau, a series of plateaus, hills, and valleys. Many aboriginal peoples live there. The area now constituting Jharkhand was a part of Bihar state after Indian independence in 1947 until it was made into a separate state in 2000. It is rich in minerals (notably copper), although much of the population is engaged in agriculture.
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