Orissa

views updated Jun 11 2018

Orissa State in ne India, on the Bay of Bengal; the capital is Bhubaneswar. After being ruled by Hindus, Afghans and Moguls, it was ceded to the Mahrattas in 1751. Occupied by the British in 1803, it became a constituent state of India in 1950. Industries: mining, fishing, rice, wheat, sugar cane, oilseeds, forestry. Area: 155,782sq km (60,147sq mi). Pop. (2001) 36,706,920.