This one-page sheet covers the physical geography of Chhattisgarh. For explanations, read [Location, Extent and Boundaries](/chhattisgarh/physical-geography/location-extent-boundaries/), [Physiographic Divisions](/chhattisgarh/physical-geography/physiographic-divisions/), [Drainage: Rivers and Basins](/chhattisgarh/physical-geography/drainage-rivers/) and [Climate and Soils](/chhattisgarh/physical-geography/climate-and-soils/).

{{< callout type="tip" title="How to use this sheet" >}}
Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often.
{{< /callout >}}

## Timeline / Key Facts

### Location and Boundaries

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Latitude** | **17°46′ N to 24°5′ N** |
| **Longitude** | **80°15′ E to 84°24′ E** |
| **Area** | **1,35,192 km²**, about 4.1% of India |
| Rank by area | 9th (as of 2026; 10th before J&K became a UT in 2019) |
| Size | About 700–800 km N–S (varies by source); about 435 km E–W |
| **Neighbours** | **7**: UP (N), Jharkhand (NE), Odisha (E), Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (S), Maharashtra (SW), MP (W/NW) |
| **Longest / shortest border** | **Odisha / Andhra Pradesh** |
| Neighbour count before 2 June 2014 | 6 (undivided Andhra Pradesh) |
| **Tropic of Cancer** | **MCB, Koriya, Surajpur, Balrampur** (as of 2026) |
| IST meridian (82°30′ E) | Also crosses the state; meets the Tropic in the northern hills |

### Relief

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| Three-fold scheme | Northern hills, Chhattisgarh plain, Bastar plateau |
| **Four-fold scheme** | **Eastern Baghelkhand plateau, Jashpur–Samri pat, Mahanadi basin (plain), Dandakaranya (Bastar) plateau** |
| **Largest unit** | **Chhattisgarh plain**: rice bowl; limestone (cement belt) |
| **Highest peak** | **Gaurlata, about 1,225 m, Samri pat, Balrampur** |
| Second highest | Nandiraj, about 1,210 m, Bailadila, Dantewada |
| Maikal range | Western rim, Kabirdham; Badargarh about 1,176 m; Amarkantak is in MP |
| **Mainpat** | **Surguja; about 1,085 m; "Shimla of CG"; Tibetan settlement (1962); Rihand rises nearby** |
| Jashpur pats | Uparghat (higher), Nichghat (lower) |
| Bailadila | Dantewada; "bullock's hump"; iron ore |
| Abujhmarh | "Unknown hills" (Gondi); about 4,000 km²; mainly Narayanpur |

### Rivers

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Basins (WRD areas)** | **Mahanadi about 56% > Godavari about 28% > Ganga about 14%**; Narmada about 1.5%; Brahmani about 1% |
| Arabian Sea drainage | Only the Narmada strip |
| **Mahanadi source** | **Near Sihawa (Pharsiya, Nagri), Dhamtari** |
| Mahanadi length | About 851 km; in CG about 286 km (state books) or about 357 km (CWC) |
| **Longest tributary** | **Shivnath**: Panabaras hill, Ambagarh Chowki; about 290 km in CG; joins near Shivrinarayan |
| Shivnath's tributaries | Kharun, Arpa, Tandula, Hamp, Maniyari |
| Hasdeo | Devgarh hills near Sonhat (Koriya); about 333 km; Minimata (Hasdeo Bango) dam; Amritdhara falls |
| **Rajim** | **Mahanadi + Pairi + Sondur; "Prayag of CG"** |
| Shivrinarayan | Mahanadi + Shivnath + Jonk |
| **Indravati** | **Rises in Kalahandi (Odisha); Chitrakote falls; joins Godavari at CG–MH–TG tri-junction (Bhadrakali, Bijapur)** |
| Sabari | Sukma–Odisha border, past Konta; joins Godavari at Kunavaram (AP) |
| Rihand, Kanhar | Flow north to the Son (Ganga system); Rihand dam is in UP |
| **Chitrakote** | **Indravati; about 29 m; "Niagara of India"; near Jagdalpur** |
| Tirathgarh | Mugabahar (Kanger system), Kanger Valley NP |
| Gangrel | Ravishankar Sagar on the Mahanadi near Dhamtari |
| Mahanadi tribunal | Set up 2018 (Odisha vs Chhattisgarh) |

### Climate and Soils

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Climate** | **Tropical monsoon** |
| Rainfall | About 1,200–1,300 mm a year; **85–90% in June–September** |
| Wettest / driest | Bastar plateau (about 1,490 mm) / western plain (lee of Maikal) |
| **Agro-climatic zones** | **3: Chhattisgarh Plains, Northern Hills, Bastar Plateau** (IGKV) |
| Coldest area | Mainpat and northern hills |
| **Most extensive soil** | **Red-yellow** |
| Bastar soil | Red sandy |
| Black soil | Western plain (Kabirdham, Bemetara area) |
| Laterite | Surguja–Jashpur uplands, parts of Bastar |
| **Local soils, high to low land** | **Bhata → Matasi → Dorsa → Kanhar** |
| Kanhar | Dark, clayey, most moisture-retentive; rabi gram and wheat |
| Matasi | Yellow sandy loam |

## Don't Confuse

| This | vs | That |
|------|----|------|
| Longest border: Odisha | | Shortest border: Andhra Pradesh |
| Gaurlata (Balrampur): highest | | Nandiraj, Bailadila (Dantewada): second |
| Mainpat: Surguja | | Samri pat: Balrampur |
| Mahanadi source: Sihawa | | Shivnath source: Panabaras |
| Rajim: Pairi, Sondur | | Shivrinarayan: Shivnath, Jonk |
| Chitrakote: Indravati | | Tirathgarh: Mugabahar (Kanger) |
| Hasdeo flows south (Mahanadi) | | Rihand flows north (Son–Ganga) |
| Gangrel, Minimata: in CG | | Hirakud (Odisha), Rihand dam (UP): outside CG |
| Kanhar: clayey, fertile | | Matasi: sandy; Bhata: gravelly, poorest |
| Red-yellow: most extensive | | Black: only the western plain |

{{< callout type="warning" title="Favourite MCQ trap" >}}
Watch for four swaps: **Bailadila** offered as the highest peak (it is **Gaurlata**), **Telangana** offered as the shortest border (it is **Andhra Pradesh**), **Hasdeo** offered as the longest tributary (it is **Shivnath**), and **Amarkantak** placed in Chhattisgarh (it is in **Madhya Pradesh**).
{{< /callout >}}

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Source: https://cgpscnotes.in/chhattisgarh/physical-geography/quick-revision/

Chhattisgarh Physical Geography: Location, Relief, Rivers and Climate

Physical Geography: Location, Relief, Rivers and Climate — Quick Revision

One-page CGPSC quick revision for Chhattisgarh physical geography: extent, neighbours, relief, rivers, climate and soils in tables.

4 min read Updated Oct 2026 #quick revision#cgpsc

This one-page sheet covers the physical geography of Chhattisgarh. For explanations, read Location, Extent and Boundaries, Physiographic Divisions, Drainage: Rivers and Basins and Climate and Soils.

How to use this sheet

Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often.

Timeline / Key Facts

Location and Boundaries

Fact	Detail
Latitude	17°46′ N to 24°5′ N
Longitude	80°15′ E to 84°24′ E
Area	1,35,192 km², about 4.1% of India
Rank by area	9th (as of 2026; 10th before J&K became a UT in 2019)
Size	About 700–800 km N–S (varies by source); about 435 km E–W
Neighbours	7: UP (N), Jharkhand (NE), Odisha (E), Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (S), Maharashtra (SW), MP (W/NW)
Longest / shortest border	Odisha / Andhra Pradesh
Neighbour count before 2 June 2014	6 (undivided Andhra Pradesh)
Tropic of Cancer	MCB, Koriya, Surajpur, Balrampur (as of 2026)
IST meridian (82°30′ E)	Also crosses the state; meets the Tropic in the northern hills

Relief

Fact	Detail
Three-fold scheme	Northern hills, Chhattisgarh plain, Bastar plateau
Four-fold scheme	Eastern Baghelkhand plateau, Jashpur–Samri pat, Mahanadi basin (plain), Dandakaranya (Bastar) plateau
Largest unit	Chhattisgarh plain: rice bowl; limestone (cement belt)
Highest peak	Gaurlata, about 1,225 m, Samri pat, Balrampur
Second highest	Nandiraj, about 1,210 m, Bailadila, Dantewada
Maikal range	Western rim, Kabirdham; Badargarh about 1,176 m; Amarkantak is in MP
Mainpat	Surguja; about 1,085 m; “Shimla of CG”; Tibetan settlement (1962); Rihand rises nearby
Jashpur pats	Uparghat (higher), Nichghat (lower)
Bailadila	Dantewada; “bullock’s hump”; iron ore
Abujhmarh	“Unknown hills” (Gondi); about 4,000 km²; mainly Narayanpur

Rivers

Fact	Detail
Basins (WRD areas)	Mahanadi about 56% > Godavari about 28% > Ganga about 14%; Narmada about 1.5%; Brahmani about 1%
Arabian Sea drainage	Only the Narmada strip
Mahanadi source	Near Sihawa (Pharsiya, Nagri), Dhamtari
Mahanadi length	About 851 km; in CG about 286 km (state books) or about 357 km (CWC)
Longest tributary	Shivnath: Panabaras hill, Ambagarh Chowki; about 290 km in CG; joins near Shivrinarayan
Shivnath’s tributaries	Kharun, Arpa, Tandula, Hamp, Maniyari
Hasdeo	Devgarh hills near Sonhat (Koriya); about 333 km; Minimata (Hasdeo Bango) dam; Amritdhara falls
Rajim	Mahanadi + Pairi + Sondur; “Prayag of CG”
Shivrinarayan	Mahanadi + Shivnath + Jonk
Indravati	Rises in Kalahandi (Odisha); Chitrakote falls; joins Godavari at CG–MH–TG tri-junction (Bhadrakali, Bijapur)
Sabari	Sukma–Odisha border, past Konta; joins Godavari at Kunavaram (AP)
Rihand, Kanhar	Flow north to the Son (Ganga system); Rihand dam is in UP
Chitrakote	Indravati; about 29 m; “Niagara of India”; near Jagdalpur
Tirathgarh	Mugabahar (Kanger system), Kanger Valley NP
Gangrel	Ravishankar Sagar on the Mahanadi near Dhamtari
Mahanadi tribunal	Set up 2018 (Odisha vs Chhattisgarh)

Climate and Soils

Fact	Detail
Climate	Tropical monsoon
Rainfall	About 1,200–1,300 mm a year; 85–90% in June–September
Wettest / driest	Bastar plateau (about 1,490 mm) / western plain (lee of Maikal)
Agro-climatic zones	3: Chhattisgarh Plains, Northern Hills, Bastar Plateau (IGKV)
Coldest area	Mainpat and northern hills
Most extensive soil	Red-yellow
Bastar soil	Red sandy
Black soil	Western plain (Kabirdham, Bemetara area)
Laterite	Surguja–Jashpur uplands, parts of Bastar
Local soils, high to low land	Bhata → Matasi → Dorsa → Kanhar
Kanhar	Dark, clayey, most moisture-retentive; rabi gram and wheat
Matasi	Yellow sandy loam

Don’t Confuse

This	vs	That
Longest border: Odisha		Shortest border: Andhra Pradesh
Gaurlata (Balrampur): highest		Nandiraj, Bailadila (Dantewada): second
Mainpat: Surguja		Samri pat: Balrampur
Mahanadi source: Sihawa		Shivnath source: Panabaras
Rajim: Pairi, Sondur		Shivrinarayan: Shivnath, Jonk
Chitrakote: Indravati		Tirathgarh: Mugabahar (Kanger)
Hasdeo flows south (Mahanadi)		Rihand flows north (Son–Ganga)
Gangrel, Minimata: in CG		Hirakud (Odisha), Rihand dam (UP): outside CG
Kanhar: clayey, fertile		Matasi: sandy; Bhata: gravelly, poorest
Red-yellow: most extensive		Black: only the western plain

Favourite MCQ trap

Watch for four swaps: Bailadila offered as the highest peak (it is Gaurlata), Telangana offered as the shortest border (it is Andhra Pradesh), Hasdeo offered as the longest tributary (it is Shivnath), and Amarkantak placed in Chhattisgarh (it is in Madhya Pradesh).

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