Chatra district is one of the twenty-four districts of Jharkhand state, India, and Chatra is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district covers an area of 3706 km². It has a population of 791,434 (Census 2001).
According to the 2011 census Chatra district has a population of 1042886 roughly equal to the nation of Cyprus or the US state of Rhode Island.This gives it a ranking of 434rd in India (out of a total of 640).The district has a population density of 275 inhabitants per square kilometre (710 /sq mi) .Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 28.98 %. Chatra has a sex ratio of 951 females for every 1000 males,and a literacy rate of 60.18 %.
|Block Name||Total Population||No. of Gram Panchayats||No. of Revenue Villages||Total Literates(%)||Male Literates(%)||Female Literates(%)||SC (%)||ST (%)|
Chatra district is located in the Hazaribag plateau. It is bounded by the district of Gaya of Bihar state in the north, Palamu district in the west and Latehar in the South and Koderma and Hazaribag district in the East. It has an area of 3706 sq. km and population of 7,90,680 persons (Census of India, 2011). The district comprises Two Subdivision and twelve development blocks viz. Chatra, Simaria, Pratappur, Huntergunj, Itkhori, Tandwa, Kunda, Lawalong, Gidhour, Pathalgada, Mayurhand and Kanhachatti.
Major parts of the geographical area of the district are formed of red laterite acidic soil. Upland has generally covered by Morum and Stone. The landscape is formed of hills and undulating plateau. The inhabitants of this area depend primarily on agriculture and forest products for their livelihood. Almost 90% of the total population depends on agriculture. The main crop of this area is paddy. Millets, Mustard, Niger and Maize are also quite popular. Wheat, Gram, pea, Soya beans, Groundnut etc. are also being cultivated. Total cultivated land is about 134024 hect, out of which only 16367-hect is irrigated. The agriculture is mainly depended on rainwater. The main forest products are Mahuwa, Chironjii, Lah ,Kendu leaves,Jack fruit,Black berry etc.
Since the district consists of part of Upper Hazaribag plateau and Lower Hazaribag plateau and northen scarp, it presents diverse physiographic features. It has an elevation of about 450 m. Kalua hill and Lahabar hill forms the higher elevations of the district. Due to scarp landforms some waterfalls are observed in the district. The general slope of the district is from north to south. Geologically the area is comprised with Archean granites and gneisses. In southern part Gondwana rock formation occur in patches. Major rivers flowing in the district are Yamuna, Barki, Chako, Damodar and Garhi.
The district receives an annual rainfall of 1250 mm. and most of the rainfall occurs during the rainy season. During winter season the area receive 1 to 2 mm rainfall. The mean annual temperature remains about 25 degree Celsius but in summer season it reaches upto 46 degree Celsius and in winter season it comes down to 2 to 3 degree Celsius.
AGRICULTURE AND LAND USE
The major portion of the district is covered by forest (60.4 % of TGA) and has scattered settlement pattern. The forest is full of variety of medicinal plants, kendu leaves, bamboo, sal, teak and other timber species. The district has considerable flat land, which provide suitable site for agricultural use. The hilly areas are mostly under forest with patches of cultivation on scarp areas. Major crops grown in the district are rice, wheat and pulses. Only 12.21 percent area of agricultural use are net irrigated and major source of irrigation are well and tube wells.