It is the administrative headquarters of the Kendujhar district. Geography
=======
Keonjhar is a land locked district with an area of 8240 km2. It is situated in the northern part of Odisha. It is surrounded by Singhbhum district of Jharkhand in the North, Jajpur in the South, Dhenkanal and Sundargarh in the West and Mayurbhanj and Bhadrak in the East. It lies between 21°1'N and 22°10'N latitudes,
between 35°11' and 86°22' longitude and at 480 meter altitude.Baitrani river originate from keonjhar plateau
Demographics
========
As of 2001 India census,[1] Kendujhar had a population of 51,832. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Kendujhar has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 67%. In Kendujhar, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. History
====
Following the integration of the feudatory states with Odisha on 1 January 1948 the erstwhile princely state of Keonjhar emerged as one of its districts with its head-quarters at Keonjhargarh and since then it is continuing as such. The whole district of Keonjhar was a princely state before its merger with Odisha. The early history of the State is not adequately known. It was most probably a part of the old Khijjinga territory with headquarters at Khijjinga Kota, identified with modern Khiching. It became a separate state with Jyoti Bhanja as its ruling chief in the first half of the 12th century A.D. The then State of Keonjhar comprised only the northern half of the modern district for a long time prior to the installation of Jyoti Bhanja as King. During the latter part of the 15th century the southern half was occupied by King Govinda Bhanja under whose rule Keonjhar was extended from Singbhum in the north to Sukinda(a Zamindari in Cuttack district) in the South and from Mayurbhanj in the East to the borders of the States of Bonai, Pallahara and Anugul in the West. During the rule of Pratap Balabhadra Bhanja (1764-1792 A.D.) two small areas of Tillo and Jujhpada were purchased from the Zamindar of Kantajhari and were added to the State. These were recognised as parts of Keonjhar in the Sanad granted by the East India Company to Raja Janardan Bhanj in 1804. Since then there had been no territiorial changes of the State till its merger with the Province of Odisha. But after merger largely for the reasons of administrative expediency the areas of Tillo (7.51 km2) and Jujhpada (9.06sq.km.) were transferred to the districts of Baleshwar and Cuttack respectively, while a number of villages called Ambo group (14.84 km2.) of Balasore district were added to Keonjhar district.
