District Sambalpur is bounded on the north by Sundargarh district, on the east by Sundergarh, Deogarh and Angul districts, on the south by Sonepur and Angul districts and on the west by Sonepur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts. The total area of this district is 6704 sq. km. Headquarter of the district is located at Sambalpur. Main languages spoken in the district are Oriya, Bengali, Hindi and Telugu.

The district has a population of about 0.81 million (1991 census). There are 956 females per 1000 males. About 74.6% of the population lives in the rural areas, while 25.4% of the population lives in the urban areas. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes contribute about 21.9% and 0.04% respectively. The decennial growth rate of population between 1981-1991 was 18.50%. Main languages spoken in the district are Oriya, Bengali and Hindi.

The district at present comprised of 3 sub-division 4 tehsils and 9 Community Development Blocks. It has 4 towns and 1325 villages (Table-1).

Amenities available in the villages are shown in table-2.

The district consists of undulating up lands varying in elevation from 146 m to 288.6 meters above the sea level.  The Sambalpur and Bargarh sub-divisions contain vast area of plain land and consequent upon the construction of Hirakund Dam this has become most fertile tract. The second region consists of forest clad hills as well as series of low hilly ranges with a fairly open expanse.  Debagarh tehsil has an alluvial area.  The Southwestern boundary of the district is formed by the magnificent hill known as Gandhamardan.

Table 1. Administrative Units in District

Number (with percentage) of villages having one or more amenities in the district as per 1991 census is given below:

Table 2. Villages having one or more amenities in the district (1991 census)

Forests occupy an important place in the economy. Its influence on agriculture is substantial.  A perennial vegetative cover is maintained by the forests, which checks soil erosion, prevents greater run off of water.  The forest produce provides employment to a considerable segment of the population. The principal forest produces are timber, firewood, bamboo and Tendu leaf. Minor forest produces include gum, mahua flower, myro balam, sabaigrass, wax etc.

River Mahanadi traverses in the district.  The other rivers are of minor importance and are tributaries of river Mahanadi or small nalas. 

National Highway No. 42 passes through this district. National Highway No.6, which connects Kolkata and Mumbai, also traverses through Bargarh, Sambalpur and Debagarh sub-divisions of the district. All the sub-divisions, Tehsils and Blocks headquarters are having all weather communication facility. The district has all weather road communication facility with the state headquarters, district headquarters and important towns inside and outside the State.

Agriculture is the main stay of the people.  Consequent upon the construction of Hirakund Dam, more areas of the district are getting irrigation facility and scope for additional coverage has increased.

Broadly speaking three types of soil are available in the district. The red forest, which is suitable for orchards and dry crop like arhar, the brown forest soil that is suitable for fruit bearing trees, and the sandy soil suitable for groundnut and pulses. Diversification of paddy crop to non-paddy crop in the uplands is being done.

In the past irrigation was mostly done through tanks.  Hirakund Dam over the river Mahanadi made a great landmark in the system of irrigation in the district.  Though canal system, vast acreage has been provided with irrigation.

In the earlier days, pisci-culture was non-existent.  The Mahanadi river was the sole-natural source of fish supply.  Consequent upon construction of Hirakund Dam, the reservoir thereof besides Grampanchayat and private tanks constitute the main source of inland pisci-culture in the district.  Fish Farmers Development Agency is developing pisci-culture by way of leasing out tanks on long-term basis and providing necessary finance for development of infrastructure and fish rearing.

The cattle of the district are generally poor. To look after the animal husbandry there are 2 hospitals, 46 dispensaries, and 136 livestock aid centres in the district.

The important minerals found in the district are coal, fireclay, limestone and graphite. 

The old type industries were weaving of cotton and tusser cloth besides manufacture of bell metal utensils.  The silk weaving was a principal industry of the district and received recognition as back 1853.  It was also exported outside the districts.

The industrial Development Corporation of Orissa has set up industries like, Transmission Line Towers, Aluminium Conductors and Copper Winding wires besides Mild steel rounds, and Tor steel angles at Hirakund.

Small-scale/Village Industries the District Industries Centres include Black smithy, Bee-keeping, Bell metal, Cane and bamboo, Carpentry, Food processing and preservation, Rope, Handloom and Khadi, Leather products and Village pottery etc. 

Primary and middle schools are available in all the towns of this district. 

The table 3 given below furnishes information regarding various types of medical institutions available in the towns of this district:

Table 3. Medical institutions in sambalpur district

National Surveillance Programme for communicable Diseases

Sambalpur district in Orissa was included in the programme in year 2000 - 2001. The District Nodal Officer and the District Rapid Response Team has been identified. The training of the district RRT should be taken up by state RRT. District laboratory has also been identified. The fund for the strengthening of the laboratory has been forwarded to the state by the NICD. The weekly and monthly reports have not yet been forwarded to NICD. Hopefully, after the training of the district RRT by the state and proper implementation of the programme, the information will be forwarded to NICD.