Jharkhand is a state rich in natural resources, tribal heritage, and developmental achievements. This blog presents a consolidated list of “Most, Least, First, Highest, Largest” facts related to Jharkhand, which are frequently asked in various competitive exams like JPSC, JSSC, UPSC, and SSC.

Geographical and Natural Superlatives

• Largest district by area: Latehar (56.0% forest cover)
• Smallest district by area: Jamtara (5.8% forest cover)
• Highest peak: Parasnath or Shikharji (1,365 meters)
• Largest river: Damodar River
• Longest river: Damodar River
• Most polluted river: Damodar River
• Notorious river for changing course: Sakri River
• Only river from Jharkhand independently draining into Bay of Bengal: Subarnarekha River
• Only navigable river: Mayurakshi River
• Most rainfall location: Netarhat (1800 mm)
• Least rainfall area: Plains of Chaibasa
• Coldest place: Netarhat
• Hottest place: Jamshedpur
• Hottest month: May
• Coldest month: January

Forests and Wildlife

• Largest forest area: Saranda Forest
• District with largest forest area: West Singhbhum (3,368 sq. km.)
• District with least forest area: Jamtara (106 sq. km.)
• Highest forest cover percentage: West Singhbhum
• Lowest forest cover percentage: Chatra
• Only national park: Betla National Park (Latehar)
• Only national-level wildlife sanctuary: Palamu Wildlife Sanctuary
• Largest sanctuary: Palamu Wildlife Sanctuary
• Most waterfalls district: Ranchi
• Highest waterfall: Lodh Falls (Latehar)

Administrative and Political Facts

• District with most blocks: Palamu (21 blocks)
• Most populated tribe: Santhal
• Oldest tribe: Asur
• Tribal language included in 8th Schedule: Santhali
• Largest Parliamentary Constituency: West Singhbhum
• Smallest Parliamentary Constituency: Chatra
• Most times served as CM: Shibu Soren and Arjun Munda (3 times each)
• Longest tenure as CM in one term: Raghubar Das (1800+ days)
• First independent CM: Madhu Koda

Industrial and Economic Superlatives

• Largest river valley project: Damodar Valley Project
• Largest airport: Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi
• Largest Aluminum unit: Muri
• Most tribal-dominated division: Santhal Pargana
• District with most hot water springs: Hazaribagh
• District with largest iron ore mine: Noamundi, West Singhbhum
• Most productive crop: Paddy
• Top maize producing district: Palamu
• Top wheat producing district: Palamu
• District with highest coal production: Dhanbad
• District with highest irrigation by wells: Sahibganj & Jamtara
• District with highest irrigation by ponds: Dhanbad
• District with highest irrigation by canals: Not specified
• District with highest mica reserves: Not specified
• Most coal mines: Jharkhand (state-wise)
• Most coal-producing state: Jharkhand
• Most mica reserves: Jharkhand
• Largest coal washery: Piparwar (Chatra)
• First methane gas well: Parbatpur (Bokaro)
• Largest explosive factory: Gomia (Bokaro)
• Largest copper smelting unit: Ghatshila

Educational and Cultural Highlights

• First e-library state: Jharkhand
• First international tribal athlete: Vijay Neelmani Khalkho
• Most diverse tribal division: Santhal Pargana
• First research in Hindi on Hindi: Father Kamil Bulcke
• First tribal woman to summit Everest (oldest): Premlata Agrawal (48 years)
• First woman president of Federation of Indian Associations (USA): Rita Singh
• First person to get aviation license: J.R.D. Tata
• First Indian industrialist to get Bharat Ratna: J.R.D. Tata
• First woman train driver: Laxmi (Tribal)
• First tiger census in India: 1932
• First steel plant: Sakchi (Jamshedpur)
• First fertilizer plant: Sindri
• First iron & steel industry: TISCO (Jamshedpur)
• Only turbine-based power station: Maithon Hydro Power Plant
• Only cantonment board in Jharkhand: Ramgarh Cantonment
• First BPO for prisoner meeting (e-mulaqat): Dhanbad
• First robotic arm hospital: RINPAS, Ranchi
• First dark site observatory in India: Palamu Tiger Reserve
• Only central university of state: Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi
• Highest-altitude school: Netarhat School (Latehar)

Agricultural Highlights

• Highest producing crop: Paddy (Rice)
• First multi-national project: Damodar Valley Project
• Most maize and wheat produced in: Palamu
• Most irrigation by wells: Sahibganj and Jamtara
• First fertilizer plant: Sindri
• Most irrigation by ponds: Dhanbad
• Most irrigation by canals: Not specified

Transport & Infrastructure

• Longest National Highway: NH-20 (6 districts)
• NH passing through most districts: NH-20
• Only NH fully within Jharkhand: NH-20
• Longest State Highway: SH-24

Wildlife & Conservation

• Only National Park: Betla National Park (Latehar)
• Most popular religious fair: Shravani Mela, Deoghar
• Oldest wildlife sanctuary: Palamu Wildlife Sanctuary
• Largest zoo: Bokaro Zoo
• Zoo with African lions/cubs: Tata Zoological Garden (Jamshedpur)

Power & Energy

• First coal-based thermal power plant: Bokaro
• Biggest earthen dam: Tenughat Dam (Bokaro)
• Most hot springs: Suryakund (Hazaribagh)
• First bio-CNG plant: Jamshedpur
• First oxygen plant (during COVID): Jamshedpur

Sports & Notable Personalities

• First tribal Olympic Hockey Captain: Jaipal Singh Munda
• First Indian to fly a plane: J.R.D. Tata
• Only cricketer from Jharkhand to receive AIVS Play Award: M.S. Dhoni
• First woman to climb highest peaks of all continents: Premlata Agrawal

Textiles and Crafts

• First state to provide weaver credit cards: Jharkhand
• Largest lac export center: Latehar

Special Notes

• Facts marked with asterisks (*) are frequently asked in Jharkhand competitive exams.
• This list is vital for aspirants of JPSC, JSSC, UPSC, and state-level quizzes.

Nicknames and Heritage Titles of Jharkhand’s Cities, Towns, and Institutions

Jharkhand’s cities and towns carry unique cultural, historical, and industrial identities. Many places are popularly known by their nicknames or titles, which are often asked in competitive exams like JPSC, JSSC, UPSC, etc.

Cities and Their Nicknames

• Rajmahal – Shimla of Jharkhand
• Sahebganj – City of Waterfalls
• Ranchi – Capital of Bengal (colonial reference)
• Ranchi – City of Martyrs
• Ramgarh – City of Glass (Kaanch Nagari)
• Ramgarh – Motorists’ Paradise
• Ramgarh – Land of Maa Chhinnamastika
• Garhwa – Land of Maa Garhdevi
• Pakaur – Manchester of Eastern India
• Pakaur – City of Martello Towers
• East Singhbhum (Jamshedpur) – Pittsburgh of India
• East Singhbhum – Gateway of British Entry
• East Singhbhum – Steel City (TISCO/TELCO)
• East Singhbhum – Land of Dhal Kings
• East Singhbhum – City of Factories
• Chhotanagpur Plateau – Treasure of Jharkhand
• Chhotanagpur – Rur of India
• Jamshedpur – Sports City of Jharkhand
• Jamshedpur – Mecca of Music and Dance
• Saraikela – City of Chhau Dance
• Palamu – Jaisalmer of Jharkhand
• Lohardaga – Bauxite City
• Jamtara – House of Snakes
• West Singhbhum – Ratnagarbha of Jharkhand
• Bokaro – Mini Mumbai
• Simdega – Nursery of Sports
• Hazaribagh – City of a Thousand Gardens
• Netarhat – Queen of Hills
• Netarhat (Latehar) – Scenic Spot of Sunrise & Sunset
• Ranchi – Suryamandir: A Poem on Stone
• McCluskieganj – City within a Village
• Medininagar (Daltonganj) – Town of Anglo-Indians (only one in the world)
• Bokaro – Sheffield of Jharkhand
• Dhanbad – City of Mines
• Dhanbad – Coal Capital of India
• Tatanagar Station – Station of Black Soil
• Saheb Badh, Nagar Untari – City of Temples
• Deoghar – Baba Dham / City of Temples
• Deoghar – Nagpuri Art Confluence
• Ranchi – Cultural Capital of Jharkhand
• Koderma – Mica Capital of India
• Chatra – Glittering Land
• Gumla – Land of Albert Ekka
• Saranada – Land of 700 Hills
• Korambe (Lohardaga) – Switzerland of India
• Domabari Hills – Jallianwala Bagh of Jharkhand
• Oremanji (Ranchi) – Queen of Chhotanagpur
• HEC Ranchi – Factory of Factories
• Marafari (Jamshedpur) – Black Diamond City
• Bendra (Bokaro) – Temple Ground
• Kinane Stadium (Jamshedpur) – Steel Hub Stadium
• Ranchi College – Cultural Capital’s College
• Vasukinath – Land of Priests
• Maluti (Dumka) – Village of Temples
• Sakchi – Gateway to Bengal
• Baidyanath Dham – Baijnath Math / Spiritual Epicenter
• Doisa Fort, Santhal Pargana – Hampi of Jharkhand
• Ranchi Lake – City Lake
• Vanshidhar Temple – Spiritual Confluence
• Shyamaprasad Mukherjee University – Modern Educational Hub (Ranchi)
• Bijrabaag (Dumka) – Mini Kashi
• Palamu – Gupt Kashi

Old & New Names of Cities and Institutions

• Pundra / Pund → Chhotanagpur
• Wilkisson Ganj → Ranchi
• Kisunpur → Gomoh Junction
• Ranchi Hill → Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Hill
• Birsa Central Jail (Ranchi) → Birsa Munda Memorial Museum
• Lamos Cement Ltd. → Khalari Cement Ltd.
• Palamu Medical College → Medinirai Medical College (2019)
• RIT, Jamshedpur (1960) → NIT Jamshedpur (2002)
• BIT Sindri (1949) → Birsa Institute of Technology Sindri (2000)
• Mission College, Hazaribagh (1899) → Dublin University Mission College
• Sant Columba College, Hazaribagh (1906–07) → No change
• Bihar Caustic Soda & Chemicals, Palamu → Aditya Birla Chemicals, Palamu
• National Coal Development Corporation Ltd. → Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), Ranchi
• Rajendra Medical College, Ranchi → RIMS (Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences), Ranchi (2002)
• Indal Muri (1938) → Hindalco, Muri (2005)
• Tik Asylum Ranchi → Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi (1918)
• India’s First Advanced Foundry and Forge Institute → National Institute of Foundry & Forge Technology, Ranchi (1966)
• NIAMT Ranchi (2021) → National Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology
• Shahid Nirmal Mahato Medical College (1971) → Updated to SNMMCH Dhanbad (2020)
• Dumka Medical College (2019) → Phulo-Jhano Medical College & Hospital, Dumka (2020)
• Jamshedpur Engineering College (Old) → NIT Jamshedpur (2002)
• Professional College, Jamshedpur → Atal Bihari Vajpayee Professional College