State (pop., 2001 prelim.: 26,909,428), northeastern India.
It is bordered by Bihar , West Bengal , Orissa , Chhattisgarh , and Uttar Pradesh states and occupies 28,833 sq mi (74,677 sq km); its capital is Ranchi. The state lies mainly on the Chota Nagapur Plateau, a series of plateaus, hills, and valleys. Many aboriginal peoples live there. The area now constituting Jharkhand was a part of Bihar state after Indian independence in 1947 until it was made into a separate state in 2000. It is rich in minerals (notably copper), although most of the population is engaged in agriculture.