Jharkhand

The name Jharkhand literally means "Land of Hills and Forests." For centuries this beautiful, mineral-rich area of northeastern India has been home to the Adivasi (tribal) people.

From the time of India's independence from Great Britain in 1947 and throughout the decades that followed, what is now known as Jharkhand formed the southern part of Bihar state. The people of Jharkhand, however, had long argued that their distinct history and culture called for an independent state. This dream became reality in November 2000 when, with much celebration and anticipation, the state of Jharkhand was born.

Despite its celebrated independence, the young state suffers from growing pains. Unifying its 27 million people has proven to be a formidable task. Nearly one-third of the population belongs to tribal groups, each with its own customs and language. In addition to these cultural factors, widespread corruption and long-standing mistrust among people groups contribute to instability. Strikes, curfews and violence lead some to believe that Jharkhand is on the brink of civil war. Many people struggle with anger and fear.

Jharkhand is primarily a rural state, with only 22 percent of the population living in urban areas. Rice, millet, and oil seeds are the main crops. Agriculture is poorly developed, however, and lack of irrigation makes drought a constant threat. Jharkhand is located on the Chota Nagapur plateau. This is an area with great mineral wealth that sustains the economy through mining and heavy industry. The state is India's second most important source of coal and is home to the country's largest iron and steel factories. Other minerals found in Jharkhand are copper, manganese, limestone, mica and bauxite.

Hindi is the predominant language of Jharkhand. Other major languages include Santhali, Mundari, Sadri, Ho, Bhojpuri, Khurukh, Urdu and Bengali. The majority follow Hinduism or tribal religions. A very small percentage of the population is Christian.

Christianity first came to the region with the arrival of Lutheran missionaries in 1845. Within thirty years the area had 17,000 Christians.