The present District of Kalahandi was in ancient times a part of South Kosals. It was princely state. After Independence of the Country, merger of princely state took place on 1st January, 1948. The princely state of Kalahandi was merged in Orissa alongwith other princely states in the 1st November, 1949. Subsequently,in 1962, Kashipur Police Station was taken out from this District and merged with Koraput. Kalahandi district occupies the Southwestern portion of Orissa and is situated between 19 degree 3′ N and 21 degree 5′ N latitude and 82 degree 30 E and 83 Degree 74′ E langitude. It is bounded in the North by the District of Balangir and Nawapara, on the South by the District of Rayagada, on the West by the District of Nawarangpur and Raipur (Chhatisgarh) and on the East by the District of Rayagada and Boudh. The District Headquarters is at Bhawanipatna town which stands almost to the Eastern border. Kalahandi district has an area of 8,364.89 sq.km and ranks 7th among the 30 districts of Orissa. Forest occupies 4,964 of the total geographical area of the district, i.e. not cultivated area of the District in the year 1993 is 375752 Hec. In the same year, 11,602 hectors were left as fallow lands or cultivable waste land.

Topography

The District has two distinct physiographic regions, the plain lands and the hilly tracts. The plan region runs Southward upto Bhawanipatna and then westward through Junagarh and Dharmgarh and then further upto the boundary of the District. The plains cover about 59 percent of the total area of the District. The Hilly tracts are mostly located in the South western part of Bhawanipatna Subdivision. Some of the hilly regions are covered with dense forest.

Phisiography

The District has two sub-divisions, 12 Police Stations, five Tehsils, 13 Blocks, 1 Municipality, two N.A.Cs., 1 Treasury, 5 Sub-Treasuries and 195 Gram Panchayats of 2185 villages.
Rainfall and Climate
The climate of the District is of extreme type. It is dry except during monsoon. There are large varieties of day and night temperature.The average annual rainfall of the district is 1378.20 mm. The variation in the rainfall from year to year is not large. The monsoon starts late in June and generally lasts upto September. 90% of the rainfall received from June to September. August is the month with more number of rainy days. About 28% of rainfall is received during this month . Drought is normal feature of this district.

Temperature and Humidity

There are large variations in the day and night temperature. The summer seasons starts from the beginning of March. May is the hottest month when the maximum temperature is about 45 C (82 degrees F). The temperature drops down with the onset of monsoon towards the second week of June and throughout the monsoon, the weather remains cool. December is the coldest month, as the mean daily minimum temperature is recorded at 11 degree C. Relative humidity is generally higher from June to December. It is lower (27%) in the non-monsoon months. During August, it is the highest i.e. 70% and March is the month lowest when it is lowest 27%. Northern plateau (at 2150 MSL) of Sunabeda in Komna Block of Nawapara district has a coller climate so also the Rampur area (at 2700 Feet MSL).