History

Little is known of the area before the 16th century. Koriya was a princely state of British Empire in India; the other princely state that lay within the Koriya district was Chang Bhakar. After Indian Independence in 1947, the rulers of Koriya and Chang Bhakar acceded to the Union of India on 1 January 1948 and both were made part of Surguja District of Madhya Pradesh state.

The district of Koriya came into existence on May 25, 1998, when it was carved out of Surguja district. After the formation of the new state of Chhattisgarh on November 1, 2000, Koriya District became part of the new state. It is currently a part of the Red Corridor and as civil district korea came into existance on Oct 8, 2006.

Geography

Koriya District lies between 22°56′ and 23°48′ North and 81°56′ and 82°47′ East. It is bounded on the north by Sidhi District of Madhya Pradesh, on the south by Korba District, on the east by Surguja District, and on the west by Anuppur District of Madhya Pradesh. The area of the district is 5977 km², of which 59.9% is forest area. The district is a vast mass of hill ranges. The general height of the lower tableland is 550 m (1800 feet) above sea level. The Sonhat Plateau has a maximum elevation of 755 m (2477 feet). The highest peak in the district is Deogarh, which is 1027 m (3370 feet) high.

The climate is mild with a bountiful monsoon, a mild summer and a bearable winte.