Umaria district is an administrative district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Located in the Shahdol division of the state, it lies in the Vindhya plateau region and is best known for hosting the Bandhavgarh National Park, one of India's most prominent tiger reserves. The district headquarters is the town of Umaria.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| Division | Shahdol |
| Headquarters | Umaria |
| Region | Baghelkhand / Vindhya plateau |
| Notable protected area | Bandhavgarh National Park |
Umaria district was carved out of the erstwhile Shahdol district and constituted as a separate district of Madhya Pradesh. It forms part of the Baghelkhand cultural region in the eastern part of the state. The terrain is largely undulating, with forested hills, plateaus and river valleys. The Son River basin and its tributaries drain parts of the district.
The district has historically been associated with coal mining; the town of Umaria itself developed around coalfields that have been worked for well over a century, and forms part of the eastern Madhya Pradesh coal belt operated by subsidiaries of Coal India Limited.
Umaria district is administered by a District Collector and is divided into tehsils and community development blocks for revenue and rural development purposes. Major tehsils include Umaria, Manpur and Pali. The district falls within the jurisdiction of the Shahdol revenue division.
The district lies on the Vindhya plateau, with elevations rising in the forested tracts that contain Bandhavgarh. Forest cover is significant and includes sal, teak and mixed deciduous species. The climate is tropical, with a hot summer, a south-west monsoon between June and September, and a cool, dry winter.
A defining feature of the district is Bandhavgarh National Park, which was declared a national park in 1968 and later brought under Project Tiger as a tiger reserve. The park is centred on the Bandhavgarh hill, which carries the historic Bandhavgarh Fort, and is known for a high density of Bengal tigers, leopards, sloth bears, sambar, chital, and a rich birdlife. Tourism associated with the reserve is a significant component of the local economy.
The economy of Umaria district rests on three principal pillars:
Forest produce, including tendu leaves and mahua, contributes to rural livelihoods, especially among tribal communities.
The district has a substantial tribal population, including communities such as the Gonds and Baigas, alongside other groups. Hindi is the principal language of administration and communication, with local dialects of Bagheli widely spoken.
Umaria town is served by a station on the Katni–Bilaspur section of the Indian Railways, providing connectivity to Katni, Bilaspur and onward to major cities. The district is linked by state and national highways to Shahdol, Katni, Jabalpur and Rewa. The nearest major airport with regular commercial services is at Jabalpur.