Nabarangpur district, also known as Nabarangapur district or Nawarangpur district, is a district of Odisha, India. The city of Nabarangpur is the district capital. Most of its population is tribal and the land is heavily forested. It borders Kalahandi and Koraput districts. Nabarangpur district is situated at 19.14′ latitude and 82.32′ longitude at an average elevation of . Geography The district is mainly a relatively flat forested plateau with thick forest cover in the north and east of the district, while in the west there are some low hills which rise up to 1000 metres. In the south are the plains of the Indravati River, which forms much of the border with Koraput district, while the easternmost boundary close to Rayagada is in the Eastern Ghats. In the northeast is a tract named Panabeda Mutta around Chandahandi, around 150 metres above sea level. History Early history for the region is scanty. The Mauryas were believed to have exercised some control over the region, which was under the control of Kalinga. Kharavela, who led a Kalinga resurgence, mentioned the territory as Vidyadhara and used troops for the region in his conquests. The second and third centuries saw Nabarangpur ruled by the Satavahanas, Ikshavakus and Vakatakas in succession. However by 350 CE the district was not under the control of any major power, when Samudragupta led an expedition to the region. However Nabarangpur never came under direct control of the Guptas. In the 4th or 5th century CE the Nala dynasty, with their headquarters in Pushkari near Umerkote, took control of the entire Bastar-Koraput region. The ruins of large temples and land grants indicate extensive civilizational development in the area. The Nalas fought several wars with the Vakatakas, the first of which they won handily and the second of which Pushkari was destroyed. Nala power was briefly restored by Skanda Varman, who rebuilt Pushkari, but was soon swept away by the Chalukyas. At the end of the 5th century CE, the Eastern Gangas came to control the area, but this period is little-known. By the middle of the 9th century CE, the territory, known as Trikalinga, was now under the Somvanshi rulers of South Kosala. In 1023, Rajendra Chola conquered the entire Bastar-Koraput region, then known as Chakrakota, but was soon beaten back by the Gangas. At this time the Chindaka Naga dynasty, attested to in the Errakote inscription, established its rule