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The Chota Nagpur Plateau (also Chhota Nagpur) is a plateau in eastern India, which covers much of Jharkhand state as well as adjacent parts of Orissa, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh. The Indo-Gangetic plain lies to the north and east of the plateau, and the basin of the Mahanadi River lies to the south. The plateau is made up of ancient Precambrian rocks. Deposits of Coal support the industries of the Damodar valley. Chota Nagpur is made up of three smaller plateaus, the Ranchi, Hazaribagh, and Kodarma plateaus. The Ranchi plateau is the largest of the plateaus, with an average elevation of 700 meters. The total area of Chota Nagpur is approximately 65,000 sq km.
Much of the plateau is forested, with Sal trees predominant, and is covered by the Chota Nagpur dry deciduous forest ecoregion. The plateau is one of the few remaining refuges left in India for tigers and Indian elephants.
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