It is a popular tourist destination known for its sal forests, elephants, ancient temples and royal palaces.

In 1773, the East India Company went for the permanent settlement of forests (and the landed properties) with zamindars as proprietor.

With the coming up of Bengal-Nagpur Railway lines from Kharagpur to Jamshedpur via Jhargram, the forests of the area became accessible.

The forests were in an advanced stage of degradation because of ruthless exploitation by the zamindars on a rotation period of 4–5 years.

In 1953, the Estates Acquisition Act came into force, and the forests, which had been long owned by private owners, have been vested to the government since 1954 or 1955.

Subsequently, they became owned by the Forest Department, which gradually depended upon the availability of records, evidence, and court orders.

The problem was further multiplied by the growing unemployment in the forest fringe villagers and lack of enough resources in the rural areas to end the situation.

That formula of involvement of the indigenous people in forest protection and management has been repeated in other areas including West Midnapore Division since the mid-1980s very successfully.

The rainy season spreads over June to September due to southwest monsoon and the highest rainfall occurs in July and August.

It has mainly dry Sal forests with very less under growth due to excessive underground fires and over grazing.

The important rivers of this division are the Kangsabati (popularly known as Kasai), the Tarafeni, the Subarnarekha, and the Dulong.

Most of the above rivers flow from west to east as the Western side of the division is having higher altitude.

It runs towards east within the jurisdiction of Belpahari and Binpur police Stations and finally has fallen into the Kangsabati river.

On the south of Dantan, it enters the Balasore district of Odisha and finally falls into the Bay of Bengal.

The Subarnarekha has a rapid stream with a sandy bed, and its banks are generally high and well defined.

: Binpur) and runs generally in a southern direction near the western boundary of the division till it enters Jamboni Police Station.

The Jhargram Forest Division lies between 21°-52' and 22°-48' North latitudes and 86°-34' and 87°-20' East longitude approximately.

The headquarters of this division is Jhargram which is around 15 km away from the AH46 (previously known as National Highway-6) and is situated on the Kolkata-Bombay main line of the South-Eastern Railway.

Jhargram is home to many dances such as Chuang, Chang, Chhau, Dangrey, Jhumur, Panta, Ranpa, Saharul, Tusu & Bhadu.

Jhargram is connected not only to larger cities in the region, but also to smaller towns and villages in the district.

Jhargram Railway Station is on the Kharagpur-Tatanagar section of Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai line, an express train route.