It covers an area of 58,200 square kilometers (22,500 sq mi), mostly in western Odisha state, with portions in neighboring Chhattisgarh.

The region extends northeast–southwest in the dry western rain shadow of the Eastern Ghats range, which block the moisture-laden monsoon winds from the Bay of Bengal to the east.

The original vegetation was a multi-storied forest of mostly dry-season deciduous trees, dominated by sal (Shorea robusta).

Frequent fires, intensive grazing, and over-harvesting trees for firewood and fodder has reduced other areas to open scrubland or savanna.

Threatened mammals include the tiger (Panthera tigris), dhole (Cuon alpinus), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), and chousingha (Tetracerus quadricornis).