The Orissa people belong to a variety of different social and cultural backgrounds. The tribal groups of people of Orissa form a significant part of the total population of the state. The different origins of the inhabitants of Orissa contribute to the socio-cultural richness of the place.
The very first inhabitants of the state of Orissa are believed to be some tribal people of the hilly regions. The majority of the people of the state belong to the racial group Australoid. Most of the people of the state belong to the Alpinoid group. The people who belong to this group have a broad head. Some people of the state also belong to the Mediterranean group.
The tribal people of Orissa state are found in abundance in Naurangpur, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri. There are 62 different tribal groups in the state. The main ethnic groups of the place are Kondhs, Oraon, Gadabas, Juangs, Koyas and Santals.
Orissa can be broadly classified into four different segments according to the people who inhabit the places. The north-eastern regions near Bengal are highl;y influenced by the Bengali culture in dress, habits, food, languages, festivals and social customs. The southern districts of Koraput and Ganjam have a huge number of people who speak in Telugu. These people exhibit a great influence of the socio-cultural life of the state of Andhra Pradesh.
The people of the western districts of Kalahandi, Bolangir and Sambalpur have a lot of similarities with some inhabitants of the state of Chhatisgarh. They speak in Oriya language. The fourth area constitutes the coastal regions of Balasore, Puri and Cuttack and parts of the neighbouring districts. This part of Orissa have a distinctive socio-cultural life.
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