Balasore district, also known as Baleswar district, is an administrative district of the eastern Indian state of Odisha. Balasore is one of the coastal areas of Odisha and is located in the northernmost part of the state.
Balasore takes its name from the Persian expression Bala-e-Shore, which means "City on the sea". Locally pronounced Baleswar, the etymology is linked to the regional derivation of Baneswar, associated with Lord Baneshwar (Lord Shiva), the deity of the city. Baneswara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is located in Puruna Baleswar.
Balasore district is located in the northeast of the state of Odisha and lies between 21° 3' and 21° 59' north latitude and 86° 20' to 87° 29' east longitude. The average height of the district is 19.08 meters. The district has a total area of 3634 km2.[6] It is bordered by Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram districts of West Bengal to the north, Bay of Bengal to the east, Bhadrak district to the south and Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts to the west.
The district is located along the coastal plain of Odisha. In the southwest there are some small ridges. The Subarnarekha is the main river and flows into the Bay of Bengal in the district.
