The district of Gondia is also an important administrative district of the state of Maharashtra. The district is a part of the Nagpur division of the state. The district of Gondia has its main administrative centre in the city of Gondia itself which is also spelled as ‘Gondiya ’ by the local people of the district. In the great Epic of Ramayana, the region was ruled by Rakshashas. During the medieval times, the region was ruled by the Rajput kings which later went on to the Marathas and then to the British Empire. The district covers a land area of approximately 5431 sq km with a population of about 13.2 lacs. The district has a population density of approximately 253 people per sq km. The district is not one of the developed districts of the state and thus is features in the list of the 250 most backward districts of India.