West Bengal

Council of Ministers[edit]
 The West Bengal government headed by Mamata Banerjee has 41 ministers, including 17
new faces. Among them, 5 are Ministers of State holding independent charge, and 8 are
junior ministers. [4]
Cabinet Ministers[edit]
Sl
Name Constituency Ministry in Charge
No.

Chief Minister of West Bengal

Also in-charge of:
Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Ministry of Land & Land Reforms
Ministry of Information & Cultural Affairs
1 Mamata Banerjee Bhabanipur
Hill Affairs, Micro and Small Scale
Enterprises
Ministry of Personnel & Administrative
Reforms
Ministry of Minority Affairs & Madrassah
Education

Ministry of Finance
Minister of Excise, Commerce &
2 Amit Mitra Khardaha Industries,
Industrial Reconstruction, Public
Enterprise

Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs

Minister for Education,
3 Partha Chatterjee Behala Paschim
Minister of Science & Technology and
Biotechnology

Minister of Panchayat & Rural

4 Subrata Mukherjee Ballygunge Development,
Public Health Engineering

Sovandeb Minister of Power & Non-Conventional

5 Rashbehari
Chattopadhyay Energy Sources

6 Suvendu Adhikari Nandigram Ministry of Transport

7 Goutam Deb Dabgram-Phulbari Ministry of Tourism

Minister of Correctional Administration,

8 Abani Mohan Joardar Krishnanagar Uttar
Minister of Refugee Relief & Rehabilitation

Minister of Information Technology &

9 Bratya Basu Dum Dum
Electronics

Minister of Fire & Engineering, Housing,

10 Sovan Chatterjee Behala Purba
Environment

Minister of Food Procurement and

11 Abdur Razzak Molla Bhangar
Horticulture

12 Jyotipriyo Mullick Habra Minister of Food & Supplies

Minister of Urban Development and

13 Firhad Hakim Kolkata Port
Municipal Affairs

Minister of PWD,
14 Aroop Biswas Tollygung
Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports

15 Javed Khan Kasba Minister of Disaster Management

Ministry of Labour,
16 Moloy Ghatak Asansol North
Minister of Law & Judicial Services

17 Dr. Asish Banerjee Rajarhat-Gopalpur Ministry of Agriculture

18 Arup Roy Howrah Central Minister of Co-operation

19 Rajib Banerjee Domjur Minister of Irrigation and Waterways

20 Chandranath Sinha Bolpur Ministry of Fisheries

21 Tapan Dasgupta Saptagram Minister of Agriculture Marketing

22 Somen Mahapatra Pingla Ministry of Water Resources

23 James Kujur Kumargram Minister of Tribal Development

Binay Krishna
24 (MLA, Mathabhanga Minister of Forest
Barman

25 Rabindra Nath Ghosh Natabari Minister of North Bengal Development

Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and

26 Sadhan Pande Maniktala Public Distribution
Minister of Self Help Groups

27 Santiram Mahato Balarampur Minister of Paschimanchal Unnayan

28 Churamani Mahato Kumargram Minister of Backward Classes Welfare

Minister of Biotechnology,
29 Asish Banerjee Rampurhat Ministry of Statistics & Programme
Implementation

Assembly elections[edit]
Winning
Year Election Chief Minister
Party/Coalition

1st Indian National

1952 Bidhan Chandra Roy
Assembly Congress

2nd Indian National

1957 Bidhan Chandra Roy
Assembly Congress

3th Indian National

1962 Prafulla Chandra Sen
Assembly Congress
 Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee of Bangla Congress,
a part of Left Front till Nov. 1967.
4th No party/coalition won
1967
Assembly a majority Prafulla Chandra Ghosh of INC, a part of
Progressive Democratic Front led by INC
from Nov. 1967-1968.

5th No party/coalition won

1969 Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee
Assembly a majority

6th No party/coalition won Ajoy Mukherjee and later

1971
Assembly a majority
Prafulla Chandra Ghosh

7th Indian National

1972 Siddhartha Shankar Ray
Assembly Congress

8th
1977 Left Front Jyoti Basu
Assembly

9th
1982 Left Front Jyoti Basu
Assembly

10th
1987 Left Front Jyoti Basu
Assembly

11th
1991 Left Front Jyoti Basu
Assembly

12th
1996 Left Front Jyoti Basu
Assembly

13th
2001 Left Front Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
Assembly

14th
2006 Left Front Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
Assembly

15th All India Trinamool

2011 Mamata Banerjee
Assembly Congress

16th All India Trinamool

2016 Mamata Banerjee
Assembly Congress
 2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly
election

A Legislative Assembly election was held in 2016 for the 294 seats (out of 295 seats) of
the Vidhan Sabha in the state of West Bengal in India.The All India Trinamool
Congress under Mamata Banerjee won 211 seats, and thus was reelected with an enhanced
majority. Like in the 2011 election, the poll was held in six phases.[1][2] The first phase was held
in Naxalite-Maoist affected Red corridor areas with two polling dates: April 4 and April 11. The
other phases were held on April 17, 21, 25, 30 and May 5. The result of the election was
declared on May 19.
In the previous election in 2011, the All India Trinamool Congress in a coalition with INC won a
majority and ended the 34-year rule of the Left Front government.

Contents

 1Background
 2Major issues
 3Schedule
o 3.1Election dates by constituency
 4Candidates
 5Contesting Parties
o 5.1Left Front+Secular Alliance
o 5.2National Democratic Alliance
 6Alliance(s)
 7Voting
 8Exit poll result
 9Result
o 9.1District wise result
o 9.2Constituency wise result
 10See also
 11References
 12External links

Background[edit]
In the previous assembly election in 2011, the All India Trinamool Congress, under the
leadership of Mamata Banerjee, won a majority and ended the 34-year rule of the Left
Front government. During 2011 election, the main theme of TMC was paribartan (meaning
"change"), implying it was time to change the Left Front reign of 34-years in the state. However,
during the five year rule of TMC, urban population, in particular, were in general unhappy with the
changes made by the government.[3]Also, newspapers reported that chief minister Banerjee has
been only trying to consolidate votes from the sizable Muslim minority.[4]
Prior to the West Bengal elections, on 3 January 2016, a mob turned violent and vandalised
Kaliachak Police station, block development office and public property in Kaliachak, Malda
district.[5][6] Mamata Banerjee's government was severely criticised for not handling the situation
better.[7][8][9]
In January 2016, the Election Commission of India urged the central government to allow it to
carry out a limited delimitation exercise in West Bengal to ensure voting rights to people who
came to India following the exchange of enclaves between India and Bangladesh.[10] As per
updated voter list for the year 2016 published by the Election Commission of India in January
2016, West Bengal has surpassed the rest of the country in elector-population ratio with 0.68.
The final electoral roll in West Bengal for 2016 with 6.55 crore voters has 3.39 crore male and
3.16 crore female voters.[11]

Major issues[edit]
The Saradha Group financial scandal, the Narada Sting operation (which showcased the
ministers of ruling party of accepting bribes), lack of any major industrial investments, and law &
order issue surfaced as major issues and proved to be an acid test for Trinamool
Congress.The Kolkata flyover collapse also happened in the midst of the poll process.

Schedule[edit]
Assembly elections in West Bengal are to be held in phases from 4 April to 5 May 2016.[12][13]

Candidates[edit]
AITC released its candidate list on 5 March,the same day the elections were announced.[18]
On 10 March, BJP released its first candidate list of 52 members.[19]
Left Front consisting of CPI(M), CPI, RSP and All India Forward Bloc along with INC (Congress)
(who were on a Electoral agreement with the Left Front) released their respective candidate list
in several rounds after consultations and bargaining.[20][21]

Contesting Parties[edit]
 All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)
Left Front+Secular Alliance[edit]

 Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM)

 Communist Party of India (CPI)
 Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)
 All India Forward Bloc (AIFB)
 Revolutionary Communist Party of India (RCPI)
 Marxist Forward Bloc (MFB)
 Democratic Socialist Party (DSP(PC))
 Indian National Congress (INC)
 Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS)
 Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)
 Janata Dal (United) (JD(U))
 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
 Communist Party of Bharat (CPB)
 Bharat Nirman Party (Led by Lakshman Chandra Seth)[22]
National Democratic Alliance[edit]

 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

 Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM)

Alliance(s)[edit]
Following the heavy defeats in the 2011 Assembly equations and the 2014 Indian national
election, the party welcomed ideas of the alliance even with parties not conforming to the
communist manifesto in general. The first signs came when in the Siliguri municipal
election, CPI(M) made some local understanding with INC resulting in CPI(M) leader Ashok
Bhattacharya being appointed as the mayor. This success got popularity as Siliguri Model.
After the success of the model, in the long run, some Congress and CPI(M) leader advocated for
a Left-Congress alliance.[23] This gradually materialized into "Alliance" between INC and Left
Front in all the seats except in Murshidabaddistrict.
After much dispute and secession of SUCI(C) and CPI(ML) from Left Front, both Congress and
Lefts formed a basis of what they called "seat sharing", strongly objecting to the use of the word-
"alliance".

Voting[edit]
79.22% voting was recorded in third phase of West Bengal Polls held on 21 April 2016.[24] 79.51%
voting was recorded in second phase of West Bengal polls.[25][26]

Result[edit]
The election results were announced along with other four state assemblies on 19 May
2016.[28][29] AITC won 211 seats, and thus was reelected with an enhanced majority. They also
became the first ruling party to win without an ally since 1962 in West Bengal.[30]
West Bengal
West Bengal, state of India, located in the eastern part of the country. It is
bounded to the north by the state of Sikkim and the country of Bhutan, to the
northeast by the state of Assam, to the east by the country of Bangladesh, to
the south by the Bay of Bengal, to the southwest by the state of Odisha, to
the west by the states of Jharkhand and Bihar, and to the northwest by the
country of Nepal.
West Bengal has a peculiar configuration; its breadth varies from 200 miles
(320 km) at one point to hardly 10 miles (16 km) at another. Its roughly
1,350-mile (2,200-km) frontier with Bangladesh, neither natural nor well
defined, is of strategic importance. Although in area West Bengal ranks as
one of the smaller states of India, it is one of the largest in population. The
capital is Kolkata (Calcutta). Area 34,267 square miles (88,752 square km).
Pop. (2011) 91,347,736.

Land

Relief and drainage

West Bengal may be broadly divided into two natural geographic

divisions—the Gangetic Plain in the south and the sub-
Himalayan and Himalayan area in the north. The Gangetic Plain contains
fertile alluvial soil deposited by the Ganges (Ganga) River and its tributaries
and distributaries. It also features numerous marshes and shallow lakes
formed out of dead river courses. Indeed, the Ganges, which now runs
through the narrow middle section of the state before entering Bangladesh,
has been moving steadily eastward for centuries; only a small amount of its
water now goes to the sea via the western distributaries, of which the
principal one is the Hugli (Hooghly). The state capital, Kolkata, is situated
on the Hugli in the southern portion of West Bengal. Another important
river, the Damodar, joins the Hugli southwest of Kolkata. The elevation of
the plain increases slowly toward the west; the rise is most marked near
the Chota Nagpur plateau of neighbouring Jharkhand.
The sub-Himalayan tract, known as the West Bengal Duars, or
Western Duars, is a part of the Tarai lowland belt between the Himalayas
and the plain. Once infested with malaria, the area is now well drained
and cultivated. Some of the finest tea plantations of India are situated there.
North of the Duars, the Himalayan mountain ranges rise abruptly along the
northern boundary of the state. Mount Kanchenjunga, actually located
in adjacent Sikkim, dominates the landscape of the area, particularly
in Darjiling (Darjeeling). On a clear day, Mount Everest also can be seen in
the distance.
Climate

West Bengal’s climate is transitional between tropical wet-dry in the

southern portions and humid subtropical in the north. Throughout West
Bengal there is a pronounced seasonal disparity in rainfall. For example,
Kolkata averages about 64 inches (1,625 mm) per year, of which an
average of 13 inches (330 mm) falls in August and less than 1 inch (25 mm)
in December. The state also is subject to considerable variability from year
to year. In the sub-Himalayan region, rainfall is considerably greater.
The year may be broadly divided into three marked seasons—the hot and
dry season (March to early June), with dry sultry days and frequent
thunderstorms; the hot and wet season (mid-June to September), when
rain-bearing monsoon winds blow from the southwest; and the cold (cool)
season (October to February), when days are dry and clear and stable
atmospheric conditions prevail. Average high temperatures at Kolkata
range from about 80 °F (27 °C) in December and January to nearly 100 °F
(38 °C) in April and May.
Plant and animal life

Forests occupy more than one-tenth of the total land area of the state, and
the region as a whole has a rich and varied plant life. In the sub-Himalayan
plains the principal forest trees include sal (Shorea robusta) and shisham,
or Indian rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo); the forests are interspersed with
reeds and tall grasses. On the Himalayan heights vegetation varies
according to the elevation, with coniferous belts occurring at higher levels.
The delta of the Hugli constitutes the western end of the dense
coastal mangrove forest called the Sundarbans. A large portion of that
unreclaimed and sparsely populated area bordering Bangladesh and the
Bay of Bengal has been set aside as a national park and also (along with the
portion in Bangladesh) as a UNESCO World Heritage site (designated 1987).
The forests are inhabited by tigers, leopards, elephants, gaurs (wild cattle),
and rhinoceroses, as well as by other animals of the Indian plain, large and
small. Reptiles and birds include the same species as are common
throughout the Indian subcontinent. In addition to the Sundarbans park, the
state has several other protected natural areas, including Jaldapara Wildlife
Sanctuary and a tiger reserve.
People
The majority of West Bengal’s people live in rural villages. Of those living in
urban areas, more than half reside in greater Kolkata.

Of the different religions, Hinduism claims the adherence of more than three-
fourths of the population. Most of the remainder is Muslim. Throughout the
state, Buddhists, Christians, Jains, and Sikhs constitute small
minority communities.
Bengali, the main language of the state, is spoken by much of the
population. Other languages include Hindi, Santali, Urdu (primarily the
language of Muslims), and Nepali(spoken largely in the area of Darjiling). A
small number of people speak Kurukh, the language of
the Oraon indigenous group. English, together with Bengali, is the language
of administration, and English and Hindi serve as lingua francas at the
national level.

Economy

Agriculture

Agriculture dominates both the landscape and the economy of West

Bengal. Its proportion of agricultural land is among the highest of all the
Indian states. Rice, which requires extensive irrigation, is the leading crop in
nearly every area. Indeed, despite its relatively small size, West Bengal
produces a significant percentage of India’s rice harvest. Other major crops
are sugarcane and oilseeds. Jute is especially prominent along the border
with Bangladesh and south of the Ganges River. Mangoes, jackfruit, and
bananas are widely produced in the southern and central portions of the
state. Wheat and potatoes are produced as winter crops throughout the
south. The northern areas around Darjiling and Jalpaiguri have long been
known for their production of high-quality tea. The Darjiling region also
produces oranges, apples, pineapples, ginger, and cardamom.
Industry

The state’s most important industrial belt is a corridor extending for a

distance north and south of Kolkata, along the Hugli River. Another
significant industrial region is located along the Damodar River. There are
steel plants at Durgapur and Burnpur and a locomotive plant at Chittaranjan.
Haldia, the terminus of an oil pipeline from Assam and the site of a large oil
refinery, also has a petrochemical industry. Other important manufactures
include ships, automobiles, chemicals and fertilizers, wagons, electronics,
paper, jute, and cotton textiles. The state has a large number of small-scale
and cottage industries as well. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the
only mineral resources of West Bengal that sustained nationally significant
exploitation were coal and clay for brickmaking.
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Services

The service sector has accounted for an increasing proportion of the state’s
economy. Trade, finance, insurance, and related activities have grown
significantly, and tourism has become increasingly important. Also
experiencing growth has been the information technology sector. Kolkata is
the financial centre for both the state and eastern India.

Transportation

Local river transportation was augmented by steam navigation in the 19th

century—first introduced between Kolkata, Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh),
and Guwahati (Assam). The division of Bengal in 1947 and the ongoing
deterioration of river channels have disrupted river transport. Nevertheless,
Kolkata and its sister port of Haldia, farther south, still handle international
trade. West Bengal saw the inauguration of the railway system in eastern
India in 1854, and local railway headquarters are now located in the state.
Kolkata was the first Indian city to open an underground railway system.
National highways link West Bengal with the rest of India, while state
highways provide internal connections. There is an international airport at
Kolkata as well as several smaller airfields within the state.

Government And Society

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Constitutional framework
The structure of the government of West Bengal, like that of most Indian
states, is determined by the national constitution of 1950. The head of state
is the governor, who is appointed by the president of India. The elected
Council of Ministers, with a chief minister at its head, aids and advises the
governor. The chief minister is appointed by the governor, and the other
ministers are appointed by the governor on the advice of the chief minister.
The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the state legislature,
which consists of a single house, the Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha).
The constitution provides for a High Court; its chief justice and judges are
appointed by the president of India. Other judges are appointed by the
governor.
The state is divided administratively into a number of districts. Each district,
except that of Kolkata, is administered by a collector, who is also the district
magistrate. Districts, in turn, are divided into subdivisions, each
administered by a subdivisional officer. Units of police jurisdiction vary in
area according to population. Most encompass several mawzas (villages).
With the object of developing rural self-government, mawzas were grouped
together under elected local authorities known as panchayats. Established
under the West Bengal Panchayat Act of 1956, panchayats are entrusted
with sanitary and conservation services and with the supervision of the
village police and the development of cottage industries. A three-
tiered panchayat system, comprising several thousand village-
level panchayats, several hundred intermediate-level panchayats, and
more than a dozen district-level panchayats, covers the rural area.
Health and welfare

Medical facilities include hospitals, clinics, health centres, and

dispensaries. Family-planning services are available in district bureaus, as
well as in urban and rural centres. An employees’ state insurance scheme
provides factory workers with health, employment, safety, and maternity
insurance and also provides a free medical service.

A social welfare directorate coordinates various welfare services dealing

with orphans, people with mental and physical disabilities, and the
underprivileged. The government’s social-welfare enterprises are
supplemented by private agencies, of which the most prominent are
the Ramakrishna Mission, founded by the Hindu reformer and
teacher Vivekananda in 1897, and the Order of the Missionaries of Charity
(1948), founded by Mother Teresa, recipient of the 1979 Nobel Prize for
Peace.
Education
West Bengal has more than 10 degree-granting universities, as well as
engineering and medical colleges and many technical institutes. The
University of Calcutta (1857) and Jadavpur (1955) and Rabindra Bharati
(1962) universities are all located in Kolkata. The science laboratories of
the University of Calcutta, the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science,
and the Bose Institute have made notable contributions to science.
The Asiatic Society of Bengal, a scholarly organization founded in 1784, is
headquartered in Kolkata. Vishva-Bharati University, in Shantiniketan (now part
of Bolpur), is a world-famous centre for the study of Indology and
international cultural relations.
The state has a central library, together with a number of district, area, and
rural libraries. More than 5,000 adult education centres aid in literacy
training. The state’s literacy rate, which exceeded 75 percent in the early
21st century, is one of the highest in India, and the disparity in the rate
between men and women is lower than the national average.

Cultural Life
Bengalis have long fostered art, literature, music, and drama. The visual
arts have, by tradition, been based mainly on clay modeling, terra-cotta
work, and decorative painting. Bengali literature dates to before the 12th
century. The Chaitanya movement, an intensely emotional form of Hinduism
inspired by the medieval saint Chaitanya (1485–1533), shaped the
subsequent development of Bengali poetry until the early 19th century,
when contact with the West sparked a vigorous creative synthesis. The
modern period has produced, among others, the Nobel Prize-winning
poet Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941), whose contribution still dominates
the Indian literary scene.
Traditional music takes the form of devotional and cultural songs. Rabindra
Sangeet, songs written and composed by Tagore, draw on the pure Indian
classical as well as traditional folk-music sources, including
the Baul singing genre. They exert a powerful influence in Bengali cultural
life.
The theatre is popular, and performances—amateur as well as
professional—are sophisticated. Yatras (jatras), traditional open-air
performances that may treat mythological and historical topics or
contemporary themes, are popular both in the countryside and in urban
areas. The kavi is an impromptu duel in musical verse between village
poets. The kathakata, a religious recital, is another traditional form of rural
entertainment, based on folklore.
The film industry is a well-established modern form of popular
entertainment. Bengali films have earned national and international awards
for their delicate handling of Indian themes; the works of the
directors Satyajit Ray, Tapan Sinha, Mrinal Sen, and Aparna Sen are
particularly notable.
D.M. SenRobert E. HukeThe Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

History
The name of Bengal, or Bangla, is derived from the ancient kingdom
of Vanga, or Banga. References to it occur in early Sanskrit literature, but its
early history is obscure until the 3rd century BCE, when it formed part of the
extensive Mauryan empire inherited by the emperor Ashoka. With the decline
of Mauryan power, anarchy once more supervened. In the 4th
century CE the region was absorbed into the Gupta empire of Samudra
Gupta. Later it came under control of the Pala dynasty. From the beginning of
the 13th century to the mid-18th century, when the British gained
ascendancy, Bengal was under Muslim rule—at times under governors
acknowledging the suzerainty of the Delhi sultanate but mainly under
independent rulers.
In 1757 British forces under Robert Clive defeated those of the nawab (ruler)
of Bengal, Sirāj al-Dawlah, in the Battle of Plassey near present-day Palashi.
In 1765 the nominal Mughalemperor of northern India, Shah ʿĀlam II, granted
to the British East India Company the dīwānī of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa
(now Odisha)—that is, the right to collect and administer the revenues of
those areas. By the Regulating Act of 1773, Warren Hastingsbecame the first
British governor-general of Bengal. The British-controlled government,
centred at Calcutta (now Kolkata), was declared to be supreme: essentially,
the governor-general of Bengal was the chief executive of British India.
Thus, the Bengal Presidency, as the province was known, had powers of
superintendence over the other British presidencies, those of Madras
(now Chennai) and Bombay (now Mumbai).
Britain was not, however, the only European presence in Bengal. The town
of Hugli, north of Calcutta, was the location of a Portuguese factory (trading
post) until 1632; Hugli-Chinsura (Chunchura), the next town south, was the
Dutch post until 1825; the next town, Shrirampur(Serampore), was the
Danish post until 1845; and Chandernagore (Chandannagar) remained in
French hands until 1949.
From 1834 Bengal’s governor-general bore the title “governor-general of
India,” but in 1854 the post was relieved of the direct administration of
Bengal, which was placed under a lieutenant governor. Thenceforward, the
government of British India became distinct from that of Bengal. In
1874 Assam was transferred from the charge of the lieutenant governor and
placed under a separate chief commissioner. In 1905 the British
determined that Bengal had become too unwieldy a charge for a single
administration, and, in spite of violent Hindu protests, it was partitioned into
two provinces, each under its own lieutenant governor:
one comprised western Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa; the other included
eastern Bengal and Assam. In 1911, because of continued opposition to
partition, Bengal was reunited under one governor, Bihar and Orissa under
a lieutenant governor, and Assam once more under a chief commissioner.
At the same time, Delhi became the capital of India in place of Calcutta.
Under the Government of India Act (1935), Bengal
was constituted an autonomous province in 1937. That remained the situation
until the Indian subcontinent was partitioned into the two dominions
of Pakistan and India after the British withdrawal in 1947. The eastern sector
of Bengal, largely Muslim, became East Pakistan (later Bangladesh); the
western sector became India’s West Bengal state. The partition of Bengal
left West Bengal with ill-defined boundaries and a constant inflow of non-
Muslim, mostly Hindu, refugees from East Pakistan. More than seven
million refugees entered the already densely populated state after 1947,
and their rehabilitation placed an immense burden on the administration.
In 1950 the princely state of Cooch Behar (Koch Bihar) was integrated with
West Bengal. After the linguistic and political reorganization of Indian states
in 1956, West Bengal gained some 3,140 square miles (8,130 square km)
from Bihar. The additional territory provided a link between the previously
separated northern and southern parts of the state.
Robert E. Huke

The Indian National Congress (Congress Party) dominated the West Bengal
government during nearly all of the state’s first three decades. In 1977,
however, the Communist Party of India (Marxist; CPI-M) won a majority of
seats in the state legislative elections and became the ruling party. The
CPI-M remained in power as the world’s longest-serving democratically
elected communist government until it was voted out of office in 2011. The
winner of the legislative elections that year, the All India Trinamool
(or Trinamul) Congress (AITC), had been an ally in what was then the
Congress Party’s national ruling coalition government. The AITC’s founder
and leader, Mamata Banerjee, became the state’s first female chief minister
(head of government).

Facts about West Bengal – West Bengal is a state in eastern India. It is the nation’s
fourth-most populous state, with over 91 million inhabitants. Spread over 34,267 sq mi
(88,750 km2). The origin of the name Bengal (known as Bangla and Bongo in the
Bengali language) is unknown. One theory suggests that the word derives from “Bang”, a
Dravidian tribe that settled the region around 1000 BC. The word might have been
derived from the ancient kingdom of Vanga (or Banga). Although some early Sanskrit
literature mentions the name, the region’s early history is obscure.
Geographical Facts
 West Bengal is surrounded by landforms on all three sides.
 In its south lies the Bay of Bengal.
 It shares boundaries with Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Assam, Bangladesh, Jharkhand
and Bihar. The northern part of West Bengal touches the Himalayan range.
 The hill stations lying in this geographical region are the favourite tourist
destinations in India. The climate of this part remains more or less cold through-out
the year.
 The foot hill of the Himalayan region is known as the Terrain region in West Bengal.
This region is famous the world over for tea plantation.
 The sub-Himalayan tract, known as the West Bengal Duars, or Western Duars, is a
part of the Tarai lowland belt between the Himalayas and the plain.
 Once infested with malaria, the area is now well drained and cultivated. Some of the
finest tea plantations of India are situated there.
 North of the Duars, the Himalayan mountain ranges rise abruptly along the
northern boundary of the state.
 Mount Kanchenjunga, actually located in adjacent Sikkim, dominates the landscape
of the area, particularly in Darjiling (Darjeeling).
 On a clear day, Mount Everest also can be seen in the distance.
Historical Facts
 West Bengal was formerly known as Vanga and was spread over a vast area. Ruled
by several dynasties from ancient times, the actual history of this region is, however,
available from the Gupta period.
 The prosperity and the importance of the state increased largely when the British
East India Company took over the place.
 It was a widespread Bengal province until under the terms of the Indian
Independence Act, 1947, the province of Bengal ceased to exist.
 The Muslim-dominated districts, namely, Chittagong, Dacca and part of Presidency
and Rajshahi division went to present-day Bangladesh and the state of West Bengal
came into existence in 1947.
 The district of Cooch Behar was merged with the state on January 1, 1950.
 The former Chandernogor came within the state on October 2, 1954, and the state
got its present political boundary when, according to the States Reorganization Act,
part of the state of Bihar was transferred to West Bengal.
 The Indian National Congress (Congress Party) dominated the West Bengal
government during nearly all of the state’s first three decades.
 In 1977, however, the Communist Party of India (Marxist; CPI-M) won a majority of
seats in the state legislative elections and became the ruling party.
 The CPI-M remained in power as the world’s longest-serving democratically elected
communist government until it was voted out of office in 2011.
 The winner of the legislative elections that year, the All India Trinamool (or
Trinamul) Congress (AITC), had been an ally in what was then the Congress Party’s
national ruling coalition government.
 The AITC’s founder and leader, Mamata Banerjee, became the state’s first female
chief minister (head of government).
Major Districts
Burdwan division Jalpaiguri division Presidency division
 Bankura  Cooch Behar
 Bardhaman  Darjeeling  Howrah
 Birbhum  Alipurduar  Kolkata
 East Midnapore  Jalpaiguri  Murshidabad
(Purba Medinipur)  Malda  Nadia
 Hooghly  North Dinajpur  North 24 Parganas
 Purulia (Uttar Dinajpur) (Uttar 24 Parganas)
 West Midnapore  South Dinajpur  South 24 Parganas
(Paschim Medinipur) (Dakshin Dinajpur) (Dakshin 24 Parganas)

Government of West Bengal

Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

High Court Calcutta High Court

Capital Kolkata

State Symbols
State Animal Fishing Cat

State River Hooghly and Damodar

State Bird White-Throated Kingfisher

State Sport Football

State Flower Night Flowering Jasmine

State Tree Devil Tree

State Dance Gaudiya Nritya

Seats
Assembly Seats 295 Members(unicameral)

Lok Sabha Seats 42

Rajya Sabha Seats 16

Wildlife Sanctuaries
 Ballavpur WLS
 Bethuadahari WLS
 Bibhuti Bhusan WLS
 Buxa WLS
 Chapramari WLS
 Chintamani Kar Bird Sanctuary
 Haliday Island WLS
 Jorepokhri SalamanderWLS
 Lothian Island WLS
 Mahananda WLS
 Raiganj WLS
 Ramnabagan WLS
 Sajnakhali WLS
 Senchal WLS
 West Sunderban WLS
National Park
 Buxa National Park
 Gorumara National Park
 Neora Valley National Park
 Singalila National Park
 Sunderban National Park
 Jaldapara National Park
Famous Temples in West Bengal
 Dakshineswar Temple
 Kalighat Kali Temple
 Mayapur
 Tarakeshwar
Natural Resources
 West Bengal stands third in the country in terms of mineral production.
 The state contributes about one-fifth to the total production of minerals in the
country.
 Coal constitutes 99% of the minerals extracted in West Bengal; fireclay, china clay,
limestone, copper, iron, wolfram, manganese and dolomite are mined in small
quantities.
 There are good possibilities of obtaining mineral oil and natural gas in the areas
near the Bay of Bengal, in Purba Medinipur, Sundarbans, South 24 Parganas and
North Bengal plains.
 Research is undergoing finding natural gas in various places.
 West Bengal is the third largest state for coal production, accounting for about half
of India’s total.
Main Festivals
 Kalpataru Utsab – January 1 of every year is celebrated as Kalpataru Day at
Dakshineshwar and kossipore uddyanbati.
 21 February – Bengali language Day.
 Bengali New Year.
 Bhai Phonta.
 Kali Puja/Lakshmi Puja.
 Durga Puja: The Durga Puja is the main festival which is celebrated in West
Bengal. Durga Puja is the most important hindu festival of Bengalis. This festival is
celebrated with musuc, dance and drama for 10 days. During these days, the
devotees worship the ten-armed goddesses Durga in various beautifully illuminated
and decorated pandals. On the last day, the clay figures of the goddess Durga are
carried out in procession to be immersed in the river Ganges.
 Ganga Sagar Mela, Mahesh YATRA, Id, Muharram, Holi, Diwali are the other
festivals which are celebrated in West Bengal.
Dance
 Chau dance of Purulia is a rare form of mask dance.
 Gambhira Dance
 Brita Dance
 Santhal Dance
 Tusu Dance
 Lathi Dance
Major Airports in West Bengal
 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
Some Famous Personalities
 Rabindranath Tagore Nobel Prize in Literature, 1913
 Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
 Swami Vivekananda
 Amitav Ghosh
 Jhumpa Lahiri
 Amartya Sen, Nobel Prize Awardee in Economics
 Sushmita Sen
 Pranab Mukherjee
 Sourav Ganguly, Former Indian Captain, Athletico de Kolkatta Co-Owner
 Leander Paes noted Lawn tennis player of India
 Saurav Ghosal, currently highest ranked Indian player.
 Anirban Lahiri, Indian Golfer
Some Facts about West Bengal

 Bengalis’ believe fish symbolizes fortune and good luck.

 Kolkata is the only city in India where the trams service exists and is a highly
popular public transport system.
 West Bengal is the only Indian state which has The Himalayas, The Duars Forests,
the vast beaches of The Bay of Bengal, and innumerable rivers. This is called
“Accident of Geography”.
 Kolkata was the capital of British India from 1756 to 1911, because of which you find
British monuments in every part of the city.
 Bengali women were the first Indian women to go to school, pursue higher studies
and start working.
 Undivided Bengal was the first place in India where Sati, polygamy and child-
marriage were abolished and widow-remarriage was established by the British laws.
 The National Song of India, “Vande Mataram”, was written by Bankim Chandra
Chattopadhyay, another Bengali.
 Bengali is the only language which takes pride in gifting two countries their national
anthems; India and Bangladesh. Both were written by Rabindranath Tagore.

West Bengal
Country India

Established 26 January 1950

 Capital Kolkata

 Largest city Kolkata

Districts
List[show]

Government

• Body Government of West Bengal

• Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi

• Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (AITC)

• Legislature Legislative Assembly (295)

• High Court Calcutta High Court

Area

• Total 88,752 km2 (34,267 sq mi)

Area rank 14th

Population

(2011)[1]

• Total 91,347,736

• Rank 4th

• Density 1,029/km2 (2,670/sq mi)

Demonym(s) Bengali

GDP (2018–19)

[2][3]

• Total ₹10.49 lakh crore(US$150 billion)

• Per capita ₹108,372 (US$1,500)

Languages

• Official  Bengali
 English[4]
• Additional official Hindi
 Odia
 Santali
  Urdu
 Punjabi
 Kamtapuri
 Rajbanshi
 Kurmali[5][6]
Nepali in two sub-divisions
of Darjeeling[7]

Time zone UTC+05:30 (IST)

ISO 3166 code IN-WB

Vehicle registration WB

HDI (2017) 0.637 (medium) · 21st[8]

Literacy (2011) 77.08%[9]

Sex ratio (2011) 950 ♀/1000 ♂[10]

Website Official website

^* 294 elected, 1 nominated

West Bengal (/bɛnˈɡɔːl/; Bengali: Paschim Banga) is an Indian state, located in Eastern India on
the Bay of Bengal. With over 91 million inhabitants (as of 2011), it is India's fourth-most
populous state. It has an area of 88,752 km2 (34,267 sq mi). A part of the ethno-linguistic Bengal
region of the Indian subcontinent, it borders Bangladesh in the east, and Nepal and Bhutan in the
north. It also borders the Indian states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim, and Assam. The
state capital is Kolkata (Calcutta), the seventh-largest city in India. As for geography, West
Bengal includes the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region, the Ganges delta, the Rarh region, and the
coastal Sundarbans. The main ethnic group are the Bengalis, with Bengali Hindus forming the
demographic majority.
The area's early history featured a succession of Indian empires, internal squabbling, and a
tussle between Hinduism and Buddhism for dominance. Ancient Bengal was the site of several
major Janapadas (kingdoms), while the earliest cities date back to the Vedic period. The region
was part of several ancient pan-Indian empires, including the Mauryans and Guptas. It was also
a bastion of regional kingdoms. The citadel of Gauda served as the capital of the Gauda
Kingdom, the Buddhist Pala Empire (eighth to 11th century) and HinduSena Empire (11th–12th
century). From the 13th century onward, the region was ruled by several sultans, powerful Hindu
states, and Baro-Bhuyan landlords, until the beginning of British rule in the 18th century.
The British East India Company cemented their hold on the region following the Battle of
Plassey in 1757, and Calcutta served for many years as the capital of British India. The early and
prolonged exposure to British administration resulted in an expansion of Western education,
culminating in developments in science, institutional education, and social reforms in the region,
including what became known as the Bengali Renaissance. A hotbed of the Indian independence
movement through the early 20th century, Bengal was divided during India's independence in
1947 along religious lines into two separate entities: West Bengal, a state of India, and East
Bengal, a province of Pakistan which later became independent Bangladesh. Between 1977 and
2011 the state was administered by the world's longest elected Communist government.
The economy of West Bengal is the sixth-largest state economy in India with ₹10.49 lakh
crore (US$150 billion) in gross domestic product and a per capita GDP
 of ₹108,000(US$1,500).[2][3] The state's cultural heritage, besides varied folk traditions, includes
authors in literature, such as Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Kolkata is known as the
"cultural capital of India". West Bengal is also known for its enthusiasm for the sport
of association football, as well as cricket.

Contents

 1Etymology
 2History
o 2.1Ancient and classical period
o 2.2Medieval and early modern periods
o 2.3Colonial period
o 2.4Indian independence and afterwards
 3Geography and climate
 4Flora and fauna
 5Government and politics
 6Districts
 7Economy
 8Transport
 9Demographics
 10Culture
o 10.1Literature
o 10.2Music and dance
o 10.3Films
o 10.4Fine arts
o 10.5Reformist heritage
o 10.6Cuisine
o 10.7Clothing
o 10.8Festivals
 11Education
 12Media
 13Sports
 14See also
 15Notes
 16Further reading
 17External links

Etymology
Main article: Names of Bengal
The origin of the name Bengal (Bangla and Bongo in Bengali) is unknown. One theory suggests
that the word derives from "Bang", a Dravidian tribe that settled the region around
1000 BCE.[11] The Bengali word Bongo might have been derived from the ancient kingdom
of Vanga (or Banga). Although some early Sanskrit literature mentions the name Vanga, the
region's early history is obscure.[12]
At the end of British rule over the Indian subcontinent, the Bengal region was partitioned in
1947 along religious lines into east and west. The eastern part came to be known be as East
Pakistan, the eastern wing of newly born Pakistan and the western part came to be known as
West Bengal, which continued as an Indian state.
In 2011 the Government of West Bengal proposed a change in the official name of the state
to PaschimBanga (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Pôshchimbônggô).[13] This is the native name of the state,
literally meaning western Bengal in the native Bengali language. In August 2016 the West Bengal
Legislative Assembly passed another resolution to change the name of West Bengal to "Bengal"
in English, and "Bangla" in Bengali. Despite the Trinamool Congress government's efforts to
forge a consensus on the name change resolution, the Indian National Congress, the Left Front,
and the Bharatiya Janata Party opposed the resolution.[14] However, the central government has
turned down the proposal stating that the state should have one single name for all languages
instead of three and also the name should not be the same as that of any other territory (pointing
out that the name 'Bangla' may create confusion with neighboring Bangladesh).[14][15][16]

History
Main articles: History of Bengal and History of West Bengal

Ancient and classical period

Stone Age tools dating back 20,000 years have been excavated in the state, showing human
occupation 8,000 years earlier than scholars had earlier thought.[17] The region was a part of
the Vanga Kingdom, according to the Indian epic Mahabharata.[18] Several Vedic realms were
present in the Bengal region, including Vanga, Rarh, Pundravardhana, and the Suhma Kingdom.
One of the earliest foreign references to Bengal is a mention by the Ancient Greeks around
100 BCE of a land named Gangaridai, which was located at the mouths of the Ganges.[19] Bengal
had overseas trade relations with Suvarnabhumi (Burma, Lower Thailand, the Lower Malay
Peninsula, and Sumatra).[20] According to the Sri Lankan chronicle Mahavamsa, Prince
Vijaya (c. 543 – c. 505 BCE), a Vanga Kingdom prince, conquered Lanka (modern-day Sri Lanka)
and gave the name Sinhala Kingdom to the country.[21]
The kingdom of Magadha was formed in the 7th century BCE, consisting of the regions now
comprising Bihar and Bengal. It was one of the four main kingdoms of India at the time of the
lives of Mahavira, founder of Jainism, and Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism. It consisted
of several janapadas, or kingdoms.[22] Under Ashoka, the Maurya Empire of Magadha in the
3rd century BCE extended over nearly all of South Asia, including Afghanistan and parts
of Balochistan.[23] From the 3rd to the 6th centuries CE, the kingdom of Magadha served as the
seat of the Gupta Empire.[24]
Two kingdoms – Vanga or Samatata, and Gauda – are mentioned in some texts to have
appeared after the end of the Gupta Empire although details of their ascendancy are
uncertain.[25] The first recorded independent king of Bengal was Shashanka, who reigned in the
early 7th century.[26] Shashanka is often recorded in Buddhist annals as an intolerant Hindu ruler
who is noted for his persecution of the Buddhists. Shashanka murdered Rajyavardhana, the
Buddhist king of Thanesar, and is noted for destroying the Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya, and replacing
Buddha statues with Shiva lingams.[27] After a period of anarchy,[28]:36 the Pala dynasty ruled the
region for four hundred years starting in the 8th century. It was followed by a shorter reign of the
Hindu Sena dynasty.[29]
Some areas of Bengal were invaded by Rajendra Chola I of the Chola dynasty between 1021
and 1023.[30] Islam made its first appearance in Bengal during the 12th century
when Sufi missionaries arrived.[31] Later, occasional Muslim raiders reinforced the process of
conversion by building mosques, madrasas, and khanqahs. Between 1202 and 1206 Muhammad
bin Bakhtiyar Khilji, a military commander from the Delhi Sultanate, overran Bihar and Bengal as
far east as Rangpur, Bogra, and the Brahmaputra River. Although he failed to bring Bengal under
his control, the expedition defeated Lakshman Sen, whose two sons moved to a place then
called Vikramapur (present-day Munshiganj District), where their diminished dominion lasted until
the late 13th century.[29]
Medieval and early modern periods
Subsequent Muslim conquests helped spread Islam throughout the region.[32] The region was
ruled by dynasties of the Bengal Sultanate and feudal lords under the Delhi Sultanate for the next
few hundred years. The Bengal Sultanate was interrupted for a period of twenty years by a Hindu
uprising under Raja Ganesha. In the 16th century, Mughal general Islam Khan conquered
Bengal. Administration by governors appointed by the court of the Mughal Empire gave way to
semi-independence under the Nawabs of Murshidabad, who nominally respected the sovereignty
of the Mughals in Delhi. Several independent Hindu states were established in Bengal during the
Mughal period, including those of Pratapaditya of Jessore District and Raja Sitaram
Ray of Bardhaman. The Koch dynasty in northern Bengal flourished during the 16th and
17th centuries; it weathered the Mughals and survived until the advent of the British colonial
era.[33][34]
Colonial period
Several European traders reached this area late in the 15th century. The British East India
Company defeated Siraj ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab, in the Battle of Plassey in
1757. The company gained the right to collect revenue in Bengal subah (province) in 1765 with
the signing of the treaty between the East India company and the Mughal emperor following
the Battle of Buxarin 1764.[35] The Bengal Presidency was established in 1765; it later
incorporated all British-controlled territory north of the Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh),
from the mouths of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra to the Himalayas and the Punjab.
The Bengal famine of 1770 claimed millions of lives due to tax policies enacted by the British
company.[36] Calcutta, the headquarters of the East India company, was named in 1773 as the
capital of British-held territories in India.[37] The failed Indian rebellion of 1857 started near
Calcutta and resulted in a transfer of authority to the British Crown,[38] administered by
the Viceroy of India.[39]
The Bengal Renaissance and the Brahmo Samaj socio-cultural reform movements significantly
influenced the cultural and economic life of Bengal.[40] Between 1905 and 1911 an abortive
attempt was made to divide the province of Bengal into two zones.[41] Bengal suffered from
the Great Bengal famine in 1943, which claimed 3 million lives during World War II.[42] Bengalis
played a major role in the Indian independence movement, in which revolutionary groups such
as Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar were dominant. Armed attempts against the British Raj from
Bengal reached a climax when news of Subhas Chandra Bose leading the Indian National
Army against the British reached Bengal. The Indian National Army was subsequently routed by
the British.[43]
Indian independence and afterwards
When India gained independence in 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines. The
western part went to the Dominion of India (and was named West Bengal), while the eastern part
went to the Dominion of Pakistan as a province called East Bengal (later renamed East
Pakistan in 1956). The latter became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971.[44] In 1950
the Princely State of Cooch Behar merged with West Bengal.[45] In 1955 the former French
enclave of Chandannagar, which had passed into Indian control after 1950, was integrated into
West Bengal; portions of Bihar were also subsequently merged with West Bengal. Both West
and East Bengal experienced large influxes of refugees during and after partition in 1947.
Refugee resettlement and related issues continued to play a significant role in the politics and
socio-economic condition of the state.[45]
During the 1970s and 1980s, severe power shortages, strikes, and a violent Naxalite movement
damaged much of the state's infrastructure, leading to a period of economic stagnation.
The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 resulted in the influx of millions of refugees to West
Bengal, causing significant strains on its infrastructure.[46] The 1974 smallpox epidemic killed
thousands. West Bengal politics underwent a major change when the Left Front won the 1977
assembly election, defeating the incumbent Indian National Congress. The Left Front, led by
the Communist Party of India (Marxist), governed the state for the next three decades.[47]
The state's economic recovery gathered momentum after economic liberalisations were
introduced in the mid-1990s by the central government. This was aided by the advent
of information technology and IT-enabled services. Starting in the mid-2000s, armed activists
conducted minor terrorist attacks in some parts of the state[48][49] while clashes with the
administration took place at several controversial locations over the issue of industrial land
acquisition,[50][51] which became a decisive reason behind the defeat of the ruling Left Front
government in the 2011 assembly election.[52] Although the economy was severely damaged
during the unrest in the 1970s, the state has managed to revive its economy, steadily throughout
the years.[53][54][55] The state has shown improvement regarding bandhs (strikes)[56][57][58] and
educational infrastructure.[59] Significant strides have been made in reducing
unemployment.[60] Though the state suffers from substandard healthcare services,[61][62] a lack of
socio-economic development,[63] poor infrastructure,[64][65] unemployment, and civil violence.[66][67] In
2006 the state's healthcare system was severely criticized in the aftermath of the West Bengal
blood test kit scam.[68][69]

Geography and climate

Main articles: Geography of West Bengal and Climate of West Bengal
West Bengal is on the eastern bottleneck of India, stretching from the Himalayas in the north to
the Bay of Bengal in the south. The state has a total area of 88,752 square kilometres
(34,267 sq mi).[1] The Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in the northern extreme of the state is a
part of the eastern Himalayas mountain range. In this region is Sandakfu, which, at 3,636 m
(11,929 ft), is the highest peak in the state.[70] The narrow Terai region separates the hills from
the North Bengal plains, which in turn transitions into the Ganges delta towards the south.
The Rarh region intervenes between the Ganges delta in the east and the western plateau and
high lands. A small coastal region is in the extreme south, while
the Sundarbans mangrove forests form a geographical landmark at the Ganges delta.[71]
The main river in West Bengal is the Ganges, which divides into two branches. One branch
enters Bangladesh as the Padma, or Pôdda, while the other flows through West Bengal as
the Bhagirathi River and Hooghly River. The Farakka barrage over the Ganges feeds the
Hooghly branch of the river by a feeder canal, and its water flow management has been a source
of lingering dispute between India and Bangladesh.[72] The Teesta, Torsa, Jaldhaka,
and Mahananda rivers are in the northern hilly region. The western plateau region has rivers
such as the Damodar, Ajay, and Kangsabati. The Ganges delta and the Sundarbans area have
numerous rivers and creeks. Pollution of the Ganges from indiscriminate waste dumped into the
river is a major problem.[73]Damodar, another tributary of the Ganges and once known as the
"Sorrow of Bengal" (due to its frequent floods), has several dams under the Damodar Valley
Project. At least nine districts in the state suffer from arsenic contamination of groundwater, and
as of 2017, an estimated 1.04 crore people were afflicted by arsenic poisioning[74]
West Bengal's climate varies from tropical savanna in the southern portions to humid subtropical
in the north. The main seasons are summer, the rainy season, a short autumn, and winter. While
the summer in the delta region is noted for excessive humidity, the western highlands experience
a dry summer like northern India, with the highest daytime temperature ranging from 38 °C
(100 °F) to 45 °C (113 °F).[75] At night, a cool southerly breeze carries moisture from the Bay of
Bengal. In early summer, brief squalls and thunderstorms known as Kalbaisakhi, or Nor'westers,
often occur.[76] West Bengal receives the Bay of Bengal branch of the Indian Ocean monsoon that
moves in a southeast to northwest direction. Monsoons bring rain to the whole state from June to
September. Heavy rainfall of above 250 centimetres (98 in) is observed in
the Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar district. During the arrival of the monsoons, low
pressure in the Bay of Bengal region often leads to the formation of storms in the coastal areas.
Winter (December–January) is mild over the plains with average minimum temperatures of 15 °C
(59 °F).[75] A cold and dry northern wind blows in the winter, substantially lowering the humidity
level. The Darjeeling Himalayan Hill region experiences a harsh winter, with occasional
snowfall.[77]

Flora and fauna

As per the India State of Forest Report 2017, recorded forest area in the state is
16,847 km2 (6,505 sq mi),[78] while in 2013, forest area was 16,805 km2 (6,488 sq mi), which was
18.93% of the state's geographical area, compared to the then national average of
21.23%.[79] Reserves and protected and unclassed forests constitute 59.4%, 31.8%, and 8.9%,
respectively, of forested areas, as of 2009.[80] Part of the world's largest mangrove forest,
the Sundarbans is located in southern West Bengal.[81]

From a phytogeographic viewpoint, the southern part of West Bengal can be divided into two
regions: the Gangetic plain and the littoral mangrove forests of the Sundarbans.[83] The alluvial
soil of the Gangetic plain, combined with favourable rainfall, makes this region especially
fertile.[83] Much of the vegetation of the western part of the state has similar species composition
with the plants of the Chota Nagpur plateau in the adjoining state of Jharkhand.[83] The
predominant commercial tree species is Shorea robusta, commonly known as the sal tree. The
coastal region of Purba Medinipur exhibits coastal vegetation; the predominant tree is
the Casuarina. A notable tree from the Sundarbans is the ubiquitous sundari (Heritiera fomes),
from which the forest gets its name.[84]
The distribution of vegetation in northern West Bengal is dictated by elevation and precipitation.
For example, the foothills of the Himalayas, the Dooars, are densely wooded with sal and other
tropical evergreen trees.[85] Above an elevation of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), the forest becomes
predominantly subtropical. In Darjeeling, which is above 1,500 metres (4,900 ft), temperate forest
trees such as oaks, conifers, and rhododendrons predominate.[85]
3.26% of the geographical area of West Bengal is protected land, comprising fifteen wildlife
sanctuaries and five national parks[80] – Sundarbans National Park, Buxa Tiger
Reserve, Gorumara National Park, Neora Valley National Park, and Singalila National Park.
Extant wildlife include Indian rhinoceros, Indian elephant, deer, leopard, gaur, tiger,
and crocodiles, as well as many bird species. Migratory birds come to the state during the
winter.[86] The high-altitude forests of Singalila National Park shelter barking deer, red
panda, chinkara, takin, serow, pangolin, minivet, and kalij pheasants. The Sundarbans are noted
for a reserve project devoted to conserving the endangered Bengal tigeralthough the forest hosts
many other endangered species such as the Gangetic dolphin, river terrapin, and estuarine
crocodile.[87] The mangrove forest also acts as a natural fish nursery, supporting coastal
fishes along the Bay of Bengal.[87] Recognising its special conservation value, the Sundarbans
area has been declared a Biosphere Reserve.[80]

Government and politics

Main articles: Government of West Bengal and Politics of West Bengal
See also: Council of Ministers of West Bengal and List of Chief Ministers of West Bengal
West Bengal is governed through a parliamentary system of representative democracy, a feature
the state shares with other Indian states. Universal suffrage is granted to residents. There are
two branches of government. The legislature, the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, consists of
elected members and special office bearers such as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, who are
elected by the members. Assembly meetings are presided over by the Speaker or the Deputy
Speaker in the Speaker's absence. The judiciary is composed of the Calcutta High Court and a
system of lower courts. Executive authority is vested in the Council of Ministers headed by
the Chief Minister although the titular head of government is the Governor. The Governor is
the head of state appointed by the President of India. The leader of the party or coalition with a
majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the Chief Minister by the Governor, and the
Council of Ministers are appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister. The
Council of Ministers reports to the Legislative Assembly. The Assembly is unicameral with
295 Members of the Legislative Assembly, or MLAs,[88] including one nominated from the Anglo-
Indian community. Terms of office run for five years, unless the Assembly is dissolved prior to the
completion of the term. Auxiliary authorities known as panchayats, for which local body elections
are regularly held, govern local affairs. The state contributes 42 seats to the Lok Sabha[89] and 16
seats to the Rajya Sabha of the Indian Parliament.[90]
The main players in the politics of the state are the All India Trinamool Congress, the Indian
National Congress, and the Left Front alliance (led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or
CPI(M)). Following the West Bengal State Assembly Election in 2011, the All India Trinamool
Congress and Indian National Congress coalition under Mamata Banerjee of the All India
Trinamool Congress was elected to power (getting 225 seats in the legislature).[91] Prior to this,
West Bengal was ruled by the Left Front for 34 years (1977–2011), making it the world's longest-
running democratically elected communist government.[47] Banerjee was re-elected as Chief
Minister in the 2016 election in which Trinamool Congress won an absolute majority.[92]
The state has one autonomous region, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.[93]

Districts
As of 2017, West Bengal is divided into 23 districts.[94]

Growth Sex Density per square

District Population Literacy
rate ratio Kilometer

North 24
10,009,781 12.04 955 84.06 2445
Parganas

South 24
8,161,961 18.17 956 77.51 819
Parganas

Purba
– – – – –
Bardhaman[a]

Paschim
2,882,031 – 922 78.75 1,800
Bardhaman[a]

Murshidabad 7,103,807 21.09 958 66.59 1334

 Growth Sex Density per square
District Population Literacy
rate ratio Kilometer

West Midnapore 5,913,457 13.86 966 78.00 631

Hooghly 5,519,145 9.46 961 81.80 1753

Nadia 5,167,600 12.22 947 74.97 1316

East Midnapore 5,095,875 15.36 938 87.02 1081

Howrah 4,850,029 13.50 939 83.31 3306

Kolkata 4,496,69 −1.67 908 86.31 24306

Maldah 3,988,845 21.22 944 61.73 1069

Jalpaiguri 3,872,846 13.87 953 73.25 622

Alipurduar[b] 1,700,000 – – – 400

Bankura 3,596,292 12.64 954 70.95 523

Birbhum 3,502,404 16.15 956 70.68 771

North Dinajpur 3,007,134 23.15 939 59.07 958

Purulia 2,930,115 15.52 957 64.48 468

Cooch Behar 2,819,086 13.71 942 74.78 832

Darjeeling 1,846,823 14.77 970 79.56 586

 Growth Sex Density per square
District Population Literacy
rate ratio Kilometer

Dakshin Dinajpur 1,676,276 11.52 956 72.82 755

Kalimpong[b] 202,239 – – – –

Jhargram[b] 1,136,548 – – – –

Each district is governed by a district collector or district magistrate, appointed by either

the Indian Administrative Service or the West Bengal Civil Service.[95] Each district is subdivided
into sub-divisions, governed by a sub-divisional magistrate, and again into blocks. Blocks
consists of panchayats (village councils) and town municipalities.[96]
The capital and largest city of the state is Kolkata – the third-largest urban agglomeration[97] and
the seventh-largest city[98] in India. Asansol is the second-largest city and urban agglomeration in
West Bengal after Kolkata.[97] Siliguri is an economically important city, strategically located in the
northeastern Siliguri Corridor (Chicken's Neck) of India.[99] Other cities and towns in West
Bengal with 2011 populations over 250,000 are Durgapur, Bardhaman, English
Bazar, Baharampur, Habra, Kharagpur, and Shantipur.[100]

Economy
Main article: Economy of West Bengal

Net State Domestic Product at Factor

Cost at Current Prices (2004–05
Base)[101]

(figures in crores of Indian rupees)

Net State Domestic

Year
Product

2004–2005 190,073

2005–2006 209,642

2006–2007 238,625

2007–2008 272,166

2008–2009 309,799

2009–2010 366,318

As of 2015, West Bengal has the sixth-highest GSDP in India. GSDP at current prices (base
2004–2005) has increased from Rs 2,08,656 crores in 2004–05 to Rs 8,00,868 crores in 2014–
2015,[102] reaching Rs 10,21,000 crores in 2017-18.[103] GSDP percent growth at current prices has
varied from a low of 10.3% in 2010–2011 to a high of 17.11% in 2013–2014. The growth rate
was 13.35% in 2014–2015.[104] The state's per capita income has lagged the all India average for
over two decades. As of 2014–2015, per capita NSDP at current prices was
Rs 78,903.[104] Per capita NSDP growth rate at current prices has varied from 9.4% in 2010–2011
to a high of 16.15% in 2013–2014. The growth rate was 12.62% in 2014–2015.[105]
In 2015–2016, percentage share of Gross Value Added (GVA) at factor cost by Economic
Activity at constant price (base year 2011–2012) was Agriculture-Forestry and Fishery – 4.84%,
Industry 18.51% and Services 66.65%. It has been observed that there has been a slow but
steady decline in the percentage share of industry and agriculture over the years.[106] Agriculture
is the leading economic sector in West Bengal. Rice is the state's principal food crop. Rice,
potato, jute, sugarcane, and wheat are the top five crops of the state.[107]:14 Tea is produced
commercially in northern districts; the region is well known for Darjeeling and other high quality
teas.[107]:14 State industries are localised in the Kolkata region, the mineral-rich western highlands,
and the Haldia port region.[108] The Durgapur–Asansol colliery belt is home to a number of steel
plants.[108] Important manufacturing industries are engineering products, electronics, electrical
equipment, cables, steel, leather, textiles, jewellery, frigates, automobiles, railway coaches, and
wagons. The Durgapur centre has established a number of industries in the areas of tea,
sugar, chemicals, and fertilisers. Natural resources like tea and jute in and nearby parts has
made West Bengal a major centre for the jute and tea industries.[109]
Years after independence, West Bengal is dependent on the central government for help in
meeting its demands for food; food production remained stagnant, and the Indian green
revolutionbypassed the state. However, there has been a significant increase in food production
since the 1980s, and the state now has a surplus of grains.[110] The state's share of total industrial
output in India was 9.8% in 1980–1981, declining to 5% by 1997–1998. In contrast, the service
sector has grown at a rate higher than the national rate.[110] The state's total financial debt stood
at ₹1,918,350 million (US$27 billion) as of 2011.[111]
In the period 2004–2010, the average gross state domestic product (GSDP) growth rate was
13.9% (calculated in Indian rupee terms) lower than 15.5%, the average for all states of the
country.[107]:4
The economy of West Bengal has witnessed many twists and turns. The agricultural sector in
particular rose to 8.33% in 2010–11 before tumbling down to −4.01 % in 2012–13.[112] Many major
industries such as the Uttarpara Hindustan Motors car manufacturing unit, the jute industry, and
the Haldia Petrochemicals unit experienced shutdowns in 2014. In the same year, plans for a
30,000 crore Jindal Steel project was mothballed. The tea industry of West Bengal has also
witnessed shutdowns due to financial and political reasons.[113] The tourism industry of West
Bengal took a hit in 2017 due to the Gorkhaland agitation.[114]
However, over the years due to effective changes in the stance towards industrialisation, ease of
doing business has improved in West Bengal.[115][116][117] Steps are being taken to remedy this
situation by promoting West Bengal as an investment destination. A leather complex has been
built in Kolkata, smart cities are being planned closed to Kolkata and major roadway projects are
in the offing to revive the economy.[118] West Bengal has been able to attract 2% of the foreign
direct investment in the last decade.[119]

Transport
As of 2011, the total length of surface road in West Bengal is over 92,023 kilometres (57,180
miles);[107]:18 national highways comprise 2,578 km (1,602 mi)[120] and state highways 2,393 km
(1,487 mi).[107]:18 As of 2006, the road density of the state is 103.69 kilometres per square
kilometre (166.87 miles per square mile), higher than the national average of
74.7 km/km2 (120.2 mi/sq mi).[121]
As of 2011, the total railway route length is around 4,481 km (2,784 mi).[107]:20 Kolkata is the
headquarters of three zones of the Indian Railways – Eastern Railway and South Eastern
Railway, and the Kolkata Metro, which is the newly formed 17th zone of the Indian
Railways.[122][123] The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) serves the northern parts of the state.
The Kolkata metro is the country's first underground railway.[124] The Darjeeling Himalayan
Railway, part of NFR, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[125]
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum, Kolkata, is the state's biggest
airport. Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri is a customs airportthat offers international service to
Bhutan and Thailand, besides regular domestic service. Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, India's first
private sector airport, serves the twin cities of Asansol-Durgapur at Andal, Bardhaman.[126][127]
Kolkata is a major river port in eastern India. The Kolkata Port Trust manages the Kolkata and
the Haldia docks.[128] There is passenger service to Port Blair on the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands and cargo ship service to ports in India and abroad, operated by the Shipping
Corporation of India. Ferries are a principal mode of transport in the southern part of the state,
especially in the Sundarbans area. Kolkata is the only city in India to have trams as a mode of
transport, and these are operated by the Calcutta Tramways Company.[129]
Several government-owned organisations operate bus services in the state, including
the Calcutta State Transport Corporation, the North Bengal State Transport Corporation,
the South Bengal State Transport Corporation, the West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation,
and the Calcutta Tramways Company.[130] There are also private bus companies. The railway
system is a nationalised service without any private investment.[131] Hired forms of transport
include metered taxis and auto rickshaws, which often ply specific routes in cities. In most of the
state, cycle rickshaws, and in Kolkata, hand-pulled rickshaws and electric rickshaws, are used for
short-distance travel.[132]

Demographics
Languages of West Bengal (2011)[133]

Bengali (86.22%)

Hindi (6.96%)

Santali (2.66%)

Urdu (1.82%)

Nepali (1.27%)

Others (1.07%)

showPopulation Growth

According to the provisional results of the 2011 national census, West Bengal is the fourth-most-
populous state in India with a population of 91,347,736 (7.55% of India's population).[1] Bengalis,
consisting of Bengali Hindus, Bengali Muslims, Bengali Christians and a few Bengali Buddhists,
comprise the majority of the population.[135] The Marwari, Maithil and Bhojpuri non-Bengali
minorities are scattered throughout the state; various indigenous ethnic Buddhist communities
such as the Sherpas, Bhutias, Lepchas, Tamangs, Yolmos, and ethnic Tibetans can be found in
the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region. Native Magahi speakers are found in Malda
district.[136] Surjapuri; a language that is considered to be a mix of Maithili and Bengali, is spoken
across northern parts of the state.[137]The Darjeeling district also has a large Nepali immigrant
population, making Nepali a widely spoken language in this region. West Bengal is also home to
indigenous tribal Adivasis such as Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Bhumij, Lodha, Kol, and Toto tribe.
There are a small number of ethnic minorities primarily in the state capital,
including Chinese, Tamils, Maharashtrians, Odias, Assamese, Malayalis, Gujaratis, Anglo-
Indians, Armenians, Jews, Punjabis, and Parsis.[138]India's sole Chinatown is in eastern
Kolkata.[139]
As per West Bengal government the official languages
are Bengali, Hindi, Kamtapuri, Kurmali, Odia, Punjabi, Rajbanshi, Santali and Urdu.[7][6][5] Nepali al
so has an official status in the three subdivisions of Darjeeling district.[7] As of 2001, in decreasing
order of number of speakers, the languages of the state are: Bengali, Hindi, Santali, Urdu, and
Nepali.[7]

Religion in West Bengal (2011)[140]

Hinduism (70.54%)

Islam (27.01%)

Christianity (0.72%)

Buddhism (0.31%)

Jainism (0.07%)

Sikhism (0.07%)

Other Religions (1.03%)

Irreligion (0.25%)

West Bengal is religiously diverse, with regional cultural and religious specificities.
Although Hindus are the predominant community, the state has a large
minority Muslim population. Christians, Buddhists, and others form a minuscule part of the
population. As of 2011, Hinduism is the largest religion, with adherents representing 70.54% of
the total population,[141] while Muslims comprise 27.01% of the total population, being the second-
largest community as well as the largest minority group.[142] Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, and
other religions make up the remainder.[143] Buddhism remains a prominent religion in the
Himalayan region of the Darjeeling hills, and almost the entirety of West Bengal's Buddhist
population are from this region.[144]
The state contributes 7.8% of India's population.[145] The Hindu population of West Bengal is
64,385,546 while the Muslim population is 24,654,825, as per the 2011 census.[146] The state's
2001–2011 decennial population growth rate was 13.93%,[1] lower than the 1991–2001 growth
rate of 17.8%,[1] and also lower than the national rate of 17.64%.[147] The gender ratio is 947
females per 1000 males.[147] As of 2011, West Bengal had a population density of 1,029
inhabitants per square kilometre (2,670/sq mi) making it the second-most densely populated
state in India, after Bihar.[147]
The literacy rate is 77.08%, higher than the national rate of 74.04%.[148] Data of 2010–2014
showed the life expectancy in the state was 70.2 years, higher than the national value of
67.9.[149][150] The proportion of people living below the poverty line in 2013 was 19.98%, declining
from 31.8% a decade ago.[151]Scheduled castes and tribes form 28.6% and 5.8% of the
population, respectively, in rural areas, and 19.9% and 1.5%, respectively, in urban areas.[110]
In September 2017, West Bengal achieved 100% electrification, after some remote villages in the
Sunderbans became the latest to be electrified.[152]
As of September 2017, out of 125 towns and cities in Bengal, 76 have achieved Open Defecation
Free (ODF) status. All towns in the districts of Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Burdwan and
East Midnapore are ODF zones, with Nadia becoming the first ODF district in the state in April
2015.[153][154]
A study conducted in three districts of West Bengal found that accessing private health services
to treat illness had a catastrophic impact on households. This indicates the importance of public
provision of health services to mitigate against poverty and the impact of illness on poor
households.[155]
The latest Sample Registration System (SRS) statistical report shows that West Bengal has the
lowest fertility rate among Indian states. West Bengal's total fertility rate was 1.6, way
below Bihar's 3.4, which is the highest in the entire country. Bengal's TFR of 1.6 roughly equals
that of Canada.[156]

Culture
See also: Bengalis, Culture of West Bengal, and Culture of Darjeeling

Literature
The Bengali language boasts a rich literary heritage that it shares with neighbouring Bangladesh.
West Bengal has a long tradition of folk literature, evidenced by the Charyapada, a collection of
Buddhist mystic songs dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries; Mangalkavya, a collection of
Hindu narrative poetry composed around the 13th century; Shreekrishna Kirtana, a
pastoral Vaishnava drama in verse composed by Boru Chandidas; Thakurmar Jhuli, a collection
of Bengali folk and fairy tales compiled by Dakshinaranjan Mitra Majumder; and stories of Gopal
Bhar, a court jester in medieval Bengal. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Bengali literature was
modernised in the works of authors such as Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, whose innovative
works marked a departure from the traditional verse-oriented writings prevalent in that
period;[159] Michael Madhusudan Dutt, a pioneer in Bengali drama who introduced the use
of blank verse;[160] and Rabindranath Tagore, who reshaped Bengali literature and music. Indian
art saw the introduction of Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early
20th centuries.[161] Other notable figures include Kazi Nazrul Islam, whose compositions form
the avant-garde genre of Nazrul Sangeet,[162] Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, whose works on
contemporary social practices in Bengal are widely acclaimed,[163] and Manik Bandyopadhyay,
who is considered one of the leading lights of modern Bengali fiction.[164] In modern
times, Jibanananda Das has been acknowledged as "the premier poet of the post-Tagore era in
India".[165] Other writers include Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay, best known for his work Pather
Panchali; Tarashankar Bandopadhyay, well known for his portrayal of the lower strata of
society;[166] Manik Bandopadhyay, a pioneering novelist; and Ashapurna Devi, Shirshendu
Mukhopadhyay, Saradindu Bandopadhyay, Buddhadeb Guha, Mahashweta Devi, Samaresh
Majumdar, Sanjeev Chattopadhyay, Shakti Chattopadhyay, Buddhadeb Basu,[167] Joy Goswami,
and Sunil Gangopadhyay.[168][169]
Music and dance
A notable music tradition is the Baul music, practiced by the Bauls, a sect of
mystic minstrels.[170] Other folk music forms include Gombhiraand Bhawaiya. Folk music in West
Bengal is often accompanied by the ektara, a one-stringed instrument. Shyama Sangeet is a
genre of devotional songs, praising the Hindu goddess Kali;[171] kirtan is devotional group songs
dedicated to the god Krishna.[172] Like other states in northern India, West Bengal also has a
heritage in North Indian classical music. "Rabindrasangeet", songs composed and set into tune
by Rabindranath Tagore, and "Nazrul geeti" (by Kazi Nazrul Islam) are popular. Also prominent
are Dwijendralal, Atulprasad and Rajanikanta's songs, and "adhunik" or modern music from films
and other composers.[173] From the early 1990s, there has been an emergence of new genres of
music, including what has been called Bengali Jeebonmukhi Gaan (a modern genre based on
realism). Bengali dance forms draw from folk traditions, especially those of the tribal groups, as
well as the broader Indian dance traditions. Chhau dance of Purulia is a rare form of masked
dance.[174]
Films
Main article: Cinema of West Bengal
Cinema of West Bengal is mostly shot in studios in the Kolkata neighbourhood of Tollygunj, and
the name "Tollywood" (similar to Hollywood and Bollywood) is derived from that name. The
Bengali film industry is well known for its art films, and has produced acclaimed directors
like Satyajit Ray who is widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th
century,[175] Mrinal Senwhose films were known for its artistic depiction of social reality, Tapan
Sinha who was one of the most prominent Indian film directors of his time,[176] and Ritwik Ghatak.
Some contemporary directors include veterans such as Buddhadev Dasgupta, Tarun
Majumdar, Goutam Ghose, Aparna Sen, and Rituparno Ghosh, and a newer pool of directors
such as Kaushik Ganguly and Srijit Mukherji.[177][178][179]
Fine arts
There are significant examples of fine arts in Bengal from earlier times, including the terracotta
art of Hindu temples and the Kalighat paintings. Bengal has been in the vanguard of modernism
in fine arts. Abanindranath Tagore, called the father of modern Indian art, started the Bengal
School of Art, one of whose goals was to promote the development of styles of art outside the
European realist tradition that had been taught in art colleges under the British colonial
administration. The movement had many adherents, including Gaganendranath
Tagore, Ramkinkar Baij, Jamini Roy, and Rabindranath Tagore. After Indian Independence,
important groups such as the Calcutta Group and the Society of Contemporary Artists were
formed in Bengal and came to dominate the art scene in India.[180][181]
Reformist heritage
The capital, Kolkata, was the workplace of several social reformers, including Raja Ram Mohan
Roy, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, and Swami Vivekananda. Their social reforms eventually led to
a cultural atmosphere that made it possible for practices like sati, dowry, and caste-based
discrimination, or untouchability, to be abolished.[182] The region was also home to several
religious teachers, such as Chaitanya, Ramakrishna, Prabhupada, and Paramahansa
Yogananda.[182]
Cuisine
Rice and fish are traditional favourite foods, leading to a saying in Bengali, machhe bhate
bangali, that translates as "fish and rice make a Bengali".[183] Bengal's vast repertoire of fish-
based dishes includes hilsa preparations, a favourite among Bengalis. There are numerous ways
of cooking fish depending on the fish's texture, size, fat content, and bones.[184] Most of the
people also consume eggs, chicken, mutton, and shrimp. Panta bhat (rice soaked overnight in
water) with onion and green chili is a traditional dish consumed in rural areas,[185] Common spices
found in a Bengali kitchen are cumin, ajmoda (radhuni), bay leaf, mustard, ginger, green chillies,
and turmeric.[186] Sweets occupy an important place in the diet of Bengalis and at their social
ceremonies. Bengalis make distinctive sweetmeats from milk products,
including Rôshogolla, Chômchôm, Kalojam, and several kinds of sondesh. Pitha, a kind of sweet
cake, bread, or dimsum, are specialties of the winter season. Sweets such as narkol-naru, til-
naru, moa, and payesh are prepared during the festivals such as Lakshmi puja.[187] Popular street
foods include Aloor Chop, Beguni, Kati roll, biryani, and phuchka.[188][189]
Clothing
Bengali women commonly wear the sari, often distinctly designed according to local cultural
customs. In urban areas, many women and men wear western attire. Among men, western dress
has greater acceptance. Particularly on cultural occasions, men also wear traditional costumes
such as the panjabi with dhuti while women wear salwar kameez or sari.[190]
West Bengal produces several varieties of cotton and silk saris in the country. Handlooms are a
popular way of livelihood to the rural population of the state. Every district has weaving "clusters",
which are home to artisan communities, each specialising in specific varieties of handloom
weaving. Notable handloom saris include tant, jamdani, garad, korial, baluchari, tussar, and
muslin.[191]
Festivals
Main article: List of festivals of West Bengal
Durga Puja is the biggest, most popular and widely celebrated festival in West Bengal.[192] The
five-day-long colourful Hindu festival witnesses intense celebration across the state. Pandals are
erected in various cities, towns and villages throughout West Bengal. The whole city of Kolkata
undergoes a transformation during Durga Puja, as it is decked up in lighting decorations and
thousands of colourful pandals are set up where effigies of goddess Durga and her four children
are worshipped and displayed. The idols of the goddess as brought in from Kumortuli, where
idol-makers work round the year fashioning the clay-models of the goddess. Since independence
in 1947, Durga Puja has slowly changed into more of a glamorous carnival than a religious
festival, where people across diverse religious and ethnic spectrum partake in the
festivity.[193] On Vijayadashami, the last day of the festival, the effigies are paraded through the
streets with riotous pageantry before being dumped into the rivers.[194]
Rath Yatra is a Hindu festival which celebrates Jagannath, a form of Krishna. It is celebrated with
much fanfare in Kolkata as well as in rural Bengal. Images of Jagannath are set upon a chariot
and pulled through the streets.[195]
Other major festivals of West Bengal include Poila Baishakh the Bengali new
year, Dolyatra or Holi the festival of lights, Poush Parbon, Kali Puja, Nabadwip Shakta
Rash, Saraswati Puja, Deepaboli, Lakshmi Puja, Janmashtami, Jagaddhatri Puja, Vishwakarma
Puja, Bhai Phonta, Rakhi Bandhan, Kalpataru Day, Shivratri, Ganesh Chathurthi,
Maghotsav, Kartik Puja, Akshay Tritiya, Raas Yatra, Guru Purnima, Annapurna Puja, Charak
Puja, Gajan, Buddha Purnima, Christmas, Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, and Muharram. Rabindra
Jayanti, Kolkata Book Fair, Kolkata Film Festival, and Nazrul Jayanti are important cultural
events.[195]
Eid al-Fitr is the most important festival of Muslims in West Bengal. Muslims celebrate the end of
Ramadan with prayers, alms-giving, shopping, gift-giving, and feasting.[196]
Christmas, called Bôŗodin (Great day) is perhaps the next major festival celebrated in Kolkata,
after Durga Puja. Just like Durga Puja, Christmas in Kolkata is an occasion in which all
communities and people across religions take part. The state tourism department organises the
gala Christmas Festival every year in Park Street.[197] The whole of Park Street is decked out in
colourful lights, and food stalls sell cakes, chocolates, Chinese cuisines, momo, and various
other items. Musical groups from Darjeeling and other states of North East India are invited by
the state to perform choir recitals, carols, and jazz numbers.[198] Buddha Purnima, which marks
the birth of Gautama Buddha, is one of the most important Hindu/Buddhist festivals and is
celebrated with much gusto in the Darjeeling hills. On this day, processions begin at each of the
various Buddhist monasteries, or gumpas, and congregate at the Mall, Chowrasta. The Lamas
chant mantras and sound their bugles, and students as well as people from all communities carry
the holy books or pustaks on their heads. Besides Buddha Purnima, Dashain,
or Dusshera, Holi, Diwali, Losar, Namsoong or the Lepcha New Year, and Losoong are the other
major festivals of the Darjeeling Himalayan region.[196]
Poush mela is a popular winter festival of Shantiniketan, with performances of folk music, Baul
songs, dance, and theatre taking place throughout the town.[196]
Ganga Sagar mela coincides with the Makar Sankranti, and hundreds of thousands of Hindu
pilgrims converge where the river Ganges meets the sea to bathe en masse during this fervent
festival.[195]

Education
West Bengal schools are run by the state government or by private organisations, including
religious institutions. Instruction is mainly in English or Bengali, though Urdu is also used,
especially in Central Kolkata. The secondary schools are affiliated with the Council for the Indian
School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE),
the National Institute of Open School (NIOS), West Bengal Board of Secondary Education or
the West Bengal Board of Madrasah Education.[199]
As of 2016 85% of children within the age group of 6 to 17 years attend school (86% do so in
urban areas and 84% in rural areas).School attendance is almost universal among the age group
of 6 to 14 years, and then drops to 70 percent at the age group 15 to 17 years. There is a gender
disparity in school attendance in the age group 6–14 years, more girls than boys are attending
school. In Bengal, 71 percent of women aged 15 to 49 years and 81 percent of men aged 15 to
49 years are literate. Only 14 percent of women aged 15 to 49 years in West Bengal have
completed 12 or more years of schooling, compared with 22 percent of men. Twenty-two percent
of women and 14 percent of men age 15 to 49 years have never been to school. Only 14 percent
of women aged 15 to 49 years in West Bengal have completed 12 or more years of schooling,
compared with 22% of men.[200]
Some of the notable schools in the city are La Martiniere Calcutta, Calcutta Boys' School, St.
James' School (Kolkata), St. Xavier's Collegiate School, and Loreto House, Loreto Convent,
Asansol some of which rank amongst the best schools in the country.[201] Many of the schools in
Kolkata and Darjeeling are colonial-era establishments housed in buildings that are exemplars of
neo-classical architecture. The schools of Darjeeling include St. Paul's, St. Joseph'sNorth
Point, Goethals Memorial School, and Dow Hill in Kurseong.[202]
West Bengal has eighteen universities.[203][204] Kolkata has played a pioneering role in the
development of the modern education system in India. It was the gateway to the revolution of
European education during the British Raj.[205] Sir William Jones established the Asiatic Society in
1794 for promoting oriental studies. People such as Ram Mohan Roy, David Hare, Ishwar
Chandra Vidyasagar, Alexander Duff and William Carey played leading roles in the setting up of
modern schools and colleges in the city.[196]
The University of Calcutta, the oldest public university in India, has 136 affiliated colleges. Fort
William College was established in 1810. The Hindu College was established in 1817. The Lady
Brabourne College was established in 1939. The Scottish Church College, which is the oldest
Christian liberal arts college in South Asia, started its journey in 1830. In 1855 the Hindu College
was renamed the Presidency College.[206] In 2010 it was granted university status by the state
government and was renamed Presidency University. Kazi Nazrul University was established in
2012. The University of Calcutta and Jadavpur University are prestigious technical
universities.[207] Visva-Bharati University at Santiniketan is a central university and an institution of
national importance.[208]
Other higher education institutes of importance in West Bengal include St. Xavier's College,
Kolkata, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (the
first IIM), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, Indian Statistical
Institute, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (the first IIT), Indian Institute of Engineering
Science and Technology, Shibpur (the first IIEST), Indian Institute of Information Technology,
Kalyani, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, National Institute of Technical Teachers'
Training and Research, Kolkata, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research,
Kolkata, and West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences. In 2003 the state
government supported the creation of West Bengal University of Technology, West Bengal
University of Health Sciences, West Bengal State University, and Gour Banga University.[209]
Jadavpur University (Focus area – Mobile Computing and Communication and Nano-science),
and the University of Calcutta (Modern Biology) are among two of the fifteen universities selected
under the scheme "University with Potential for Excellence". University of Calcutta (Focus Area –
Electro-Physiological and Neuro-imaging studies including mathematical modeling) has also
been selected under the scheme Centre with Potential for Excellence in a Particular Area.[210]
Besides these, the state is home to Kalyani University, The University of Burdwan, Vidyasagar
University, and North Bengal University all well as established and nationally renowned to cover
education needs at the district level and an Indian Institute of Science Education and Research,
Kolkata. Apart from this there is a Deemed university run by the Ramakrishna mission
named Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University at Belur Math.[211]
There are a number of research institutes in Kolkata. The Indian Association for the Cultivation of
Science is the first research institute in Asia. C. V. Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize for his
discovery (Raman Effect) done in IACS. The Bose Institute, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, S.
N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Central Glass
and Ceramic Research Institute, Central Mechanical Engineering Research
Institute Durgapur, Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibers, National Institute of
Research on Jute and Allied Fibre Technology, Central Inland Fisheries Research
Institute, National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), Kalyani, and the Variable Energy
Cyclotron Centre are the most prominent.[209]
Notable scholars who were born, worked, or studied in the geographic area of the state include
physicists Satyendra Nath Bose, Meghnad Saha,[212] and Jagadish Chandra
Bose;[213] chemist Prafulla Chandra Roy;[212] statisticians Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis and Anil
Kumar Gain;[212] physician Upendranath Brahmachari;[212] educator Ashutosh Mukherjee;[214] and
Nobel laureates Rabindranath Tagore,[215] C. V. Raman,[213] and Amartya Sen.[216]

Media
In 2005 West Bengal had 505 published newspapers,[217] of which 389 were in
Bengali.[217] Ananda Bazar Patrika, published from Kolkata with 1,277,801 daily copies, has the
largest circulation for a single-edition, regional language newspaper in India.[217] Other major
Bengali newspapers are Bartaman, Sangbad Pratidin, Aajkaal, Jago Bangla, Uttarbanga
Sambad, and Ganashakti. Major English language newspapers include The Telegraph, The
Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, The Statesman, The Indian Express, and Asian
Age. Some prominent financial dailies such as The Economic Times, Financial
Express, Business Line, and Business Standard are widely circulated. Vernacular newspapers
such as those in Hindi, Nepali, Gujarati, Odia, Urdu, and Punjabi are also read by a select
readership.[218]
Doordarshan is the state-owned television broadcaster. Multi system operators provide a mix of
Bengali, Nepali, Hindi, English, and international channels via cable. Bengali 24-hour television
news channels include ABP Ananda, Tara Newz, Kolkata TV, News Time, 24 Ghanta, Mahuaa
Khobor, CTVN Plus, Channel 10, and R Plus.[219][220] All India Radio is a public radio
station.[220] Private FM stations are available only in cities like Kolkata, Siliguri, and
Asansol.[220]Vodafone, Airtel, BSNL, Jio, Reliance Communications, Uninor, Aircel, MTS
India, Idea Cellular, and Tata DoCoMo are available cellular phone providers. Broadband internet
is available in select towns and cities and is provided by the state-run BSNL and by other private
companies. Dial-up access is provided throughout the state by BSNL and other providers.[221]

Sports
Cricket and association football are popular sports in the state. West Bengal, unlike most other
states of India, is noted for its passion and patronage of football.[222][223][224] Kolkata is one of the
major centres for football in India[225] and houses top national clubs such as Mohun Bagan Athletic
Club, East Bengal Club and Mohammedan Sporting Club.[226]
West Bengal has several large stadiums. Eden Gardens was one of only two 100,000-seat
cricket stadiums in the world;[227] renovation before 2011 Cricket World Cup reduced the capacity
to 66,000.[228] The stadium is the home to various cricket teams such as the Kolkata Knight
Riders, the Bengal cricket team, and the East Zone. The 1987 Cricket World Cup final was
hosted in Eden Gardens. Calcutta Cricket and Football Club is the second-oldest cricket club in
the world.[229]
Salt Lake Stadium / Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK), is a multipurpose stadium in
Kolkata, with a current capacity of 85,000. It is the largest stadium in India by seating
capacity.[230]Before its renovation in 2011, it was the second largest football stadium in the world,
having a seating capacity of 120,000. It has hosted many national and international sporting
events like SAF Games of 1987 and the 2011 FIFA friendly football match between Argentina
and Venezuela featuring Lionel Messi.[231] In 2008 Legendary German Goalkeeper, Oliver
Kahn played his last farewell match on this ground.[232] The stadium hosted the final match of
the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Notable sports persons from West Bengal include former Indian national cricket captain Sourav
Ganguly, Pankaj Roy, Olympic tennis bronze medallist Leander Paes, and chess grand
masterDibyendu Barua.[222][223][224]
Kolkata
Country India

State West Bengal

Division Presidency

District Kolkata[A]

Government

• Type Municipal Corporation

• Body Kolkata Municipal Corporation

• Mayor Firhad Hakim

• Sheriff Ranjit Mallick[12]

• Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar[13]

Area

[4][5]

• Megacity 205.00 km2 (79.150 sq mi)

• Metro 1,886.67 km2 (728.45 sq mi)

Elevation 9 m (30 ft)

Population

(2011)[4][6]

• Megacity 4,496,694

• Rank 7th

• Density 22,000/km2 (57,000/sq mi)

• Metro 14,112,536
14,617,882 (Extended UA)
[7][8]

• Metro rank 3rd

Demonyms Kolkatan
Calcuttan

Time zone UTC+05:30 (IST)

 ZIP code(s) 700 001 to 700 162

Area code(s) +91-33

Vehicle registration WB-01 to WB-10, WB-19 to WB-22

UN/LOCODE IN CCU

Metro GDP/PPP $60–150 billion[9][10][11]

Official languages Bengali[14]

Website www.kmcgov.in

1. ^ The Kolkata metropolitan area also includes portions of North 24

Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Nadia, and Hooghlydistricts.

See: Urban structure.

Kolkata /koʊlˈkɑːtə/ ([kolkata] ( listen), also known as Calcutta /kælˈkʌtə/, the official name until
2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly
River approximately 75 kilometres (47 mi) west of the border with Bangladesh, it is the principal
commercial, cultural, and educational centre of East India, while the Port of Kolkata is India's
oldest operating port and its sole major riverine port. The city is widely regarded as the "cultural
capital" of India, and is also nicknamed the "City of Joy".[1][2][3]According to the 2011 Indian
census, it is the seventh most populous city; the city had a population of 4.5 million, while the
suburb population brought the total to 14.1 million, making it the third-most populous metropolitan
area in India. Recent estimates of Kolkata Metropolitan Area's economy have ranged from $60 to
$150 billion (GDP adjusted for purchasing power parity) making it third most-productive
metropolitan area in India, after Mumbai and Delhi.[9][10][11]
In the late 17th century, the three villages that predated Calcutta were ruled by the Nawab of
Bengal under Mughal suzerainty. After the Nawab granted the East India Company a
trading licence in 1690,[15] the area was developed by the Company into an increasingly fortified
trading post. Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah occupied Calcutta in 1756, and the East India Company
retook it the following year. In 1793 the East India company was strong enough to abolish
Nizamat (local rule), and assumed full sovereignty of the region. Under the company rule, and
later under the British Raj, Calcutta served as the capital of British-held territories in India until
1911, when its perceived geographical disadvantages, combined with growing nationalism
in Bengal, led to a shift of the capital to New Delhi. Calcutta was the centre for the Indian
independence movement; it remains a hotbed of contemporary state politics. Following Indian
independence in 1947, Kolkata, which was once the centre of modern Indian education, science,
culture, and politics, suffered several decades of economic stagnation.
As a nucleus of the 19th- and early 20th-century Bengal Renaissance and a religiously and
ethnically diverse centre of culture in Bengal and India, Kolkata has local traditions in drama, art,
film, theatre, and literature. Many people from Kolkata—among them several Nobel laureates—
have contributed to the arts, the sciences, and other areas. Kolkata culturefeatures
idiosyncrasies that include distinctively close-knit neighbourhoods (paras) and freestyle
intellectual exchanges (adda). West Bengal's share of the Bengali film industry is based in the
city, which also hosts venerable cultural institutions of national importance, such as the Academy
of Fine Arts, the Victoria Memorial, the Asiatic Society, the Indian Museum and the National
Library of India. Among professional scientific institutions, Kolkata hosts the Agri Horticultural
Society of India, the Geological Survey of India, the Botanical Survey of India, the Calcutta
Mathematical Society, the Indian Science Congress Association, the Zoological Survey of India,
the Institution of Engineers, the Anthropological Survey of India and the Indian Public Health
Association. Though home to major cricketing venues and franchises, Kolkata differs from other
Indian cities by giving importance to association football and other sports.

The word Kolkata derives from the Bengali term Kôlikata (Bengali: কলিকাতা) [ˈkɔlikat̪ a], the
name of one of three villages that predated the arrival of the British, in the area where the city
eventually was to be established; the other two villages were Sutanuti and Govindapur.[16]
There are several explanations about the etymology of this name:

 The term Kolikata is thought to be a variation of Kalikkhetrô [ˈkalikʰːet̪ rɔ] (Bengali: কািীক্ষেত্র),
meaning "Field of [the goddess] Kali". Similarly, it can be a variation of 'Kalikshetra' (Sanskrit:
कालीक्षेत्र, lit. "area of Goddess Kali").
 Another theory is that the name derives from Kalighat.[17]
 Alternatively, the name may have been derived from the Bengali
term kilkila (Bengali: লকিলকিা), or "flat area".[18]
 The name may have its origin in the words khal [ˈkʰal] (Bengali: খাি) meaning "canal",
followed by kaṭa [ˈkata] (Bengali: কাটা), which may mean "dug".[19]
 According to another theory, the area specialised in the production of quicklime or koli
chun [ˈkɔlitɕun] (Bengali: কলি চুন) and coir or kata [ˈkat̪ a] (Bengali: কাতা); hence, it was
called Kolikata [ˈkɔlikat̪ a] (Bengali: কলিকাতা).[18]
Although the city's name has always been pronounced Kolkata [ˈkolkat̪ a] (Bengali: কিকাতা)
or Kôlikata [ˈkɔlikat̪ a] (Bengali: কলিকাতা) in Bengali, the anglicised form Calcutta was the official
name until 2001, when it was changed to Kolkata in order to match Bengali pronunciation.[20] (It
should be noted that "Calcutt" is an etymologically unrelated place name found at several
locations in England.)

History
The discovery and archaeological study of Chandraketugarh, 35 kilometres (22 mi) north of
Kolkata, provide evidence that the region in which the city stands has been inhabited for over two
millennia.[21][22] Kolkata's recorded history began in 1690 with the arrival of the English East India
Company, which was consolidating its trade business in Bengal. Job Charnock, an administrator
who worked for the company, was formerly credited as the founder of the city;[23] In response to a
public petition,[24] the Calcutta High Court ruled in 2003 that the city does not have a
founder.[25] The area occupied by the present-day city encompassed three
villages: Kalikata, Gobindapur, and Sutanuti. Kalikata was a fishing village; Sutanuti was a
riverside weavers' village. They were part of an estate belonging to the Mughal emperor;
the jagirdari (a land grant bestowed by a king on his noblemen) taxation rights to the villages
were held by the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family of landowners, or zamindars. These rights were
transferred to the East India Company in 1698.[26]:1
In 1712, the British completed the construction of Fort William, located on the east bank of the
Hooghly River to protect their trading factory.[27] Facing frequent skirmishes with French forces,
the British began to upgrade their fortifications in 1756. The Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah,
condemned the militarisation and tax evasion by the company. His warning went unheeded, and
the Nawab attacked; he captured Fort William which led to the killings of several East India
company officials in the Black Hole of Calcutta.[28] A force of Company soldiers (sepoys) and
British troops led by Robert Clive recaptured the city the following year.[28] Per the 1765 Treaty of
Allahabad following the battle of Buxar, East India company was appointed imperial tax collector
of the Mughal emperor in the province of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, while Mughal-appointed
Nawabs continued to rule the province.[29] Declared a presidency city, Calcutta became the
headquarters of the East India Company by 1773.[30] In 1793, ruling power of the Nawabs were
abolished and East India company took complete control of the city and the province. In the early
19th century, the marshes surrounding the city were drained; the government area was laid out
along the banks of the Hooghly River. Richard Wellesley, Governor-General of the Presidency of
Fort William between 1797 and 1805, was largely responsible for the development of the city and
its public architecture.[31] Throughout the late 18th and 19th century, the city was a centre of the
East India Company's opium trade.[32]
By the 1850s, Calcutta had two areas: White Town, which was primarily British and centred
on Chowringhee and Dalhousie Square; and Black Town, mainly Indian and centred on North
Calcutta.[33] The city underwent rapid industrial growth starting in the early 1850s, especially in
the textile and jute industries; this encouraged British companies to massively invest in
infrastructure projects, which included telegraph connections and Howrah railway station. The
coalescence of British and Indian culture resulted in the emergence of a new babu class of
urbane Indians, whose members were often bureaucrats, professionals, newspaper readers, and
Anglophiles; they usually belonged to upper-caste Hindu communities.[34] In the 19th century,
the Bengal Renaissance brought about an increased sociocultural sophistication among city
denizens. In 1883, Calcutta was host to the first national conference of the Indian National
Association, the first avowed nationalist organisation in India.[35]
The partition of Bengal in 1905 along religious lines led to mass protests, making Calcutta a less
hospitable place for the British.[36][37] The capital was moved to New Delhi in 1911.[38] Calcutta
continued to be a centre for revolutionary organisations associated with the Indian independence
movement. The city and its port were bombed several times by the Japanese between 1942 and
1944, during World War II.[39][40] Coinciding with the war, millions starved to death during
the Bengal famine of 1943 due to a combination of military, administrative, and natural
factors.[41] Demands for the creation of a Muslim state led in 1946 to an episode of communal
violence that killed over 4,000.[42][43][44] The partition of India led to further clashes and a
demographic shift—many Muslims left for East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh), while
hundreds of thousands of Hindus fled into the city.[45]
During the 1960s and 1970s, severe power shortages, strikes, and a violent Marxist–Maoist
movement by groups known as the Naxalites damaged much of the city's infrastructure, resulting
in economic stagnation.[46] The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 led to a massive influx of
thousands of refugees, many of them penniless, that strained Kolkata's infrastructure.[47] During
the mid-1980s, Mumbai (then called Bombay) overtook Kolkata as India's most populous city. In
1985, prime minister Rajiv Gandhi dubbed Kolkata a "dying city" in light of its socio-political
woes.[48] In the period 1977–2011, West Bengal was governed from Kolkata by the Left Front,
which was dominated by the Communist Party of India (CPM). It was the world's longest-serving
democratically elected communist government, during which Kolkata was a key base for Indian
communism.[49][50][51] In the West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, 2011, Left Front was
defeated by the Trinamool Congress. The city's economic recovery gathered momentum after
the 1990s, when India began to institute pro-market reforms. Since 2000, the information
technology (IT) services sector has revitalised Kolkata's stagnant economy. The city is also
experiencing marked growth in its manufacturing base

Geography
.

Spread roughly north–south along the east bank of the Hooghly River, Kolkata sits within the
lower Ganges Delta of eastern India approximately 75 km (47 mi) west of the international border
with Bangladesh; the city's elevation is 1.5–9 m (5–30 ft).[53] Much of the city was originally a
wetland that was reclaimed over the decades to accommodate a burgeoning population.[54] The
remaining undeveloped areas, known as the East Kolkata Wetlands, were designated a "wetland
of international importance" by the Ramsar Convention (1975).[55] As with most of the Indo-
Gangetic Plain, the soil and water are predominantly alluvial in origin. Kolkata is located over the
"Bengal basin", a pericratonic tertiary basin.[56] Bengal basin comprises three structural units:
shelf or platform in the west; central hinge or shelf/slope break; and deep basinal part in the east
and southeast. Kolkata is located atop the western part of the hinge zone which is about 25 km
(16 mi) wide at a depth of about 45,000 m (148,000 ft) below the surface.[56] The shelf and hinge
zones have many faults, among them some are active. Total thickness of sediment below
Kolkata is nearly 7,500 m (24,600 ft) above the crystalline basement; of these the top 350–450 m
(1,150–1,480 ft) is Quaternary, followed by 4,500–5,500 m (14,760–18,040 ft)
of Tertiary sediments, 500–700 m (1,640–2,300 ft) trap wash of Cretaceous trap and 600–800 m
(1,970–2,620 ft) Permian-Carboniferous Gondwana rocks.[56] The quaternary sediments consist
of clay, silt, and several grades of sand and gravel. These sediments are sandwiched between
two clay beds: the lower one at a depth of 250–650 m (820–2,130 ft); the upper one 10–40 m
(30–130 ft) in thickness.[57] According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, on a scale ranging
from I to Vin order of increasing susceptibility to earthquakes, the city lies inside seismic zone
III.[58]

Urban structure
The Kolkata metropolitan area is spread over 1,886.67 km2 (728.45 sq mi)[59]:7 and comprises
3 municipal corporations (including Kolkata Municipal Corporation), 39 local municipalities and
24 panchayat samitis, as of 2011.[59]:7 The urban agglomeration encompassed 72 cities and
527 towns and villages, as of 2006.[60] Suburban areas in the Kolkata metropolitan
area incorporate parts of the following districts: North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah,
Hooghly, and Nadia.[61]:15 Kolkata, which is under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Municipal
Corporation (KMC), has an area of 185 km2 (71 sq mi).[60] The east–west dimension of the city is
comparatively narrow, stretching from the Hooghly River in the west to roughly the Eastern
Metropolitan Bypass in the east—a span of 9–10 km (5.6–6.2 mi).[62] The north–south distance is
greater, and its axis is used to section the city into North, Central, and South Kolkata. East
Kolkata is also a section.
North Kolkata
North Kolkata is the oldest part of the city. Characterised by 19th-century architecture,
dilapidated buildings, overpopulated slums, crowded bazaars, and narrow alleyways, it includes
areas such
as Shyambazar, Hatibagan, Maniktala, Kankurgachi, Rajabazar, Shobhabazar, Shyampukur, So
nagachi, Kumortuli, Bagbazar, Jorasanko, Chitpur, Pathuriaghata, Cossipore, Kestopur, Sinthee,
Belgachia, Jorabagan and Dum Dum.[63]:65–66 The northern suburban areas
like Baranagar, Durganagar, Noapara,
Dunlop, Dakshineswar, Nagerbazar, Belghoria, Agarpara, Sodepur, Madhyamgram, Hridaypur, B
arasat, Birati, Khardah, Titagarh and Barrackpur are also within the city of Kolkata (as a
metropolitan structure).
Central Kolkata
Central Kolkata hosts the central business district. It contains B. B. D. Bagh, formerly known as
Dalhousie Square, and the Esplanade on its east; Strand Road is on its west.[64] The West Bengal
Secretariat, General Post Office, Reserve Bank of India, High Court, Lalbazar Police
Headquarters, and several other government and private offices are located there. Another
business hub is the area south of Park Street, which comprises thoroughfares such
as Chowringhee, Camac Street, Wood Street, Loudon Street, Shakespeare Sarani, and A. J. C.
Bose Road.[65] The Maidan is a large open field in the heart of the city that has been called the
"lungs of Kolkata"[66] and accommodates sporting events and public meetings.[67] The Victoria
Memorial and Kolkata Race Courseare located at the southern end of the Maidan. Other
important areas of Central Kolkata are Park Circus, Burrabazar, College
Street, Sealdah, Taltala, Janbazar, Bowbazar, Entally, Chandni
Chowk, Lalbazar, Chowringhee, Dharmatala, Tiretta Bazar, Bow Barracks, Mullick
Bazar, Babughat etc. Among the other parks are Central Park in Bidhannagar and Millennium
Park on Strand Road, along the Hooghly River.
South Kolkata
South Kolkata developed after India gained independence in 1947; it includes upscale
neighbourhoods such as Ballygunge, Alipore, New
Alipore, Lansdowne, Bhowanipore, Kalighat, Ajoy Nagar, Dhakuria, Gariahat, Charu
Market, Tollygunge, Chetla, Naktala, Jodhpur Park, Lake Gardens, Golf Green, Regent
Park, Jadavpur, Garfa, Kalikapur, Haltu, Nandi Bagan, Santoshpur, Baghajatin, Chak Garia, New
Garia, Garia, Ramgarh, Raipur, Kanungo Park, Ranikuthi, Bikramgarh,
Bijoygarh, Bansdroni, Kudghat, Dhalai Bridge, Model Town, Netaji Nagar, Panchpota, Techno
City, Tentulberia and Baishnabghata Patuli.[16] Outlying areas of South Kolkata
include Ekbalpur, Haridevpur, Hastings, Rajabagan, Watgunge, Garden
Reach, Khidirpur, Metiabruz, Taratala, Bartala, BNR Colony,
Majerhat, Behala, Sarsuna, Joka, Barisha, Parnasree
Pally, Thakurpukur, Maheshtala, Batanagar, Nungi, Budge Budge and Pujali. The southern
suburban neighbourhoods like Mahamayatala, Pratapgarh, Kamalgazi, Narendrapur, Rajpur
Sonarpur, Harinavi, Subhashgram, Mallikpur and Baruipur are also within the city of Kolkata (as
metropolitan, urban agglomeration area). Fort William, on the western part of the city, houses the
headquarters of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army;[68] its premises are under the
jurisdiction of the army.
East Kolkata
East Kolkata is largely composed of newly developed areas and neighbourhoods
of Saltlake, Rajarhat, Tangra, Topsia, Kasba, Anandapur, Mukundapur, Picnic
Garden, Beleghata, Ultadanga, Phoolbagan, Kaikhali, Lake Town, etc. Two planned townships in
the greater Kolkata region are Bidhannagar, also known as Salt Lake City and located north-east
of the city; and Rajarhat, also called New Town and sited east of Bidhannagar.[16][69] In the 2000s,
Sector V in Bidhannagar developed into a business hub for information technology and
telecommunication companies.[70][71] Both Bidhannagar and New Town are situated outside the
Kolkata Municipal Corporation limits, in their own municipalities.[69]

Climate
Main article: Climate of Kolkata
Kolkata is subject to a tropical wet-and-dry climate that is designated Aw under the Köppen
climate classification. According to a United Nations Development Programme report, its wind
and cyclone zone is "very high damage risk".[58]
Temperature
The annual mean temperature is 26.8 °C (80.2 °F); monthly mean temperatures are 19–30 °C
(66–86 °F). Summers (March–June) are hot and humid, with temperatures in the low 30s
Celsius; during dry spells, maximum temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in May and
June.[72] Winter lasts for roughly two-and-a-half months, with seasonal lows dipping to 9–11 °C
(48–52 °F) in December and January. May is the hottest month, with daily temperatures ranging
from 27–37 °C (81–99 °F); January, the coldest month, has temperatures varying from 12–23 °C
(54–73 °F). The highest recorded temperature is 43.9 °C (111.0 °F), and the lowest is 5 °C
(41 °F).[72] The winter is mild and very comfortable weather pertains over the city throughout this
season. Often, in April–June, the city is struck by heavy rains or dusty squalls that are followed
by thunderstorms or hailstorms, bringing cooling relief from the prevailing humidity. These
thunderstorms are convective in nature, and are known locally as kal bôishakhi (কািববশাখী), or
"Nor'westers" in English.[73]
Rainfall
Rains brought by the Bay of Bengal branch of the south-west summer monsoon[74] lash Kolkata
between June and September, supplying it with most of its annual rainfall of about 1,850 mm
(73 in). The highest monthly rainfall total occurs in July and August. In these months often
incessant rain for days brings live to a stall for the city dwellers. The city receives 2,528 hours of
sunshine per year, with maximum sunlight exposure occurring in March.[75] Kolkata has been hit
by several cyclones; these include systems occurring in 1737 and 1864 that killed thousands.[76][77]
Environmental issues
Main article: Environmental issues in Kolkata
Pollution is a major concern in Kolkata. As of 2008, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide annual
concentration were within the national ambient air quality standards of India, but
respirable suspended particulate matter levels were high, and on an increasing trend for five
consecutive years, causing smog and haze.[80][81] Severe air pollution in the city has caused a rise
in pollution-related respiratory ailments, such as lung cancer.[82]

Economy
Kolkata is the main commercial and financial hub of East and North-East India[61] and home to
the Calcutta Stock Exchange.[83][84] It is a major commercial and military port, and is the only city in
eastern India, apart from Bhubaneswar to have an international airport. Once India's leading city,
Kolkata experienced a steady economic decline in the decades following India's independence
due to steep population increases and a rise in militant trade-unionism, which included frequent
strikes that were backed by left-wing parties.[52] From the 1960s to the late 1990s, several
factories were closed and businesses relocated.[52] The lack of capital and resources added to the
depressed state of the city's economy and gave rise to an unwelcome sobriquet: the "dying
city".[85] The city's fortunes improved after the Indian economy was liberalised in the 1990s and
changes in economic policy were enacted by the West Bengal state government.[52]
Flexible production has been the norm in Kolkata, which has an informal sector that employs
more than 40% of the labour force.[16] One unorganised group, roadside hawkers, generated
business worth ₹ 8,772 crore (US$ 2 billion) in 2005.[86] As of 2001, around 0.81% of the city's
workforce was employed in the primary sector (agriculture, forestry, mining, etc.); 15.49% worked
in the secondary sector (industrial and manufacturing); and 83.69% worked in the tertiary
sector (service industries).[61]:19 As of 2003, the majority of households in slums were engaged in
occupations belonging to the informal sector; 36.5% were involved in servicing the urban middle
class (as maids, drivers, etc.), and 22.2% were casual labourers.[87]:11 About 34% of the available
labour force in Kolkata slums were unemployed.[87]:11 According to one estimate, almost a quarter
of the population live on less than 27 rupees (equivalent to 45 US cents) per day.[88] As of 2010,
Kolkata, with an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) by purchasing power parity of 150
billion dollars, ranked third among South Asian cities, after Mumbai and Delhi.[89] Kolkata's GDP
in 2014 was Rs 1.84 trillion, according to a collaborative assessment by multiple universities and
climate agencies.[90] As in many other Indian cities, information technology became a high-growth
sector in Kolkata starting in the late 1990s; the city's IT sector grew at 70% per annum—a rate
that was twice the national average.[52] The 2000s saw a surge of investments in the real estate,
infrastructure, retail, and hospitality sectors; several large shopping malls and hotels were
launched.[91][92][93][94][95]Companies such as ITC Limited, CESC Limited, Exide
Industries, Emami, Eveready Industries India, Lux Industries, Rupa Company, Berger
Paints, Birla Corporation and Britannia Industries are headquartered in the
city. Philips India, PricewaterhouseCoopers India, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Steel have their
registered office and zonal headquarters in Kolkata. Kolkata hosts the headquarters of three
major public-sector banks: Allahabad Bank, UCO Bank, and the United Bank of India; and a
private bank Bandhan Bank. Reserve Bank of India has its eastern zonal office in Kolkata,
and India Government Mint, Kolkata is one of the four mints in India.

Demographics
The demonym for residents of Kolkata are Calcuttan and Kolkatan.[96][97] According to provisional
results of the 2011 national census, Kolkata district, which occupies an area of
185 km2 (71 sq mi), had a population of 4,486,679;[98] its population density was
24,252/km2 (62,810/sq mi).[98] This represents a decline of 1.88% during the decade 2001–11.
The sex ratio is 899 females per 1000 males—lower than the national average.[99] The ratio is
depressed by the influx of working males from surrounding rural areas, from the rest of West
Bengal; these men commonly leave their families behind.[100] Kolkata's literacy rate of
87.14%[99] exceeds the national average of 74%.[101] The final population totals of census 2011
stated the population of city as 4,496,694.[6]The urban agglomeration had a population of
14,112,536 in 2011.[7]
Bengali Hindus form the majority of Kolkata's
population; Marwaris, Biharis and Muslims compose large minorities.[102] Among Kolkata's smaller
communities are Chinese, Tamils, Nepalis, Odias, Telugus, Assamese, Gujaratis, Anglo-
Indians, Armenians, Greeks, Tibetans, Maharashtrians, Konkanis, Malayalees, Punjabis,
and Parsis.[26]:3 The number of Armenians, Greeks, Jews, and other foreign-origin groups
declined during the 20th century.[103] The Jewish population of Kolkata was 5,000 during World
War II, but declined after Indian independence and the establishment of Israel;[104] by 2013, there
were 25 Jews in the city.[105] India's sole Chinatown is in eastern Kolkata;[103] once home to 20,000
ethnic Chinese, its population dropped to around 2,000 as of 2009[103] as a result of multiple
factors including repatriation and denial of Indian citizenship following the 1962 Sino-Indian War,
and immigration to foreign countries for better economic opportunities.[106] The Chinese
community traditionally worked in the local tanning industry and ran Chinese restaurants.[103][107]

Kolkata urban agglomeration population growth

Census Total %±

1981 9,194,000 —

1991 11,021,900 19.9%

 2001 13,114,700 19.0%

2011 14,112,536 7.6%

Source: Census of India[7]

Others include Sikhism, Buddhism & Other religions (0.03%)

Religion in Kolkata[108]

Religion Percent

Hinduism   76.51%

Islam   20.60%

Christianity   0.88%

Jainism   0.47%

Others   1.54%

Bengali, the official state language, is the dominant language in Kolkata.[109] English is also used,
particularly by the white-collar workforce. Hindiand Urdu are spoken by a sizeable
minority.[110][111] According to the 2011 census, 76.51% of the population is Hindu, 20.60% Muslim,
0.88% Christian, and 0.47% Jain.[112] The remainder of the population includes Sikhs, Buddhists,
and other religions which accounts for 0.45% of the population; 1.09% did not state a religion in
the census.[112] Kolkata reported 67.6% of Special and Local Laws crimes registered in 35 large
Indian cities during 2004.[113] The Kolkata police district registered 15,510 Indian Penal
Code cases in 2010, the 8th-highest total in the country.[114] In 2010, the crime rate was 117.3 per
100,000, below the national rate of 187.6; it was the lowest rate among India's largest cities.[115]
As of 2003, about one-third of the population, or 1.5 million people, lived in
3,500 unregistered squatter-occupied and 2,011 registered slums.[87]:4[116]:92 The authorised slums
(with access to basic services like water, latrines, trash removal by the Kolkata Municipal
Corporation) can be broadly divided into two groups—bustees, in which slum dwellers have
some long term tenancy agreement with the landowners; and udbastu colonies, settlements
which had been leased to refugees from present-day Bangladesh by the
Government.[116][87]:5 The unauthorised slums (devoid of basic services provided by the
municipality) are occupied by squatters who started living on encroached lands—mainly along
canals, railway lines and roads.[116]:92[87]:5 According to the 2005 National Family Health Survey,
around 14% of the households in Kolkata were poor, while 33% lived in slums, indicating a
substantial proportion of households in slum areas were better off economically than the bottom
quarter of urban households in terms of wealth status.[117]:23 Mother Teresa was awarded
the Nobel Peace Prize for founding and working with the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata—an
organisation "whose primary task was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared
to look after"