West Bengal

West Bengal

West Bengal is a state in eastern India, stretching from the Himalayan foothills in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. It is one of India’s most populous and culturally influential regions, with Kolkata as its capital and largest city.

Key facts

• Capital / largest city: Kolkata

• Area: ~88,752 km² (13th among Indian states)

• Population (2011): ~91.3 million; 4th most populous state

• Official languages: Bengali, English (plus several additional scheduled languages)

• Highest point: Sandakphu (3,636 m) in the Singalila range

Geography and regions

West Bengal has a distinctive long, thin shape: wide in the south and extremely narrow in the north, where it connects the Indian mainland to the Northeast. It borders Sikkim, Assam, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, and the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.

The state can be broadly divided into the fertile Gangetic plains in the south and center, and the sub-Himalayan and Himalayan belts in the north, including the Duars and hill areas around Darjeeling. The southern coastline includes the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared with Bangladesh.

History and politics

Modern West Bengal emerged from the 1947 partition of Bengal, when the western, predominantly Hindu-majority districts became part of India, while the eastern part later became Bangladesh.

Post-independence, the state saw major refugee flows, left-wing movements (including the Naxalite insurgency), and a long period of elected communist rule from 1977 to 2011. Since 2011 it has been governed mainly by the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with a unicameral Legislative Assembly of 294 seats.

Economy

Agriculture is a backbone of the state, employing a large share of the population. Key crops include rice (the staple), jute, tea, sugarcane, and oilseeds. The tea gardens of Darjeeling tea gardens and the jute belts along the Hooghly are especially well known.

Industrial and service sectors are centered around the Kolkata metropolitan region and other urban clusters. Important industries include steel, petrochemicals, textiles, leather, IT and business services. In recent years, West Bengal has ranked among the larger state economies in India by gross state domestic product, though its per-capita income and human development indicators sit around the middle of the national pack.

People, language, and society

Bengalis form the majority of the population, alongside communities such as Santhals, Rajbanshis, Nepalis (Gorkhas), and others. Bengali is the dominant language, with English widely used in administration and business; Urdu, Hindi, Nepali and several other languages have recognized status in specific areas.

The population is predominantly Hindu, with a substantial Muslim minority and smaller communities of Christians, Buddhists, Jains and others. The state is densely populated (around 1,000+ people per km²) and about one-third urban, with Kolkata as a major cultural, educational, and commercial hub.

Culture and festivals

West Bengal is renowned for literature, cinema, music, and art. It was home to figures like Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and filmmaker Satyajit Ray, and played a central role in the Bengal Renaissance.

Durga Puja, especially in Kolkata, is the state’s biggest festival, combining elaborate artistic “pandals” (temporary pavilions), idols, and days of public celebrations that draw visitors from across India and abroad. Other major observances include Kali Puja, Eid, Christmas in Park Street, and various local and folk festivals.

Food and everyday life

Rice and fish are iconic to Bengali cuisine—captured in the saying “machhe bhate Bangali” (“fish and rice make a Bengali”). Dishes highlight river fish like hilsa, a wide variety of vegetarian preparations, and an extensive tradition of sweets made from milk and chhena, such as rasogolla and sandesh.

Urban life in Kolkata and other cities blends colonial-era architecture, bookshops, coffee houses, football and cricket culture, and a strong tradition of political discussion; rural areas revolve more around agriculture, local markets, and village festivals, but are increasingly connected through roads, electrification, and media.