Bihar Map

About Bihar Map

Explore the Bihar district map showing the 38 districts, district headquarters and state capital.

Districts of Bihar

S.N.	District Name	Headquarter Name
1	Araria	Araria
2	Arwal	Arwal
3	Aurangabad	Aurangabad
4	Banka	Banka
5	Begusarai	Begusarai
6	Bhagalpur	Bhagalpur
7	Bhojpur	Arrah
8	Buxar	Buxar
9	Darbhanga	Darbhanga
10	East Champaran	Motihari
11	Gaya	Gaya
12	Gopalganj	Gopalganj
13	Jamui	Jamui
14	Jehanabad	Jehanabad
15	Kaimur	Bhabua
16	Katihar	Katihar
17	Khagaria	Khagaria
18	Kishanganj	Kishanganj
19	Lakhisarai	Lakhisarai
20	Madhepura	Madhepura
21	Madhubani	Madhubani
22	Munger	Munger
23	Muzaffarpur	Muzaffarpur
24	Nalanda	Bihar Sharif
25	Nawada	Nawada
26	Patna	Patna
27	Purnia	Purnia
28	Rohtas	Sasaram
29	Saharsa	Saharsa
30	Samastipur	Samastipur
31	Saran	Chhapra
32	Sheikhpura	Sheikhpura
33	Sheohar	Sheohar
34	Sitamarhi	Dumra, Sitamarhi
35	Siwan	Siwan
36	Supaul	Supaul
37	Vaishali	Hajipur
38	West Champaran	Bettiah

About Bihar

Covering around 94, 163 square kilometers (36,357 square miles), Bihar is an Eastern Indian state. With a population of more than 124 million as recorded in the 2011 Census, it is the third most populous state in India and the 12th biggest by area. From the north, Bihar borders Nepal; from the west, Uttar Pradesh; from the south, Jharkhand; from the east, West Bengal. One of India's most significant rivers, the Ganges runs through the state and provides rich soil for support of farming.

Historical Relevance

From ancient times, Bihar has been the hub of power, knowledge, and culture as well as a site of historical legacy. It was the capital of the Magadha Empire, which greatly influenced the growth of Buddhism and Jainism. Originating in Bihar, the Maurya Dynasty under Emperor Ashoka and the Gupta Dynasty helped to bring about India's Golden Age. This area housed the ancient colleges of Nalanda and Vikramshila, among the first in the world. With the Champaran Satyagraha headed by Mahatma Gandhi in 1917 among the first demonstrations against British colonial control, the state has also been important in India's independence fight.

Agronomy and Economics

Since most of the people of Bihar work in agriculture, their economy is essentially rural. The rich Gangetic plains help to grow rice, wheat, maize, lentils, sugarcane. Among India's litchis and makhana (fox nuts), the state has one of highest output. Though in recent years Bihar has made progress in infrastructure development, service businesses, and small-scale industry, its economy has suffered from lack of industrialization notwithstanding its agricultural potential. With a growth rate greater than the national average, Bihar's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was projected at about ₹7.5 trillion ($90 billion) in 2022. Emerging as a major driver of economic development is the service sector, including commerce, healthcare, and education as well as industry.

Research Facilities and Education

With Nalanda University among the first universities in the world, Bihar has a strong historical relationship to education. The state now hosts Patna University, Nalanda University (reopened as an international research center), and IIT Patna among numerous colleges. Notwithstanding this, Bihar struggles to upgrade school facilities and higher education; while new projects like scholarships and skill development programs have showed promise.

Government and Politics

Bihar has a dynamic political scene in which regional parties are very important for state administration. Comprising the Bihar Legislative Assembly and the Bihar Legislative Council, the state legislative is bicameral. The Governor represents the national government; the Chief Minister leads the state government. With figures like Jayaprakash Narayan and Lalu Prasad Yadav guiding important political events in India's past, political movements in Bihar have sometimes shaped national politics.

Cultural Heritage and Tourism

Many historical and religious sites abound in Bihar. A main pilgrimage site, Bodh Gaya is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Gautama Buddha gained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree. Other important locations include Rajgir, Vikramshila Monastery, Vaishali (related with Mahavira and Buddha), and Nalanda University ruins. Millions of Hindus attend Hindu pilgrimage sites like Sonepur Mela in Gaya and Vishnupad Temple in Gaya. Deeply culturally and religiously significant, the state also commemorates holidays like Chhath Puja.

Social Significance and Healthcare Measures

Though it still struggles with medical infrastructure and service delivery, Bihar has experienced developments in healthcare. The state now gives primary healthcare facilities and mother care initiatives more of importance. Initiatives aiming at free medicine programs and ambulance services have helped rural communities have better access to healthcare. Still unresolved, nevertheless, hunger, child mortality, and sanitation problems need for ongoing legislative initiatives.

History of Bihar

Introduction and Present-Day Context

The eastern Indian state of Bihar exists as a landlocked territory which has served as the heart of South Asian civilization since more than 2,500 years ago. The name Bihar originates from the word "vihāra" which refers to the numerous Buddhist monasteries that used to exist throughout the Ganges plain. The state of Bihar spans 94,163 square kilometers and divides into 38 administrative districts. The 2011 official census reported a population of 104 million people who speak Hindi and Urdu as official languages and Maithili holds constitutional recognition while Bhojpuri and Magahi remain the most commonly used regional dialects. The region maintains a historical significance that surpasses its geographical size because it has produced both ancient empires and universities and modern political movements.

Prehistory and Early Settlements

Archaeological evidence shows that humans have maintained a steady presence in the middle Ganges basin since prehistoric times. The mid-third millennium BCE saw the emergence of settled agrarian communities at Chirand and other sites along the Ghaghara–Ganges confluence where archaeologists found Neolithic and Chalcolithic artifacts including polished stone tools and early ceramics. The region became one of the first agricultural centers in the subcontinent because its inhabitants utilized the fertile alluvial soil and river transportation and periodic flood patterns.

Vedic Age and the Mahājanapadas (c. 1500–322 BCE)

The middle Ganges valley became a domain of strong mahājanapadas during the final stage of the Vedic period. The region of present-day Bihar saw the emergence of two major powers during this time: Magadha under Rājagṛha/Rajgir as its capital and the republican Vajji confederacy with Vaishali as its central seat. The Vajji established itself as one of history's earliest republics through its clan-based council system while Magadha under its monarchical rule controlled the fertile plains and iron deposits from nearby mountains and river access for military superiority. The religious history of this period underwent a significant transformation when Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment at Bodh Gaya while Mahavira the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism spread his teachings across Vajji territory before achieving nirvana at Pawapuri near Nalanda.

Rise of Magadha and the Mauryan Zenith (c. 6th–2nd centuries BCE)

The 6th century BCE saw Magadha establish its power base through the Haryanka and Shishunaga dynasties which moved the political center to Pāṭaliputra (modern Patna) where three major rivers meet. The Nanda dynasty built a powerful centralized state which Chandragupta Maurya used to establish the first empire of the subcontinent with Pāṭaliputra as its imperial seat. The Mauryan Empire expanded its borders to its maximum extent during Ashoka's rule (268–232 BCE) while his adoption of Dhamma principles created lasting changes in administrative practices and public conduct. The stone pillars at Lauriya and Rampurva demonstrate the advanced stonecraft and imperial communication methods which existed during this time period. The First and Third Buddhist Councils which took place at Rajgir and Pāṭaliputra established the region as a central hub for Buddhist doctrine development and institutional growth.

Post-Mauryan Transitions and the Gupta Age (c. 2nd century BCE – 6th century CE)

The Shunga and Kanva dynasties took control of middle Ganges territories after the Mauryan period while various regional powers emerged throughout this time. During the Gupta period from 4th to 6th centuries CE the Ganges plain maintained its position as the core political and scientific and literary center of India. The Gupta dynasty started its rule from the western territories but Pāṭaliputra functioned as their important political and strategic base. The premodern world witnessed the emergence of Nalanda Mahavihara which developed into the most distinguished monastic university of its time. The 5th century CE saw the establishment of Nalanda Mahavihara which received royal backing from successive rulers to become a major Asian learning center for logic and grammar and medicine and Buddhist philosophy.

Pāla Patronage, Universities, and the Sacred Geography (c. 8th–12th centuries)

The Pāla dynasty which ruled eastern India from the late 8th century maintained Buddhist learning institutions and monastic communities throughout present-day Bihar. Vikramshila Mahavihara near Bhagalpur and Odantapuri at Bihar Sharif established themselves as leading educational institutions which gained worldwide recognition together with Nalanda. The sacred sites of Bodh Gaya and Vaishali and Rajgir and Pawapuri developed into major pilgrimage destinations for Buddhists and Jains during this period. The Ganges River supported both monastic and commercial routes which enabled intellectual exchange between the region and Southeast Asia and East Asia.

Conquest, Sultanates, and the End of the Great Monasteries (c. 12th–16th centuries)

The late 12th century introduced a complete transformation of the world. The military campaigns of Bakhtiyar Khalji resulted in the conquest of Bihar and Bengal while monastic universities Nalanda and Vikramshila met their end between 1193–1200 thus ending a remarkable period of academic achievement. The administrative system of the Delhi Sultanate brought Bihar under its control through which towns became part of revenue collection networks and participated in extensive commercial routes. The 16th century saw Sher Shah Suri who originated from Sasaram unite northern India through his efforts to create a standardized currency system and his land revenue reforms and his improvements to the Grand Trunk Road which connected the Ganges region to Central and eastern trade routes. The Indo-Islamic architectural masterpiece of Sher Shah Suri's tomb stands at Sasaram.

Mughal Integration and Early Modern Economy (16th–18th centuries)

The Mughal administration of Bihar operated in partnership with Bengal subah to provide agricultural products and textiles and river-based trade to the imperial economic system. Patna developed into a major commercial center which specialized in textile production and exported its famous "Patna opium" throughout international trade routes. The zamindari system and market towns within the countryside managed agricultural production by linking peasants to merchants who operated along the Ganges and Son rivers.

Company Rule, Provincial Reorganization, and Nationalism (1765–1947)

revenue from Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. The Permanent Settlement of 1793 established colonial revenue systems which transformed land ownership into large zamindari estates that permanently changed the way peasants lived. The city of Patna developed into a leading administrative and educational hub which established Patna University as one of India's earliest contemporary universities in 1917. The administrative divisions of Bihar underwent multiple changes when the Bengal Presidency lost its territory to form the new province of Bihar and Orissa in 1912 and Odisha gained independence as a separate province in 1936. The political development of independent India received significant influence from Bihar. The first mass satyagraha movement of Gandhi began in Champaran during 1917 to fight against indigo planters while Rajendra Prasad joined the movement to become India's first President after independence. The province actively supported the Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience and Quit India movements while facing major disasters including the 1934 Bihar earthquake that led to improved building standards and emergency response systems.

From Independence to the Creation of Jharkhand (1947–2000)

Bihar joined the Indian Union in 1947 as a major state which encompassed the mineral-rich Chota Nagpur plateau together with Santhal Pargana which became part of Jharkhand. The implementation of land reforms led to the reduction of major estates but the agricultural system maintained its unbalanced nature. The southern plateau districts experienced industrial development yet the Ganges plain maintained its agricultural character while dealing with recurring floods and droughts. During the 1970s Bihar became the center of democratic protests when Jayaprakash Narayan launched his mass movement against corruption and centralization from Patna which transformed national politics and trained future leaders. The creation of Jharkhand as a separate state on November 15, 2000, transformed Bihar's economic landscape by taking away its major industrial and mining sectors which forced the state to develop its agricultural sector and small manufacturing and service industries and human capital investments.

Twenty-First-Century Bihar: Continuity and Change

The state has built new roads and bridges and rural access points since 2000 while dedicating funds to education and public health and law enforcement development. A modern version of Nalanda's legacy emerged when the twenty-first century brought a new international university to Rajgir to restore academic interest in the Ganges River region. The religious tourism and historical research at the Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and ancient Nalanda ruins and Barabar caves from the Mauryan era and Sher Shah's mausoleum serve as heritage sites. The state continues to advance in education and infrastructure development and maternal-child healthcare according to recent household surveys and administrative data although the official census data stops at 2011.

Culture, Language, and Learning Across the Ages

Bihar displays its cultural heritage through all its aspects. The region of Bihar showcases its cultural heritage through the Maithili literary tradition of Vidyapati and Bhojpuri folk performances and cinema and the ancient philosophical schools of Nalanda and Vikramshila and the sacred sites of Bodh Gaya and Vaishali and Rajgir and Pawapuri. The Didarganj Yakshi stands as a famous artifact in Patna's museums while ancient inscriptions spanning from Mauryan to Sultanate times reveal how political systems and religious backing developed throughout history. The term "vihāra" which originally referred to a monastic residence became the name for the entire region because of the continuous flow of learning and devotion that survived through all periods of political turmoil.

Natural Disasters and Historical Memory

The Kosi River and other rivers experienced major floods and the 1934 earthquake created permanent changes in settlement patterns and architectural designs and public administration systems. The state underwent physical and institutional changes through the expansion of embankments and rail-road links and disaster-relief systems which colonial and post-colonial governments implemented.