West Bengal Map

About West Bengal Map

The above West Bengal district map shows all 23 districts along with their district headquarters, the state capital Kolkata, and state boundaries. It also highlights the international borders with Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, as well as neighboring states including Sikkim, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, and Odisha.

District of West Bengal

Below is the list of all the districts of West Bengal state and these districts with their headquarters are also marked on the West Bengal map.

Facts about West Bengal

About West Bengal

West Bengal is an important Indian state in the east of the country that has been important to the cultural and historical development of the subcontinent. People have lived in what is now West Bengal since prehistoric times. It was then part of the larger Bengal territory, which includes modern-day Bangladesh. Bengal's recorded history began during the Vedic period, when the region was an important center for the Maurya and Gupta empires. The Pala Empire established its power in the region from the 8th to 12th century by supporting Buddhism while developing extensive trade connections with Southeast Asia. The region became a commercial and cultural hub under Islamic rule when it came under the Delhi Sultanate followed by the Bengal Sultanate.

Bengal held the central position among all British colonies in India during the colonial period. The city of Calcutta which is present-day Kolkata functioned as the main administrative center of British India until 1911. The Indian independence movement originated from this area which produced key figures including Rabindranath Tagore and Subhas Chandra Bose and Swami Vivekananda. The 1947 partition of Bengal split the province into Indian West Bengal and Pakistani East Pakistan, which is now called Bangladesh. The state's current identity emerged from the massive population movements that resulted from this partition.

Geographical Overview

West Bengal extends across a varied terrain of Himalayan snow regions in the north and southern coastal plains bordering the Bay of Bengal. The state extends across 88,752 square kilometers (34,267 square miles) of land which places it among the medium-sized Indian states based on territorial extent. The northernmost part of West Bengal contains Eastern Himalayan territory where Darjeeling stands out for its natural beauty and tea cultivation and Kanchenjunga stands as the third highest peak in the world which can be seen from particular locations.

The Terai and Dooars regions represent the southern part of the state where biodiversity thrives through multiple national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. The central part of the state comprises alluvial plains of the Ganges Delta which stands as one of the most fertile agricultural zones in India. The southern part of the state extends into the Sundarbans which holds the title of being the world's largest mangrove forest and gained UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The deltaic region contains multiple rivers and creeks which create a distinctive habitat that supports the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger along with other species.

The Hooghly River functions as a Ganges distributary that supports both economic activities and urban growth in West Bengal through its course along the banks of Kolkata and Howrah and Chandannagar. The climate across West Bengal takes different forms based on geographical location and elevation. The northern hill region maintains a temperate climate but the southern plains have a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and a monsoon period from June through September and cool winters.

Economy and Agriculture

Economy of West Bengal is mainly based on Agriculture, Industry, Services and Trade. Rice is the principal crop of West Bengal. Besides rice the state is also the largest producer of Jute in India. West Bengal is also the largest producer of Tea after Assam. It is also largest producer of Sugarcane, Potato and Edible Oil in India. The famous Darjeeling Himalayan Hill Region is home of some of the world famous Tea Gardens. The City of futures, Kolkata is the commercial and financial hub of eastern part of India. The city has some of the biggest engineering factories, textile mills, biggest chemical and pharmaceutical companies of India and world’s largest IT enabled services destinations. The historic and oldest port of India, Kolkata Port plays a very significant role in country’s trade and commerce.

Culture and Heritage

Cultures are the back bone of a civilization. Culture in West Bengal is embodied in its rich literary legacy, romantic classical music, vibrant folk and traditional arts and crafts. The land of Tagore, West Bengal is the heart of Indian literature and Cinema. The most celebrated festival of India Durga Puja has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Bengali cuisine is famous for delicacies like Fish curry, Jhol or Macher Jhol, Thalis, Biryani and a lot more. The capital city of West Bengal, Kolkata is the only city with a rich colonial heritage. Known as the Cultural Capital of India, the city offers a window to the past, in colonial buildings, museum, theatre groups, schools and colleges.

Tourism in West Bengal

West Bengal has become a major tourist destination in the world, where tourists from home and abroad can enjoy a scenic holiday amidst the great Himalayas of the North and the sun-kissed beaches of Bay of Bengal in the South. The Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong with their breathtaking beauty, the largest mangrove delta of Sundarbans in the plains, places of faith and heritage like Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Belur Math, ancient cities of Gaur and Murshidabad with the magnificent Hazarduari Palace and seventeen century old temples of Bishnupur are the chief tourist attractions of the State. Tourist facilities at Digha and Mandarmani beaches of the State are overcrowded throughout the year. Thousands of tourists and holiday makers visit the State to enjoy wildlife of Jaldapara, Gorumara and Sundarbans National Park to catch a glimpse of one horn rhinoceros, mighty elephants and the majestic Royal Bengal Tigers.