Birbhum district
Birbhum district | |
|---|---|
 Location of Birbhum district in West Bengal | |
| Country | India |
| State | West Bengal |
| Division | Burdwan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4,545 km2 (1,755 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 3,502,404 |
| • Density | 770/km2 (2,000/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 449,448 |
| Demographics | |
| • Literacy | 70.68 |
| • Sex ratio | 956 |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| Website | www |
Birbhum district is a district in West Bengal, India.[1][2]
History
[change | change source]During the time of British East India Company, the administrative unit by the name Birbhum was formed in 1787. Before that, it was administratively a part of Murshidabad district. After independent (1947) Birbhum district is an administrative unit in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Administration
[change | change source]It is the northernmost district of Burdwan division—one of the five administrative divisions of West Bengal. The district headquarters is in Suri. Other important cities are Rampurhat, Bolpur and Sainthia. Jamtara, Dumka and Pakur districts of the state of Jharkhand lie at the western border of this district; the border in other directions is covered by the districts of Bardhaman and Murshidabad of West Bengal.
Lok Sabha constituencies
[change | change source]- Birbhum (Lok Sabha constituency)
- Bolpur (Lok Sabha constituency)
Vidhan Sabha constituencies
[change | change source]- Sainthia
- Suri
- Bolpur
- Rampurhat
- Nalhati
- Dubrajpur
- Mayureswar
- Murarai
- Labpur
- Nanoor
- Hansan
Geography
[change | change source]Often called "the land of red soil". Birbhum is noted for its topography and its cultural heritage which is somewhat different from the other districts in West Bengal. The western part of Birbhum is a bushy region, a part of the Chhota Nagpur Plateau. This region gradually merges with the fertile alluvial farmlands in the east.
Culture
[change | change source]This district saw many cultural and religious movements in history. The Visva Bharati University at Santiniketan, established by Rabindranath Tagore, is one of the places Birbhum is known for. Many festivals are celebrated in the district, including Poush Mela.
Industry
[change | change source]Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75% of the population being dependent on agriculture. Principal industries of the district include cotton and silk harvesting and weaving, rice and oilseed milling, lac harvesting, stone mining and metalware and pottery manufacture. Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station is the only heavy industry in the district.
References
[change | change source]- ↑ "Directory of District, Sub division, Panchayat Samiti/ Block and Gram Panchayats in West Bengal, March 2008". West Bengal. National Informatics Centre, India. 19 March 2008. p. 1. Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
- ↑ "Birbhum District". District Administration. Retrieved 18 February 2009.