East IndiaStateWB
West Bengal
Capital: Kolkata
#14
Area Rank
#4
Pop. Rank
76.3%
Literacy
23
Districts
๐Basic Information
CapitalKolkata
Largest CityKolkata
Formation26 January 1950
Population9.13 crore (2011)
Area88,752 sq km
LanguagesBengali
Literacy Rate76.3%
Districts23
Major RiversHooghly (Ganga), Damodar, Teesta, Rupnarayan
๐Key GK Facts
- 1.Kolkata was capital of British India until 1911
- 2.Sundarbans โ world's largest mangrove forest; UNESCO World Heritage; Bengal Tiger habitat
- 3.Rabindranath Tagore born in Kolkata โ first Asian Nobel laureate (Literature, 1913)
- 4.Howrah Bridge (cantilever) has no nuts/bolts โ riveted construction
- 5.Darjeeling tea is a GI (Geographical Indication) product
- 6.Subhas Chandra Bose born in Cuttack (Odisha) but was associated with Bengal politics
- 7.Durga Puja โ UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
โญFamous For
SundarbansDurga PujaBengali literatureDarjeeling teaHowrah BridgeKolkata trams
๐ฏWildlife & National Parks
- ๐ฟSundarbans National Park (UNESCO, Tiger Reserve)
- ๐ฟJaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary (One-horned Rhino)
- ๐ฟGorumara National Park
Tips
- โSundarbans spans India and Bangladesh โ India's portion is UNESCO World Heritage (1987)
- โCapital of British India shifted from Calcutta (Kolkata) to New Delhi in 1911
- โWest Bengal is the only state sharing borders with Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sikkim
๐ง Quick Quiz
What is the capital of West Bengal?
When was West Bengal officially formed?