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Bihar (/ b ɪ ˈ h ɑːr /; Hindi pronunciation: [bɪˈɦaːr] ⓘ) is a state in Eastern India. It is the third largest state by population, the 12th largest by area, and the 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Bengal to the east, and Jharkhand to the south.
- Bihar Diwas
Bihar Day (Bihar Diwas) is observed every year on March 22,...
- List of People From Bihar
This is a list of notable people from Bihar, India This is a...
- Districts
Districts of Bihar. Bihar, a state of India, currently has...
- Bihari Culture
Bihar has produced a number of writers of Hindi, including...
- History
The History of Bihar is one of the most varied in India....
- Geography of Bihar
Bihar has three parts on the basis of physical and...
- Bihar Diwas
Bihar is a state in Eastern India. It is the third largest state by population, the 12th largest by area, and the 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Bengal to the east, and Jharkhand to the south.
- Overview
- Relief, drainage, and soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
- Population composition
- Settlement patterns and demographic trends
Bihar, state of eastern India. It is bounded by Nepal to the north and by the Indian states of West Bengal to the northeast and Uttar Pradesh to the west. In November 2000 the new state of Jharkhand was created from Bihar’s southern provinces and now forms the state’s southern and southeastern borders. The capital of Bihar is Patna.
Bihar occupied an important position in the early history of India. For centuries it was the principal seat of imperial powers and the main focus of Indian culture and civilization. The derivation of the name Bihar from the Sanskrit vihara (Buddhist monastery) reflects the prominence of such communities in the region in ancient times. Area 38,301 square miles (99,200 square km). Pop. (2011) 103,804,637.
The state is naturally divided by the Ganges (Ganga) River into two regions—the North Bihar Plains and the South Bihar Plains, which together form part of the middle Gangetic Plain. Except for the foothills of the Himalayas in the extreme northwest, the North Bihar Plain is a flat alluvial region, less than 250 feet (75 metres) above sea level and prone to flooding. The Ghaghara, the Gandak, the Baghmati, the Kosi, the Mahananda, and other rivers flow down from the Himalayas of Nepal and make their way to the Ganges in frequently changing channels. Depressions and lakes mark the abandoned courses of streams. The Kosi River, long known as the “Sorrow of Bihar” for its tendency to cause destructive floods, has been confined within artificial embankments. The soil of the northern plain consists mostly of new alluvium—chalky and light-textured (mostly sandy loam) west of the Burhi (Old) Gandak River and nonchalky and heavy-textured (clay and clay loam) to the east. Another natural hazard—seismic activity—also affects this area, which lies within the Himalayan earthquake zone. The earthquakes of 1934 and 1988 were especially severe and caused widespread devastation and loss of life.
The land of the South Bihar Plain is more varied than that of its northern counterpart, with many hills rising from the level alluvium. The southern rivers, with the exception of the Son, are all small; their water is diverted into irrigation channels. The soil consists mainly of older alluvium, composed of a darkish clay or yellowish loam, with poor, sandy soils predominating toward the south of this region. In the southwest, beyond the Son River valley, lies the Kaimur Plateau, with horizontal sandstone strata over a limestone base.
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The natural vegetation of Bihar is deciduous forest, but only a small portion of the total area is forested. Most forests occur in the Himalayan foothills; those on the plain have largely been removed in order to cultivate the land. Valuable resin-yielding sal trees (Shorea robusta) are found in the Himalayan foothills, along with an abundance of bamboo, reeds, and grasses. Common trees of the plain include banyans (Ficus benghalensis or F. indica), Bo trees (F. religiosa), and palmyra palms.
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The more inaccessible forest regions of Bihar are home to various species of large mammals, most notably Bengal tigers, leopards, elephants, and several types of deer. Crocodiles are most numerous along the Kosi River. In the early 21st century significant populations of the endangered adjutant stork (Leptoptilos dubius) were found in the Kosi and Ganges floodplains. Small mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish are common throughout the state.
For the most part, the peoples of Bihar are classified according to religion, social caste and lineage, and language, rather than by specific ethnic affiliation. Hindus constitute the majority of the population, and Muslims are the largest minority group. Most Muslims live in northern Bihar, particularly in and around the city of Purnia in the northeast. The Hindu population comprises the elite upper castes (Brahmans, Bhumihars, Rajputs, and Kayasthas); the officially designated Backward Classes (Yadavas, Kurmis, and Banias), constituting the socially and economically disadvantaged; and the Scheduled Castes, formerly known as “untouchables” (Chamars or Mochis, Dusadhs, and Mushars). There also are smaller groups of distinct indigenous peoples, the Scheduled Tribes, that fall outside the caste hierarchy; most are Hindus, and a few are Christians.
Indo-European languages—including Hindi, Urdu (primarily the language of Muslims), and the Bihari languages of Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Magahi—are spoken by most of the population. Bhojpuri is spoken in the western districts of Bhojpur, Rohtas (also called Sasaram, after its administrative centre), Saran, and East and West Champaran; Maithili is spoken in Darbhanga and Saharsa; and Magahi is spoken in Patna, Gaya, and Munger. Austroasiatic languages are spoken by the Munda, Santhal, and Ho indigenous minorities, while another Scheduled Tribe, the Oraon, speak a Dravidian language.
Bihar is one of India’s most densely populated states, with well over 850 people per square mile (more than 325 per square km). In the early 21st century the state also had one of the country’s highest population growth rates. The state is primarily rural, with the vast majority of the population living in compact or clustered villages in the culti...
Bihar is a state in the Republic of India, covering an area of 38,202 mi². The capital is Patna. Bihar is bordered by the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh to the west, Jharkhand to the south, and West Bengal to the east. To the north of Bihar is the country of Nepal.
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Bihar ( Hindi: बिहार Bihār) is a state in the plains of India. The state is bounded by Uttar Pradesh to its west, West Bengal to its east, Jharkhand to its south and Nepal to its north. Bihar is one of India's poorest states, with stark social inequality.
