District Profile of West Bengal - 3 | WBCS Preparation: All Subjects - WBCS (West Bengal) PDF Download

Presidency Division

• Location and Boundaries 
  The district's boundaries are defined by the Rupnarayan River to the West and South-West, and the Bhagirathi-Hooghly River to the East and South-East. It is bordered by Hooghly to the North, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas to the East, and East Midnapore and West Midnapore to the West.
  Formation 
  Established as an independent district in 1938, Howrah was initially part of Hooghly. Following the partition, it became one of West Bengal's 14 districts and, in 1963, was integrated into the Presidency division from the Bardhaman division.
  Tourists Places 
  Key attractions in Howrah include Belur Math, Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Botanical Garden, Vidyasagar Setu, Andul Rajbari, and the iconic Howrah Bridge.

The important statistical data of the district is as follows:

• Area : 1,467 sq km
• Density : 3,306/ sq km
• Headquarters : Howrah
• Population : 48,50,029
• Literacy Rate 83.31% 
• Sex Ratio : 939

Kolkata District

• Location and Boundaries 
  Situated between 22°37 and 22°30 North Latitude and 88°23 and 88.018 East Longitude, Kolkata is the smallest district in West Bengal. It is surrounded by the North 24 Parganas to the North, South 24 Parganas to the South, and Howrah across the Hooghly River to the West.
  Formation 
  In 1698, the East India Company acquired the villages of Sutanuti, Kolkata, and Gobindapur from the local landlord Sabarna Chowdhury. The development of Calcutta as a Presidency city commenced in 1699.
  Tourist Places
  Prominent landmarks in Kolkata include Victoria Memorial, Fort William, Birla Planetarium, Indian Museum, Marble Palace, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Science City, Jorasanko Thakur Bari, Birla Industrial and Technological Museum, Kalighat Temple, Shobhabazar Rajbari, and Alipur Zoo.

The important statistical data of the district is as follows: 

• Density : 1028 
• Headquarters : Kolkata 
• Population : 44,96,694 
• Literacy Rate : 86.3% 
• Sex Ratio : 908 (lowest sex ratio) 
• Area : 185 sq km (Smallest district area-wise)

Nadia District

• Location and Boundaries 
  Nadia District shares its borders with Bangladesh to the East, North 24 Parganas, and Hooghly district to the South, East Bardhaman to the West, and Murshidabad to the North.
  Formation 
  Originally established by the British in 1787, the present-day district of Nadia was officially formed on February 23, 1948, post the partition.
  Tourist Places 
  Key attractions include Mayapur, Krishnanagar Rajbari, Ghurni, Roman Catholic Church, Shonar Gauranga temple, Maa Paglachandi mandir, ISKCON temple, and Bibhutibhushan Wildlife Sanctuary.

The important statistical data of the district is as follows:  

• Area : 3,927 sq km 
• Density : 1,316 
• Headquarters : Krishnanagar 
• Population : 51,67,600 
• Literacy Rate : 74.97% 
• Sex Ratio : 947

North 24 Parganas

• Location and Boundaries 
  Situated in Southern-West Bengal, North 24 Parganas shares its borders with Nadia to the North, Bangladesh (Khulna division) to the North and East, South 24 Parganas and Kolkata to the South, and Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly to the West.
  Formation 
  On March 1, 1986, the original 24 Parganas was divided, leading to the creation of two districts—North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas.
  Tourist Places 
  Prominent attractions include Southeswar temple, Gandhi ghat, Naihati (the birthplace of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay), Mangal Pande Uddan, Adyapith temple, Eco Park, Nicco Park, and Annapurna Mandir Titagarh.

The important statistical data of the district is as follows:

• Area : 4,094 sq km 
• Density : 2445/sq km 
• Headquarters : Barasat 
• Population : 1,00,09,781 
• Literacy Rate : 84.06% 
• Sex Ratio : 955

South 24 Parganas 

• Location and Boundaries 
  South 24 Parganas is bordered by North Parganas and Howrah to the North, Howrah and East Midnapore to the West, the Bay of Bengal to the South, and Bangladesh and North 24 Parganas to the East.
  Formation 
  Established on March 18, 1986.
  Tourist Places 
  Major attractions include Gangasagar, Sunderban, Bakkhali, Diamond Harbour, Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary, Jambudwip, and Fraserganj beach.

The important statistical data of the district is as follows:  

• Density : 820/sq km 
• Headquarters : Alipore 
• Population (2011) : 81,53,176 
• Literacy Rate : 78.57% 
• Sex Ratio : 937 
• Area : 9,960 km (Largest district area-wise)

Midnapore Division

• Location and Boundaries 
  Situated in the North and North-East, it shares borders with West Bardhaman and East Bardhaman districts. To the South-East, it is bounded by Hooghly district, to the South by West Midnapore district, and to the West by Purulia district.
  Formation 
  The district obtained its current shape in 1879, and in 1881, it officially became known as Bankura district.
  Tourist Place 
  Bishnupur, a sub-divisional town in Bankura, is renowned for its terracotta temples such as Rasmancha, Jor-Bangla, Pancha Ratna temple, Madanmohan temple, Jormandir, Nandlal temple, Radha Madhav temple, Kalachand temple, Radhya Shyam temple, etc. Additionally, attractions like Biharinath hill, Susnia hills, Mukutmanipur, and Joyrambati draw many tourists.

The important statistical data of the district is as follows:  

• Area : 6,882 sq km
• Density : 523 
• Headquarters : Bankura
• Population : 35,96,674
• Literacy Rate : 70.26% 
• Sex Ratio : 957

Jhargarm District

• Location and Boundaries 
  Bordered by West Midnapore in the East, Bankura and Purulia in the North, Jharkhand in the West, and Odisha in the South.
  Formation 
  Established on April 4, 2017, following the bifurcation from West Midnapore district.
  Tourist Places 
  Key attractions include Jhargram Raj Palace, The Jungle Mahal Zoological Park, Rabindra Park, Sabitri mandir, Kanak Durga temple, Chilkigar Rajbari, etc.

The important statistical data of the district is as follows:

• Area : 3,037.64 sq km 
• Headquarters : Jhargram 
• Population : 61,712 
• Literacy Rate : 88.53%
• Sex Ratio : 999
• Sub-division : 1 (Jhargram)  

Purulia District 

• Location and Boundaries 
  Bordered on the East by Bankura and West Midnapore districts, on the North by West Bardhaman, with Jharkhand surrounding it on the North, West, and South sides.
  Formation 
  The current Purulia district was formed on November 1, 1956.
  Tourist Places 
  Main attractions include Ajodhya hills and forest, Joychandi Pahar, Baranti, etc.

The important statistical data of the district is as follows: 

• Area : 6,259 sq km
• Headquarters : Purulia 
• Population : 29,27,965
• Literacy Rate : 64.48%
• Sex Ratio : 955

East Midnapore 

• Location and Boundaries 
  A district in the South of West Bengal, bordered by West Midnapore, Odisha in the West, Bay of Bengal in the South, Hoogly river, and South 24 Parganas district to the East, and Howrah district to the North-East.
  Formation
  Established on January 1, 2002, following the partition of Midnapore into East Midnapore and West Midnapore.
  Tourist Places 
  Famous tourist spots include Tamluk, Panskura, Mahishadal, Digha, Mandarmandi, Haldia, Mahishadal Rajbari, Tajpur, etc.

The important statistical data of the district is as follows:

• Area : 4,736 sq km 
• Headquarters : Tamluk 
• Population : 5,50,000
• Literacy Rate : 87.66% 
• Sex Ratio : 936 
• Population Density : 120/sq km  

West Midnapore 

• Location and Boundaries 
  On April 4, 2017, the Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore was separated, becoming a district. It is bordered by Odisha in the South, East Midnapore, Howrah in the East, Hooghly, Bankura in the North, and Jhargram in the West.
  Formation 
  Established on January 1, 2002, after the partition of Midnapore into West Midnapore and East Midnapore.
  Tourist Places 
  Main attractions include temple town Chandrakona, Gopegarh Heritage Park, Rameswar temple near Rohini, Prayag Film City, Gaurya temple near Kharagpur, etc.

The important statistical data of the district is as follows: 

• Area : 6,308 sq km 
• Headquarters : Midnapore 
• Density : 636/sq km 
• Population : 5,943,300 
• Literacy Rate : 78.006% 
• Sex Ratio : 960