Birbhum district
Birbhum district (IPA: [biːrbʰuːm]) is an administrative unit in the Indian state of West Bengal. 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 Bolpur, Rampurhat 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.
Birbhum district | |
|---|---|
District of West Bengal | |
Clockwise from top-left: Tarapeeth Temple in Rampurhat, Tagore's home at Shantiniketan, Monuments at Rajnagar, Seorakuri forest, Mama Bhagne Hills | |
Location of Birbhum in West Bengal | |
| Country | India |
| State | West Bengal |
| Division | Burdwan |
| Headquarters | Suri |
| Government | |
| • Lok Sabha constituencies | Birbhum, Bolpur |
| • Vidhan Sabha constituencies | Sainthia Suri Bolpur Rampurhat Nalhati Dubrajpur Mayureswar Murarai Labpur Nanoor Hansan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4,545 km2 (1,755 sq mi) |
| Population (2023) | |
| • Total | 4,060,000 |
| • Density | 890/km2 (2,300/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 449,448 |
| Demographics | |
| • Literacy | 70.9% |
| • Sex ratio | 956 |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| Website | www |
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 Chota Nagpur Plateau. This region gradually merges with the fertile alluvial farmlands in the east.
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.
Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75.09% 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.