1. Land, Districts and Rivers of Bihar
Bihar is a landlocked state in eastern India, lying mostly in the fertile Ganga plain. Its rivers bring rich soil but also yearly floods. This lesson covers location, administrative divisions, rivers and climate.
Location and administrative units
- Bihar borders Nepal (an international border) to the north, West Bengal to the east, Uttar Pradesh to the west and Jharkhand to the south.
- Its area is about 94,163 sq km. Patna, on the south bank of the Ganga, is the capital.
- Bihar has 38 districts grouped into 9 divisions: Patna, Tirhut, Saran, Darbhanga, Kosi, Purnia, Bhagalpur, Munger and Magadh.
- As per Census 2011, Bihar had about 10.41 crore people, the third largest population among states, and the highest population density (1,106 per sq km) among states.
- Census 2011 literacy in Bihar was about 61.8%, the lowest among states.
Physical regions
- The northern edge (West Champaran) has the Shivalik hills and Terai forests at the foot of the Himalayas. Someshwar hill in this area has the highest point in Bihar.
- The Ganga divides the state into North Bihar plains and South Bihar plains. The northern plain is lower and more flood-prone.
- The south and south-west have small plateau and hill areas, such as the Kaimur plateau and the Rajgir hills.
- Bihar's soils are mainly alluvial, which makes the land very good for farming.
Rivers and floods
- The Ganga flows west to east across the middle of Bihar. It enters near Buxar and leaves near the West Bengal border.
- North-bank tributaries from the Himalayas: Ghaghara, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla, Kosi and Mahananda.
- The Kosi is called the 'Sorrow of Bihar' because it changes its course and causes heavy floods. The Kosi flood of 2008 after a breach at Kusaha (Nepal) was one of the worst.
- South-bank tributaries: the Son (rising in the Amarkantak area), the Punpun and the Falgu (at Gaya).
- North Bihar suffers floods almost every year in the monsoon, while parts of south Bihar face drought.
- Bihar has a humid subtropical monsoon climate. Most rain falls from June to September.
Quick facts
- Districts / divisions
- 38 districts, 9 divisions
- Borders
- Nepal (N), West Bengal (E), Uttar Pradesh (W), Jharkhand (S)
- Sorrow of Bihar
- Kosi river
- South-bank tributary
- Son (from Amarkantak area), Punpun, Falgu
- Census 2011
- 10.41 crore people; density 1,106 per sq km; literacy about 61.8%
- Highest point
- Someshwar hill, West Champaran
💡 Divide tributaries by bank: rivers from the Himalayas (Gandak, Kosi, Bagmati) join from the north; the Son and Punpun join from the south.
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