West Bengal: Difference between revisions

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==Etymology==
==Etymology==
The origin of the name Bengal (Bangla and Bongo in Bengali) is unknown. One theory suggests the word derives from "Bang", the name of a Dravidian tribe that settled the region around 1000 BCE.<ref>http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/4.htm</ref>The Bengali word Bongo might have been derived from the ancient kingdom of Vanga (or Banga). Although some early [[Sanskrit]] literature mentions the name Vanga, the region's early history is obscure.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20171204062800if_/https://books.google.com/books?id=845eAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false</ref>
The origin of the name Bengal (Bangla and Bongo in Bengali) is unknown. One theory suggests the word derives from "Bang", the name of a Dravidian tribe that settled the region around 1000 BCE.<ref>http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/4.htm</ref>The Bengali word Bongo might have been derived from the ancient kingdom of Vanga (or Banga). Although some early [[Sanskrit]] literature mentions the name Vanga, the region's early history is obscure.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20171204062800if_/https://books.google.com/books?id=845eAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false</ref>
In 1947, at the end of British rule over the Indian subcontinent the Bengal Legislative Council and the Bengal Legislative Assembly voted on the Partition of Bengal along religious lines into two separate entities: West Bengal, which continued as an Indian state and East Bengal, a province of Pakistan, which came to be known be as East Pakistan and later became the independent Bangladesh.<ref>https://books.google.co.in/books?id=in1_AgAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y</ref>


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 16:26, 3 April 2021

West Bengal
বঙ্গ প্রদেশ
পশ্চিমবঙ্গ
State of India
Kolkata skyline at night.jpg
Kolkatatemple.jpg
Biswa Bangla Gate.jpg
Tea garden in dooars.jpg
HAZARDUARI - PALACE.jpg
Digha Sankarpur 2Arnab.jpg
Royal Bengal Tiger walking down Mangrove Island in Sundarbans 3.jpg
Darjeeling.jpg
From top: Kolkata skyline from Howrah, Dakshineswar Kali Temple near Kolkata, Kolkata Gate, also known as the Biswa Bangla Gate at New Town, tea garden in the Dooars region, Hazarduari Palace in Murshidabad, sunrise in Digha beach, Bengal tiger in Sundarbans National Park, view of Darjeeling from Happy Valley Tea Estate
Nickname(s): 
বাংলা, বঙ্গ
A map showing us where the location of West Bengal is in India
A map showing us where the location of West Bengal is in India
Map of West Bengal
Map of West Bengal
Country India
RegionEast India
Established1 November 1956
Government
 • GovernorJagdeep Dhankhar
 • Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee
 • LegislatureUnicameral (295* seats)
Area
 • Total88,752 km2 (34,267 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total91,347,736
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)
Official languagesBengali · Nepali · only for Darjeeling district,English
^* 294 elected, 1 nominated

West Bengal (Bengali: বঙ্গ প্রদেশ/পশ্চিমবঙ্গ) is a state in India. It is in the eastern part of the country. West Bengal is the fourth most populous state in India.[1] It is also the seventh most populous sub-national entity in the world.[1] West Bengal is the sixth largest contributor to India's GDP.[2]

Both West Bengal and Bangladesh are parts of historical and geographic region of Bengal. Kolkata is the capital city of West Bengal. In 2001, 80,221,171 people lived in West Bengal. With an area of 34,267 mi² (88,752 km²), it is bigger than Serbia but smaller than Jordan. In traditional Indian geography it falls under the East Indian zone.

West Bengal has a tropical climate, so it is very hot and humid in summer and cool in winter. The people who live here are called Bengalis. Bengalis also live in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a country to the east of West Bengal

Etymology

The origin of the name Bengal (Bangla and Bongo in Bengali) is unknown. One theory suggests the word derives from "Bang", the name of a Dravidian tribe that settled the region around 1000 BCE.[3]The Bengali word Bongo might have been derived from the ancient kingdom of Vanga (or Banga). Although some early Sanskrit literature mentions the name Vanga, the region's early history is obscure.[4]

In 1947, at the end of British rule over the Indian subcontinent the Bengal Legislative Council and the Bengal Legislative Assembly voted on the Partition of Bengal along religious lines into two separate entities: West Bengal, which continued as an Indian state and East Bengal, a province of Pakistan, which came to be known be as East Pakistan and later became the independent Bangladesh.[5]

History

All of India was once ruled by the British Empire. The Indians wanted freedom, but the Hindus and the Muslims of India always argued. So it was decided to divide the country into two parts—one part for Muslims and the other part for Hindus. In 1947 Bengal, which was a province of India, was divided into West Bengal and East Bengal,which is now called Bangladesh. West Bengal went to India, and East Bengal went to Pakistan and was called East Pakistan. In 1971, Bangladesh became independent, as a result of the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Famous people from West Bengal include:

Provincial symbols of Bengal (west)

  • White-throated Kingfisher, provincial bird of Bengal

    White-throated Kingfisher, provincial bird of Bengal

  • Fishing cat, provincial animal of Bengal

    Fishing cat, provincial animal of Bengal

  • Devil tree, provincial tree of Bengal

    Devil tree, provincial tree of Bengal

  • Night-flowering Jasmine, provincial flower of Bengal

    Night-flowering Jasmine, provincial flower of Bengal

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "India: Administrative Divisions (population and area)". Census of India. Archived from the original on 2012-12-17. Retrieved April 17, 2009.
  2. ↑ Gross Domestic Product by prices as of February 28, 2008 Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/4.htm
  4. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20171204062800if_/https://books.google.com/books?id=845eAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false
  5. ↑ https://books.google.co.in/books?id=in1_AgAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y


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