General Information

• Latitudes : 21^o 31' and 27^o 14' North
• Longitudes : 86^o 35' and 89^o 53' East
• Area : 89,000 square Kilometers
• Capital : Kolkata
• Temperature : 24^o C to 40^o C in summer & 7^o C to 26^o C in winter
• Districts : 19
• Population : 80,221,171
• Official Language : Bengali, Hindi, Nepali, English
• Male Population : 35,510,633
• Female Population : 32,567,332
• Population Density : 767/sq km
• Literacy Rate : 72%
• Major Railway Station : Sealdah, Howrah, Asansol, New Jalpaiguri, Maldah, Bolpur, Kharagpur, Cooch Behar, Bardhaman
• Airport : Kolkata, Bagdogra
• Major Towns : Kolkata, Siliguri, Durgapur, Darjeeling, Asansol, Howrah, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Bardhaman, Kharagpur
• Urbanization Ratio : 27.4%
• Infant Mortality Rate (per 1000) : 55
• Major Crops : Rice, Wheat, Jute, Tea, Potato, Sugarcane, Pulses, Oilseeds, Forest Products, Betel Leaf
• Major Industries : Chemicals, Coal, Cotton Textiles, Jute, Paper, Tea, Heavy and Light Engineering, Leather & Footwear, Liquor, Locomotive, Petrochemicals,  Pharmaceuticals, Electrical and Electronics, Software and InfoTech
• Major Minerals : Coal and china clay, Rock Phosphate, Limestone, Dolomite, Granite

Places to see in West Bengal

• Hill Stations: Darjeeling - a quaint hill station connected with a fairytale toy train, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Lava, Loleygaon, Mirik
• Heritage: Kolkata, Cooch Behar, Malda, Murshidabad, Bishnupur - famous for its Terracotta Temple, Shantiniketan - a place of learning founded by the Poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore, Antpur(Hooghly)
• Sea Beaches: Digha, Shankarpur, Mandarmani, Bakkhali, Gangasagar, Frazerganj, Tajpur etc

Adventure Activities in West Bengal

• Trekking: Darjeeling - Sandakphu - Phalut or Buxa Tiger Reserve Dooars region of West Bengal in India
• Mountaineering and Mountain Biking: Hills around Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Old Silk Route through Pedong
• Rock Climbing: Himalayan Mountaineering Institute – Singamari - Darjeeling
• River Rafting: Darjeeling Tarkhola – Malli – Teesta Bazar on the River Teesta
• Paragliding: Deolo Hill - Kalimpong and in Darjeeling

Fairs & Festivals of West Bengal

• Gangasagar Mela (Sagar Island)
• Kenduli Mela (Kenduli, District Birbhum)
• Vasanta Utsav (Shantiniketan)
• Durga Puja & Kali Puja (throughout West Bengal)
• Jagadhatri Puja (District Hooghly)
• Poush Mela (Shantiniketan)

Wildlife of Bengal

• Sunderbans Tiger Reserve
• Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
• Buxa Tiger Reserve
• Gorumara Wildlife Sanctuary
• Neora Valley National Park
• Singalila National Park
• Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary

Pilgrimage / Places of worship in West Bengal

• Bakranath Temple at Bakreswar (Near Siuri)
• Balrampur Jain Temple at Balrampur (Near Purulia)
• Chaitanyadev Temple and Bandel Church at Guptipara (Near Kolkata, Hooghly)
• Dakshineshwar Kali Temple (Kolkata)
• Jagannath Temple at Srirampur (Near Kolkata)
• Kalighat Temple (Kolkata)
• Tarakeshwar Temple at Tarakeshwar (near Kolkata, Hooghly)
• Tarapith (One of the Shaktipith Temples dedicated to the mother goddess)
• Mayapur (Head Quarter of the ISKCON Hare Krishna Movement)
• Belur Math (Howrah-Head Quarter of the Rama Krishna Mission)

Art, Craft & Culture of Bengal

• Artistic Leather Craft - Brass & Bell Metal
• Cane & Bamboo
• Clay Dolls
• Dokra Metal Work
• Masks & Puppets
• Stone Carving
• Shell & Conch Shell
• Wood Carving
• Leather and Jute Products
• Kantha Stitch Sarees
• Zari Work
• Shola Craft
• Glass Work
• Coconut Shell Work
• Silver Filigree

Dance & Music of Bengal

• Chaau Dance (Purulia Region)
• Santhal Dance
• Gambhira Dance (Malda District)
• Tusu Parab
• Jhumar
• Raibense Dance
• Mech
• Rawa
• Baul
• Bhawaiya

Cuisine of Bengal

• Macher Jhol
• Daal, Maangsho
• Begun Bhaja
• Muri Ghanta
• Chorchori
• Dalna
• Shondesh
• Rosogolla
• Pantua
• Chomchom
• Pitha or Pithe
• Jilapi
• Kalo Jam
• Chhanar Murkhi
• Rajbogh
• Paesh
• Raghobshai
• Shor Bhaja
• Mishti Doi
• Malpoa