Tell about West Bengal?

In February 1961, Queen Elizabeth visited Durgapur Steel Plant.

Kolkata (then under Bengal regiment and capital of British ruled India) was the first doorway to European education with Asiatic Society as the first institute for promoting oriental studies.

Of those living in urban areas, more than half reside in greater Kolkata.

University of Calcutta- Oldest public university in India, IIT, Kharagpur- First IIT, IIEST, Shibpur- First IIEST

Anandabazar Patrika- largest circulation for a single-edition, regional language newspaper in India.

Of the different religions, Hinduism claims the adherence of more than three-fourths of the population. Most of the remainder is Muslim.

Kidderpore Dock and Swing Bridge - One Opens up from Middle Another just moves parallel to allow ships to pass

Kolkata - 2nd largest city in India, 2nd most important city in Brit Empire after London

Throughout the state, Buddhists, Christians, Jains, and Sikhs constitute small minority communities.

Forests occupy more than one-tenth of the total land area of the state, and the region as a whole has a rich and varied plant life.

In the sub-Himalayan plains the principal forest trees include sal (Shorea robusta) and shisham, or Indian rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo); the forests are interspersed with reeds and tall grasses.

On the Himalayan heights vegetation varies according to the elevation, with coniferous belts occurring at higher levels.

The delta of the Hugli constitutes the western end of the dense coastal mangrove forest called the Sundarbans.

A large portion of that unreclaimed and sparsely populated area bordering Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal has been set aside as a national park and also (along with the portion in Bangladesh) as a UNESCO World Heritage site (designated 1987).

Bengali, the main language of the state, is spoken by much of the population.

Other languages include Hindi, Santali, Urdu (primarily the language of Muslims), and Nepali (spoken largely in the area of Darjiling).

A small number of people speak Kurukh, the language of the Oraon indigenous group. English, together with Bengali, is the language of administration, and English and Hindi serve as lingua francas at the national level.

Agriculture dominates both the landscape and the economy of West Bengal.

Its proportion of agricultural land is among the highest of all the Indian states.

Rice, which requires extensive irrigation, is the leading crop in nearly every area. Indeed, despite its relatively small size, West Bengal produces a significant percentage of India’s rice harvest.

Other major crops are sugarcane and oilseeds. Jute is especially prominent along the border with Bangladesh and south of the Ganges River. Mangoes, jackfruit, and bananas are widely produced in the southern and central portions of the state.

Wheat and potatoes are produced as winter crops throughout the south.

The northern areas around Darjiling and Jalpaiguri have long been known for their production of high-quality tea.

The Darjiling region also produces oranges, apples, pineapples, ginger, and cardamom.

The state’s most important industrial belt is a corridor extending for a distance north and south of Kolkata, along the Hugli River. Another significant industrial region is located along the Damodar River.