Bihar
Bihar (/bɪˈhɑːr/; Hindi pronunciation: [bɪˈɦaːr] ⓘ) is a state in Eastern India. It is the third largest state by population, the 12th largest by area, and the 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Bengal to the east, and Jharkhand to the south. The Bihar plain is split by the river Ganges, which flows from west to east.
Bihar | |
|---|---|
| State of Bihar | |
Top to bottom, left to right: Mahabodhi Temple; ruins of the ancient Nalanda University; Khuda Bakhsh Oriental library; Patna museum; Takht Sri Patna Sahib, birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru; Kumhrar location of the ruins of the ancient city of Pataliputra; Rajendra Setu on Ganges river; Madhubani painting from Mithila region; 1st century CE Maa Mundeshwari Temple; and Ghora Katora lake in Rajgir | |
| Etymology: "Monastery" | |
| Nickname: "Land of Monasteries" | |
| Motto: Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone triumphs) | |
| Anthem: Mere Bharat Ke Kanth Haar (The Garland of My India) | |
Location of Bihar in India | |
| Coordinates: 25.4°N 85.1°E | |
| Country | India |
| Region | East India |
| Before was | Part of Bengal Province |
| Formation | 22 March 1912 |
| Capital and largest city | Patna |
| Districts | 38 |
| Government | |
| • Body | Government of Bihar |
| • Governor | Rajendra Arlekar |
| • Chief minister | Nitish Kumar (JD(U)) |
| • Deputy chief minister | Vijay Kumar Sinha (BJP) Samrat Choudhary (BJP) |
| State Legislature | Bicameral |
| • Council | Bihar Legislative Council (75 seats) |
| • Assembly | Bihar Legislative Assembly (243 seats) |
| National Parliament | Parliament of India |
| • Rajya Sabha | 16 seats |
| • Lok Sabha | 40 seats |
| High Court | Patna High Court |
| Area | |
| • Total | 98,940 km2 (38,200 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 12th |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 345 km (214 mi) |
| • Width | 483 km (300 mi) |
| Elevation | 53 m (174 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 880 m (2,890 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 11 m (36 ft) |
| Population (2023) | |
| • Total | 130,725,310 |
| • Rank | 2nd |
| • Density | 1,388/km2 (3,590/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 11.29% |
| • Rural | 88.71% |
| Demonym | Bihari |
| Language | |
| • Official | Hindi |
| • Additional official | Urdu |
| • Official script | Devanagari script |
| GDP | |
| • Total (2023–2024) | ₹8.59 lakh crore (US$110 billion) |
| • Rank | 14th |
| • Per capita | ₹65,710 (US$820) (32nd) |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-BR |
| Vehicle registration | BR |
| HDI (2019) | 0.581 Medium (36th) |
| Literacy (2020) | 68.15% (34th) |
| Sex ratio (2019-20) | 1090♀/1000 ♂ |
| Website | state |
| Symbols of Bihar | |
| Song | Mere Bharat Ke Kanth Haar (The Garland of My India) |
| Foundation day | Bihar Day |
| Bird | House sparrow |
| Fish | Walking catfish |
| Flower | Marigold |
| Fruit | Mango |
| Mammal | Gaur |
| Tree | Peepal tree |
| State highway mark | |
| State highway of Bihar BR SH1 - BR SH82 | |
| List of Indian state symbols | |
On 15 November 2000, southern Bihar was ceded to form the new state of Jharkhand. Only 11.27% of the population of Bihar lives in urban areas as per a 2020 report. Additionally, almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, giving Bihar the highest proportion of young people of any Indian state. The official language is Hindi, which shares official status alongside that of Urdu. Additionally, other languages are common, such as Maithili, Magahi, Bhojpuri, and several others.
In Ancient and Classical India, the area that is now Bihar was considered the centre of political and cultural power and as a haven of learning. From Magadha arose India's first empire, the Maurya empire, as well as one of the world's most widely adhered-to religions: Buddhism. Magadha empires, notably under the Maurya and Gupta dynasties, unified large parts of South Asia under a central rule. Another region of Bihar, Mithila, was an early centre of learning and the centre of the Videha kingdom.
However, since the late 1970s, Bihar has lagged far behind other Indian states in terms of social and economic development. Many economists and social scientists claim that this is a direct result of the policies of the central government, such as the freight equalisation policy, its apathy towards Bihar, lack of Bihari sub-nationalism, and the Permanent Settlement of 1793 by the British East India Company. The state government has, however, made significant strides in developing the state. Improved governance has led to an economic revival in the state through increased investment in infrastructure, better healthcare facilities, greater emphasis on education, and a reduction in crime and corruption.