Bihar is a land locked state lying in the eastern part of India. The word Bihar comes from the Sanskrit word Vihara meaning Buddhist Monasteries. Bihar is surrounded by the states of Uttar Pradesh in the West, Jharkhand in the South, West Bengal in the East and Nepal in the North. Bihar was known as Magadha during ancient times and was a center of Education, culture and tradition. One of the greatest empires in ancient India, The Mauryan Empire rose from Magadha. Buddhism, which is one of the biggest religions in the world, originated in Bihar. Bihar is also home to the ancient Nalanda University, which was a centre of learning established during the 5th century. The ruins of Nalanada University can still be seen in Bihar. Apart from its historic importance, Bihar also played a significant role in India's freedom struggle.

Hindi and Urdu are the official languages of Bihar. Apart from Hindi and Urdu - Bhojpuri, Magadhi, Maithili or Angika are also spoken by the people of Bihar.

Click here for the political map of Bihar »

Bihar Geography - Geographical Divisions of Bihar

Bihar lies between 24° 20' and 27° -31' North lattitude and 82° 19' and 88° 17' East longitude. With a total area of 94,163 square kilometers, Bihar is the 12 largest state in India. The course of the Ganges River throught the middle of the state from west to east divides Bihar into two unequal geographic divisions.

Bihar plain is a vast stretch of rich and fertile land. Apart from the Ganges, these fertile plains of Bihar are drained by rivers like Sarayu, Gandak, Sone, Poonpoon, Falgu, Karmanasa, Durgawati, Kosi, Ghaghara etc... Floods are very common in the plains of Bihar and this enables constant deposition of silt, clay and sand making the plains rich and fertile. The plain of Bihar is covered by gangetic alluvial soil. To the north of Bihar within Nepal lie the Himalayan mountains. Though the mountain range starts in Nepal, the Himalayas have influenced landforms and climate of Bihar. A series of small hills known as the Rajgir hills lie towards the central part of Bihar. The southern part of Bihar consists of Kaimur plateau and Chhotanagpur plateau.

Bihar Climate - Seasons, Weather and Temperature of Bihar

Bihar has a continental monsoon type of climate. The presence of the Himalayas have a significant influence on the climate of Bihar, especially on the distribution of Monsoon rains. Bihar is a land locked state located at a great distance from the sea and therefore the state gets the worst of the cold and the worst of the heat. The climate of Bihar can be divided into for seasons:

  • Cold weather season - December to February.
  • Hot weather season - March to May.
  • Southwest monsoon - June to September.
  • Retreating southwest monsoon - October to November.

During winter the average temperature in Bihar drops down to around 4° to 10° Celsius and during summer the average temperature is around 35° - 40° Celsius.

Tourism in Bihar - Bihar Tourism

The long and illustrious history of Bihar is the main attraction of Bihar Tourism. The state also boasts of some of the finest monuments of Hindu and Mughal architecture. There are many tourist destinations especially pilgrim centres in Bihar. Patna, Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Vaishali are some of the major tourist destinations in Bihar. Ruins of the great Nalanda University attract tourists from all across the globe.

Basic information the State of Bihar, India

Given below are some of the very basic information about the state of Bihar.

Capital of BiharPatna
Geographical Location of Bihar24° 20' and 27° -31' North lattitude and 82° 19' and 88° 17' East longitude
Area94,163sq.km
Number of Districts38
Population82998,509
Density of population880 per sq.km.
Literacy47.53%
Languages spoken in BiharHindi & Urdu (Official Languages)
Bhojpuri, Magadhi, Maithili.
State Bird India Roller
State AnimalGaur
State FlowerKanchnar
State TreePeepal

About the State of Bihar, India

Detailed information about the state of Bihar, India. Information about the history of Bihar, Geography and climate of Bihar. Also know about Bihar tourism and places to visit in Bihar. Get detailed Political Map of Bihar with district and state boundaries.