North Bengal (Bengali: উত্তরবঙ্গ Uttôrboṅgo, Uttar Banga) is a cross-border cultural–geographic region consisting of the north-western areas of Bangladesh as well as the northern part of the West Bengal state of India. Bounded to the east by the Jamuna and in the south by the Ganges, it roughly consists of the Rajshahi and Rangpur Divisions of Bangladesh, as well as the Jalpaiguri and most of the Malda Division of West Bengal (excluding Murshidabad). Under a broader sense it can also include adjacent areas considered culturally or geographically part of Bengal, such as Mahananda River basin.

It is roughly coterminous with the historical region of Barind, which gives its name to the Barind Tract, located within this region.

Administrative regions

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In Bangladesh

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Map of Bangladesh showing North Bengal in green and South Bengal in red.
Rajshahi Division Rangpur Division

In West Bengal, India

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Map of West Bengal showing North Bengal in green and South Bengal in red.
Jalpaiguri division Malda division

Demographics

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Religion

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Combined religious makeup of North Bengal, based on the Indian and Bangladeshi census of 2011 and 2022, respectively:
  1. Islam (71.7%)
  2. Hinduism (26.6%)
  3. Others (1.7%)

In Bangladesh

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Religion in North Bengal, Bangladesh (2022)
Muslim
90.3%
Hindu
9.1%
Others
0.6%

The population of the region is 37,962,820 (3.79 crore) as per the 2022 census. The majority of the population follows Islam, with Hinduism being the largest minority.

In West Bengal, India

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Religion in North Bengal, India (2011)
Hindu
65.32%
Muslim
30.39%
Christianity
2.25%
Buddhism
1.52%
Others
0.52%

The population of the region is 18,702,060 (1.87 crore) as per the 2011 census. The majority of the population follows Hinduism, with Muslims being the largest minority. A small but significant population follow Christianity and Buddhism.[1]

Language

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Bengali is the predominant language spoken by 75% of the population in North Bengal, followed by Kamtapuri (Rajbanshi), Nepali, Hindi, Sadri, Kurukh, and other languages.[2]

In sports

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The North Zone cricket team in Bangladesh is a first-class cricket team that represents northern Bangladesh (Rajshahi and Rangpur) in the Bangladesh Cricket League.

Cities and towns

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Bangladesh

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West Bengal, India

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/
  2. ^ "C-16 Population By Mother Tongue - West Bengal". Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  3. ^ "University of North Bengal". www.nbu.ac.in.
  • Sujit Ghosh, Colonial Economy in North Bengal: 1833–1933, Kolkata: Paschimbanga Anchalik Itihas O Loksanskriti Charcha Kendra, 2016, ISBN 978-81-926316-6-0.
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