# West Bengal – Districts List, Cities, Population & Literacy (Census 2011)

> Source: https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/

State · India 

# West Bengal

West Bengal is a state of India with its capital at Kolkata. At the 2011 Census it was home to **91,276,115 people** — 7.5% of India and 4th of 36 states and union territories — in 19 districts, 910 towns and 40,218 villages. 32% lived in towns, and literacy was 76.3% (above the national 73.0%).

- 91,276,115people (2011)
- 19districts (2011)
- 910towns
- 76.3%literacy

## Who lives in West Bengal?

West Bengal had **91,276,115 people** at the 2011 Census — 7.5% of India's population and 4th of 36 states and union territories by population. There were 950 women for every 1,000 men (close to the India figure of 943; 17th of 36 states and union territories). Among children under 7 the ratio was 956 girls per 1,000 boys (the India figure is 918). An average household had 4.5 people, against 4.9 across India.

## How literate is West Bengal?

76.3% of people aged 7 and over could read and write in 2011 (above India's 73.0%), 19th of 36 states and union territories. Men were at 81.7% and women at 70.5% — a gap of 11.2 points (it is 16.2 points across India). Among its districts, literacy is highest in [Purba Medinipur](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/purba-medinipur/) (87.0%) and lowest in [Uttar Dinajpur](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/uttar-dinajpur/) (59.1%).

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

## What do people in West Bengal do for a living?

38.1% of people worked in 2011 (women: 18.1%). Of all workers, 12% farmed their own land, 17% were farm labourers, 4% worked in household industry and 41% in other work such as services, trade and factories; 26% were marginal workers with less than six months' work. Farming employs 29% of workers here, against 38% across India. The most farm-dependent of its districts is [Koch Bihar](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/koch-bihar/) (52% of workers in farming) and the least is [Kolkata](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/kolkata/) (1% of workers in farming).

**********

**■** Cultivators 12 (12%) · **■** Farm labourers 17 (17%) · **■** Household industry 4 (4%) · **■** Other work 41 (41%) · **■** Marginal 26 (26%)

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

## Cities and towns of West Bengal

31.9% of people lived in towns and cities (above India's 31.1%), 17th of 36 states and union territories. The Census counted 910 towns: 166 statutory towns with a municipality and 744 census towns — places urban in character but still governed as villages. 62 cities have 1 lakh (100,000) people or more, and 2 passed 10 lakh: [Kolkata](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/kolkata/area-not-under-any-sub-district/kolkata/) and [Haora](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/haora/area-not-under-any-sub-district/haora/). The largest is [Kolkata](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/kolkata/area-not-under-any-sub-district/kolkata/) with 4,496,694 people, home to 15% of the urban population.

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

## Villages of West Bengal

West Bengal had 40,218 census villages, 37,478 of them inhabited. The average inhabited village had 1,659 people; 2,133 villages had 5,000 people or more. The largest: [Patkata](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/jalpaiguri/jalpaiguri/patkata/) (43,360), [Birpara Tea Garden](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/jalpaiguri/madarihat/birpara-tea-garden/) (42,080), [Berubari](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/jalpaiguri/jalpaiguri/berubari/) (41,593), [Sitalkuchi](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/koch-bihar/sitalkuchi/sitalkuchi/) (37,052) and [Sukani](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/jalpaiguri/rajganj/sukani/) (35,276).

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

## Where is West Bengal, and what is it like?

The capital is [Kolkata](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/kolkata/area-not-under-any-sub-district/kolkata/). It covers 88,752 km², so in 2011 there were about 1,028 people per km². It borders [Assam](https://wherepedia.org/india/assam/), [Bihar](https://wherepedia.org/india/bihar/), [Jharkhand](https://wherepedia.org/india/jharkhand/), [Odisha](https://wherepedia.org/india/odisha/) and [Sikkim](https://wherepedia.org/india/sikkim/). Official languages: Bangla, English, Hindi, Kudmali, Kurukh, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Rajbanshi, Rangpuri, Santali, Telugu and Urdu. Its highest point is Sandakpu.

Source: [Wikidata (CC0) — capital, area, languages, neighbours; retrieved 2026-10-29](https://www.wikidata.org/).

### Weather and best time to visit

At Kolkata, the hottest month is May (average 32 °C), the coldest Jan (17 °C), and the wettest Jul (333 mm of rain). The most comfortable months are **November to February**.

- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec

Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/).

## Population of West Bengal compared with India

■ West Bengal · ■ India

Literacy (age 7+) ****76.3%**

**73.0%

Sex ratio (F per 1,000 M) ****950**

**943

Child sex ratio (0–6) ****956**

**918

Working population ****38.1%**

**39.8%

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

## Districts of West Bengal

District People Sub-districts Towns Literacy 

[North Twenty Four Parganas](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/north-twenty-four-parganas/) 10,009,781 23 107 84.1% 

[South Twenty Four Parganas](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/south-twenty-four-parganas/) 8,161,961 30 118 77.5% 

[Barddhaman](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/barddhaman/) 7,717,563 32 96 76.2% 

[Murshidabad](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/murshidabad/) 7,103,807 27 72 66.6% 

[Paschim Medinipur](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/paschim-medinipur/) 5,913,457 30 19 78.0% 

[Hugli](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/hugli/) 5,519,145 19 77 81.8% 

[Nadia](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/nadia/) 5,167,600 18 65 75.0% 

[Purba Medinipur](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/purba-medinipur/) 5,095,875 26 25 87.0% 

[Haora](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/haora/) 4,850,029 15 138 83.3% 

[Kolkata](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/kolkata/) 4,496,694 1 1 86.3% 

[Maldah](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/maldah/) 3,988,845 16 29 61.7% 

[Jalpaiguri](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/jalpaiguri/) 3,872,846 14 40 73.3% 

[Bankura](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/) 3,596,674 23 12 70.3% 

[Birbhum](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/birbhum/) 3,502,404 20 20 70.7% 

[Uttar Dinajpur](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/uttar-dinajpur/) 3,007,134 10 9 59.1% 

[Puruliya](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/puruliya/) 2,930,115 21 28 64.5% 

[Koch Bihar](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/koch-bihar/) 2,819,086 13 18 74.8% 

[Darjiling](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/darjiling/) 1,846,823 13 29 79.6% 

[Dakshin Dinajpur](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/dakshin-dinajpur/) 1,676,276 9 7 72.8% 

Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog).

Boundaries and names as at the 2011 Census; districts created since then are not shown separately.

## Largest cities and towns in West Bengal

- Kolkata · 4,496,694
- Haora · 1,077,075
- Durgapur · 566,517
- Asansol · 563,917
- Maheshtala · 448,317
- Rajpur Sonarpur · 424,368
- South DumDum · 403,316
- Rajarhat Gopalpur · 402,844
- Bhatpara · 386,019
- Panihati · 377,347
- Kamarhati · 330,211
- Barddhaman · 314,265
- Kulti · 313,809
- Siliguri · 294,546
- Bally · 293,373
- Barasat · 278,435
- North DumDum · 249,142
- Baranagar · 245,213
- Uluberia · 235,345
- Siliguri · 218,718

## Quick answers

- What is the capital of West Bengal?Kolkata
- What is the area of West Bengal?88,752 km²
- Which states border West Bengal?Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Sikkim
- What language is spoken in West Bengal?Bangla, English, Hindi, Kudmali, Kurukh, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Rajbanshi, Rangpuri, Santali, Telugu and Urdu (official)
- When is the best time to visit West Bengal?November to February
- What is the literacy rate of West Bengal?76.3% (Census 2011)
- What is the sex ratio of West Bengal?950 women per 1,000 men (Census 2011)
- How many districts are in West Bengal?19 (Census 2011)
- What is the population of West Bengal?91,276,115 (Census 2011)
- Which is the most populous district of West Bengal?North Twenty Four Parganas
- Which is the largest city in West Bengal?Kolkata