# Bankura District, West Bengal – Sub-districts & Towns > Source: https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/ District · West Bengal # Bankura district Bankura is a district of West Bengal, 13th of 19 districts there. At the 2011 Census it had **3,596,674 people** in 23 sub-districts, 12 towns and 3,823 villages; 8% lived in towns. The largest town is [Bankura](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/area-not-under-any-sub-district/bankura/) (137,386). - 3,596,674people (2011) - 23sub-districts - 12towns - 70.3%literacy ## Who lives in Bankura? Bankura had **3,596,674 people** at the 2011 Census — 3.9% of West Bengal's population and 13th of 19 districts of West Bengal by population. There were 957 women for every 1,000 men (close to the West Bengal figure of 950; 6th of 19 districts of West Bengal). Among children under 7 the ratio was 949 girls per 1,000 boys (the West Bengal figure is 956). An average household had 4.7 people, against 4.5 across West Bengal. ## How literate is Bankura? 70.3% of people aged 7 and over could read and write in 2011 (below West Bengal's 76.3%), 15th of 19 districts of West Bengal. Men were at 80.0% and women at 60.1% — a gap of 20.0 points (it is 11.2 points across West Bengal). Among its sub-districts, literacy is highest in [Area not under any Sub-district](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/area-not-under-any-sub-district/) (85.1%) and lowest in [Saltora](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/saltora/) (61.5%). 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 Bankura do for a living? 40.8% of people worked in 2011 (women: 23.6%). Of all workers, 16% farmed their own land, 21% were farm labourers, 2% worked in household industry and 23% in other work such as services, trade and factories; 37% were marginal workers with less than six months' work. Farming employs 37% of workers here, against 29% across West Bengal. The most farm-dependent of its sub-districts is [Sonamukhi](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/sonamukhi/) (59% of workers in farming) and the least is [Area not under any Sub-district](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/area-not-under-any-sub-district/) (2% of workers in farming). ********** **■** Cultivators 16 (16%) · **■** Farm labourers 21 (21%) · **■** Household industry 2 (2%) · **■** Other work 23 (23%) · **■** Marginal 37 (37%) 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 Bankura 8.3% of people lived in towns and cities (below West Bengal's 31.9%), the least urban of 19 districts of West Bengal. The Census counted 12 towns: 3 statutory towns with a municipality and 9 census towns — places urban in character but still governed as villages. 1 city has 1 lakh (100,000) people or more. The largest is [Bankura](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/area-not-under-any-sub-district/bankura/) with 137,386 people, home to 46% 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 Bankura Bankura had 3,823 census villages, 3,585 of them inhabited. The average inhabited village had 920 people; 26 villages had 5,000 people or more. The largest: [Aguri Band Punisol](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/onda/aguri-band-punisol/) (22,193), [Patrasair](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/patrasayer/patrasair/) (10,844), [Gangajal Ghati](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/gangajalghati/gangajal-ghati/) (8,708), [Maliara](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/barjora/maliara/) (7,918) and [Marar](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/vishnupur/marar/) (7,799). Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Bankura district in history The 11th edition of the *Encyclopaedia Britannica* (1911) described Bankura district as follows. Its wording reflects its time; spellings are as printed. > BANKURA, a town and district of British India, within the Burdwan division of Bengal. The town has a population of 20,737. The district has an area of 2621 sq. m., and in 1901 its population was 1,116,411, showing an increase of 4% in the decade. It is bounded on the N. and E. by Burdwan district; on the S. by Midnapur district; and on the W. by Manbhum district. Bankura forms a connecting link between the delta of the Ganges on the E. and the mountainous highlands of Chota Nagpur on the W. Along its eastern boundary adjoining Burdwan district the country is flat and alluvial, presenting the appearance of the ordinary paddy lands of Bengal. Going N. and W., however, the surface gradually rises into long undulating tracts; rice lands and swamps give way to a region of low thorny jungle or forest trees; the hamlets become smaller and more scattered, and nearly disappear altogether in the wild forests along the western boundary. Large quantities of lac and tussur silk are gathered in the hilly tract. The stone quarries and minerals are little worked. There are indigo factories and two coal-mines. Both cotton and silk are woven, and plates, &c., are carved from soap-stone. The old capital of the country was at Bishnupur, which is still the chief centre of local industries. Source: [Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition (1911) — public domain; transcription via Wikisource](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica). Boundaries in 1901 may differ from today's; sentences describing castes or communities are omitted. ## Population of Bankura compared with West Bengal ■ Bankura · ■ West Bengal Literacy (age 7+) ****70.3%** **76.3% Sex ratio (F per 1,000 M) ****957** **950 Child sex ratio (0–6) ****949** **956 Working population ****40.8%** **38.1% Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Homes and amenities in Bankura Of every 100 households in Bankura in 2011, 44 had electricity, 20 a toilet at home and 6 cooked with LPG; 38 had a mobile phone, 10 a two-wheeler and 1 a car. ■ Bankura · ■ Electricity for lighting ****44%** Toilet within the home ****20%** No toilet (open defecation) ****79%** Tap water ****12%** Drinking water within premises ****20%** Cooking with LPG / PNG ****6%** Cooking with firewood / dung / crop residue ****73%** Use banking services ****55%** Television ****24%** Mobile phone ****38%** Computer with internet ****1%** Two-wheeler ****10%** Car / jeep / van ****1%** None of these assets ****21%** Own their home ****97%** Source: [Census of India 2011, Houselisting and Housing Census – households by amenities and assets (HH-14)](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Sub-districts of Bankura Sub-district People Villages Towns [Saltora](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/saltora/) 135,980 157 0 [Mejhia](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/mejhia/) 86,188 75 0 [Gangajalghati](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/gangajalghati/) 180,974 165 0 [Chhatna](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/chhatna/) 195,038 287 1 [Indpur](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/indpur/) 156,522 222 0 [Bankura - I](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/bankura-i/) 107,685 150 0 [Bankura - II](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/bankura-ii/) 140,864 154 0 [Barjora](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/barjora/) 202,049 198 3 [Sonamukhi](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/sonamukhi/) 158,697 186 0 [Patrasayer](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/patrasayer/) 184,070 160 0 [Indus](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/indus/) 169,783 131 0 [Kotulpur](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/kotulpur/) 188,775 169 1 [Jaypur](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/jaypur/) 156,920 139 0 [Vishnupur](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/vishnupur/) 156,822 161 0 [Onda](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/onda/) 252,984 291 0 [Taldangra](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/taldangra/) 147,893 145 0 [Simlapal](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/simlapal/) 143,038 202 1 [Khatra](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/khatra/) 117,030 153 2 [Hirbandh](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/hirbandh/) 83,834 121 0 [Ranibundh](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/ranibundh/) 119,089 186 0 [Raipur](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/raipur/) 171,377 205 1 [Sarenga](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/sarenga/) 106,808 166 0 [Area not under any Sub-district](https://wherepedia.org/india/west-bengal/bankura/area-not-under-any-sub-district/) 234,254 0 3 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 in Bankura - Bankura · 137,386 - Bishnupur · 67,783 - Sonamukhi · 29,085 - Barjora · 14,012 - Kotulpur · 8,483 - Khatra · 7,382 - Simlapal · 7,206 - Beliatore · 6,463 - Raipur Bazar · 6,280 - Jhanti Pahari · 5,326 - Ghutgarya · 5,311 - Ledisol · 5,056 ## Largest villages in Bankura - Aguri Band Punisol · 22,193 - Patrasair · 10,844 - Gangajal Ghati · 8,708 - Maliara · 7,918 - Marar · 7,799 - Deshra · 7,671 - Rajpur · 7,497 - Keshiara · 6,922 - Chenchurya · 6,185 - Akui · 6,115 - Dhan Simla · 5,995 - Onda · 5,933 - Sarenga · 5,888 - Chua Masina · 5,726 - Shiromanipur · 5,479 - Chak Uparsol · 5,416 - Bibarda · 5,399 - Radhanagar · 5,335 - Mejhia · 5,308 - Lakshmisagar · 5,304 Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Quick answers - How many sub-districts are in Bankura?23: Saltora, Mejhia, Gangajalghati, Chhatna, Indpur, Bankura - I, Bankura - II, Barjora, Sonamukhi, Patrasayer, Indus, Kotulpur… - What is the population of Bankura district?3,596,674 (Census 2011) - Which is the largest town in Bankura?Bankura