About Bihar

BIHAR GK

Formation March 22, 1912
Capital Patna
Population 10,40,99,452
Area 94,163 sq. km.
Total Districts 38
High Court Patna

State Symbol
State Animal:
Bull		 State Tree:
Peepal		 State Flower:
Marigold
State Bird:
Sparrow		 Main Festival:
Chhath Puja		 Main painting:
Madhubani

Bihar : General Information

  • State name – Bihar, it is believed that due to the abundance of Buddhist monasteries (viharas) in the region, This region was named Bihar. It is noteworthy that in ancient times this area was a major center of Buddhism.
  • Statehood Day (Bihar Diwas) – March 22, 1912
  • State capital – Patna (In ancient times Pataliputra, Pushppur, Kusumpur and Azimabad have been other names.)
  • Geographical location of the state – 24°20’10” to 27°31’15” North Latitude and between 83°19’50” to 88°17’40” East Longitude.
  • The area of state is – 94,163 sq. km. (13th largest state in the country)
  • Length from North to South – 345 km.
  • Length from East to West – 483 km.
  • States bordering the state – 3 [West Bengal (East), Uttar Pradesh (West) and Jharkhand (South)]
  • The country bordering the state – Nepal (in the north)
  • Total geographical area (all over India) – 2.86%
  • Districts bordering Nepal – 7 [West Champaran, East Champaran, Sitamarhi Madhubani, Supaul, Araria and Kishanganj]
  • District bordering Uttar Pradesh – 8 [(Rohtas, Kaimur, Buxar, Bhojpur, Saran, Siwan) Gopalganj and West Champaran]
  • Districts bordering West Bengal – 3 [Kishanganj, Purnia and Katihar]
  • Districts bordering Jharkhand – 8 [Bhagalpur, Banka, Jamui, Nawada, Gaya, Aurangabad, Rohtas and Katihar]
  • District adjoining Bihar’s capital Patna – 9[Arwal, Jehanabad, Nalanda, Lakhisarai, Begusarai, Samastipur, Vaishali, Saran, Bhojpur]
  • Largest district in terms of area – West Champaran
  • Smallest district in terms of area – Sheohar
  • Northernmost District – West Champaran
  • Southernmost district – Gaya
  • Western most district – Kaimur
  • Easternmost District – Kishanganj
  • State Climate – Monsoon
  • Normal rainfall – 1,205 mm
  • Highest rainfall district – Kishanganj
  • The districts with minimum rainfall – Kaimur, Rohtas, Aurangabad and Gaya.
  • Hottest place – Gaya
  • The average distance from the beach is – 200 km.
  • The average height above sea level is – 173 feet (about 53 m).
  • Total Population of the State (Census– 2011) – 10,40,99,452 (3rd place in the country)
  • Male – 5,42,78,157 in the total population of the state
  • Female – 4,98,21,295 in the total population of the state
  • Percentage share of total population of India – 8.60% In terms of total population, the third place in the country (first – Uttar Pradesh, while the second – Maharashtra)
  • Decade growth in population (2001–2011) – 25.42% (6th rank in the country)
  • Population Density (person/sq.km.) – 1,106 (1st in the country, Census– 2011)
  • Most Populated District – Patna (58,38,465)
  • District with minimum population – Sheikhpura (6,36,342)
  • District with highest decadal growth rate of population – Madhepura (31.12%)
  • District with lowest decadal growth rate of population – Gopalganj (19.02%)
  • District with highest population density – Sheohar (1880 persons/sq.km.)
  • District with minimum population density – Kaimur (Bhabua) (488 persons/sq.km.)
  • Literacy rate (as per 2011, Census) – approximately 61.80% (71.20% male, 51.50% female)
  • District with highest per capita income – Patna
  • District with minimum per capita income – Sheohar (Madhepura in other source)
  • District with highest literacy rate – Rohtas (73.37%)
  • District with lowest literacy rate – Purnia (51.08%)
  • District with highest male literacy rate – Rohtas (82.88%)
  • District with lowest male literacy rate – Purnia (59.06%)
  • District with highest female literacy rate – Rohtas (62.97%)
  • District with lowest female literacy rate – Saharsa (41.68%)
  • Sex Ratio – 918
  • District with highest sex ratio – Gopalganj (1021)
  • District with lowest sex ratio – Munger (876)
  • Child Sex Ratio (0–6 Years) – 935
  • District with highest child sex ratio – Kishanganj (971)
  • District with lowest child sex ratio – Vaishali (904)
  • District with highest urban population – Patna (25,14,590)
  • District with minimum urban population – Sheohar (28,116)
  • Percentage of rural population to total population – 88.71%
  • Percentage of urban population to total population – 11.29%
  • Highest percentage of urban population – Patna (43.07%)
  • Minimum percentage of urban population – Samastipur (3.47%)
  • Scheduled Castes (SC) – 15.9% of the total population
  • District with Highest Scheduled Caste Population – Gaya (13,343,51)
  • District with highest percentage of SC population – Gaya (30.39%)
  • District with minimum scheduled caste population – Sheohar (96,655)
  • District with Minimum Scheduled Caste Population Percentage – Kishanganj (6.69%)
  • Scheduled Tribes (ST) of the total population – 1.3%
  • District with highest ST population – West Champaran (250046)
  • District with minimum ST population – Sheohar (318)
  • District with highest percentage of ST population – West Champaran (6.35%)
  • Districts with minimum percentage of ST population – Aurangabad, Khagaria and Samastipur.
  • No. of Administrative Divisions – 09 (Koshi, Darbhanga, Saran, Bhagalpur, Patna, Tirhut, Munger, Magadha and Purnia)
  • No. of Districts – 38
  • No. of Sub– Divisions – 101
  • Block No.– 534
  • No. of Panchayats – 8,406
  • No. of Police Stations – 853
  • No. of Revenue Villages – 45,103
  • Number of Lok Sabha Members – 40
  • No. of Rajya Sabha members – 16
  • Number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes in Lok Sabha – 6
  • Legislature – Bicameral (upper house – Legislative council, Lower house – Assembly)
  • Number of Vidhan Sabha Members – 243
  • Number of Legislative Council Members – 75
  • State Symbol – Bodhi tree (located between two swastikas)
  • Official language – Hindi
  • Second official language – Urdu
  • State fish – Mangur
  • State anthem – Mere Bharat Ke Kanth har, Tum Ko Shat– Shat Vandan Bihar…
  • State Prayer – Meri raftaar pe suraj ki kiran naaz kare…
  • No. of Universities – 23
  • Folk dances – Kathghodwa, Chhau, Launda, Dhobia, Jhijhiya, Jharni, Karma and Domkach.
  • Major Forest Type – Deciduous

First in Bihar – Personalities

S.No.

Personality

Names 

1.

First Chief Minister of Bihar

Sri Krishna Singh

2.

First Female Chief Minister

Rabri Devi

3.

First Harijan Chief Minister

Bhola Paswan Shastri

4.

First Muslim Chief Minister

Abdul Ghafur

5.

First Non-Congress Chief Minister

Mahamaya Prasad Sinha

6.

First Governor during British India

James David Sifton

7.

First Chief Justice of Patna High Court before Independence

Justice Edward Maynard Des Champs Chamier

8.

First Governor of Bihar

Jairamdas Daulatram

9.

First Muslim Governor of Bihar

Zakir Hussain

10.

First Deputy Prime Minister of India from Bihar

Dr Jagjivan Ram

11.

First Speaker of Legislative Assembly

Ramdayalu Singh

12.

First Education Minister

Ganesh Dutt

13.

First Chairman of Bihar Vidhan Sabha

Ram Dayalu Singh (1937) 

14.

First Indian Chief Justice of Patna High Court after independence

Pandit Lakshmi Kant Jha

15.

First Female Chief Justice of Patna High Court after Independence

Justice Rekha Doshit

16.

First Woman Judge of Patna High Court

Justice Indu Prabha Singh

17.

First Gyanpeeth Award Winner in Bihar

Ramdhari Singh Dinkar

18.

First to receive Jnanpith Puraskar in Bihar

Dr Ramdhari Singh Dinkar for ‘Urvashi‘ (1972)

19.

First Woman Combat Officer of ITBP from Bihar

Prakriti

20.

First Poet from Bihar

Vidhyapathi Thakur

21.

First Awardee of the Ashok-Chakra in Bihar

Late Randheer Verma

First Events and Achievements of Bihar

S No.

Event/Achievement

Names

1

First Open University in Bihar

Nalanda Open University

2

First Democratic Election of Bihar 

First democratic election in Bihar was held in March 1937.

3

First Hindi Newspaper of Bihar

Bihar Bandhu (1874)

4

First English Newspaper of Bihar

Bihar Herald (1875)

5

First Bhojpuri Film of Bihar

Hey Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo (1963)

6

First Maithili Film of Bihar

Kanyadaan (1965)

7

First Hindi Film of Bihar

Kal Hamara Hai

8

First Magadhi Film of Bihar

Bhaiyaa, (1961)

9

First Doordarshan Centre of Bihar

Muzaffarpur

10

First International Cricket Stadium in Bihar

Moin-ul-Haq Stadium (Previously Known as Rajendra Nagar Stadium)

11

First Tiger Reserve 

Valmiki National Park, a tiger reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary (Located in Champaran District)

12

First Republic of the World

Vaishali (Bihar)

13

First Ancient University of Bihar

Nalanda University

14

First University of Bihar during British Raj

Patna University

15

First European to Enter Bihar

Portuguese

16

First Software Technology Park in Bihar

Patna

17

First Textiles & Handloom Park in Bihar

Bihta (Patna)

18

First International Airport in Bihar

Bodhgaya, Gaya

19

First Indian Institute Management (IIM) in Bihar

Gaya

20

First Indian Institute Technology (IIT) in Bihar

Bihta (Patna)

21

First English Traveller to Bihar

Ralph Fitch

22

First Ramsar Site of Bihar

Kabartal (Begusarai)

23

First Municipality of Bihar

Araha (1865)

24

First Modern University of Bihar

Patna University (1917)

Firsts of India from Bihar

S. No.

Firsts 

Names

1.

First President of India

Dr Rajendra Prasad

2.

First Mathematician in India

Aryabhatt 

3.

First Chairman of the Constituent Assembly

Dr Sachchidanand Sinha (Temporary)

Dr Rajendra Prasad (Permanent)

4.

First Indian Governor during the British period

S.P. Sinha (1921)

5.

First Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi

Champaran (Bihar) in 1917

6.

First Women Lok Sabha Speaker of India

Mira Kumar

7.

First state to initiate BSNL mobile services

Bihar 

8.

First State to provide 50% women reservation in Panchayati Raj

Bihar