Establishment and Borders
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Establishment Year (Bihar Province) | March 22, 1912, when it was carved out of the Bengal Presidency by the British. This date is celebrated as Bihar Diwas. |
| Current State Formation | The modern state of Bihar came into existence on November 15, 2000, when its southern part was separated to form the new state of Jharkhand. |
| Borders | North: Nepal (an international border) East: West Bengal West: Uttar Pradesh South: Jharkhand |
| Capital City | Patna (Historically known as Pataliputra) |
Population, Languages, and Religion
Bihar is one of India's most densely populated states.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Population (2022 Caste Survey) | Approximately 13.07 Crores (130,725,310) |
| Official Languages | Hindi and Urdu |
| Major Spoken Languages | Hindi (25.5%), Bhojpuri (24.9%), Maithili (12.6%), Magahi (10.9%), and Urdu (8.42%). Maithili is one of the 22 Scheduled languages of India. |
| Religion (2022 Caste Survey) | Hinduism is the majority religion at 81.99%, followed by Islam at 17.70%. |
Chief Ministers and President's Rule
Chief Ministers (Post-Independence, Partial List with Tenures)
The state has had numerous Chief Ministers and political shifts. The table below provides a few key figures and the most recent tenures. Nitish Kumar is Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister and has held the post in multiple non-consecutive terms.
| Chief Minister | Joined Date | Left Date |
|---|---|---|
| Shri Krishna Sinha | August 15, 1947 | January 31, 1961 |
| Lalu Prasad Yadav | March 10, 1990 | July 25, 1997 |
| Rabri Devi | July 25, 1997 | March 3, 2000 |
| Nitish Kumar (Short 1st Term) | March 3, 2000 | March 10, 2000 |
| Rabri Devi | March 11, 2000 | March 6, 2005 |
| Nitish Kumar (2nd Term) | November 24, 2005 | May 20, 2014 |
| Jitan Ram Manjhi | May 20, 2014 | February 22, 2015 |
| Nitish Kumar (Current/Continuing Terms) | February 22, 2015 | Incumbent (as of current date) |
President's Rule
President's Rule (imposition of direct rule by the central government under Article 356 of the Constitution) has been imposed on Bihar 8 times since independence.
Famous Places and Products
Famous Places
Bihar is a historically and religiously significant state, especially for Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
* Bodh Gaya: A UNESCO World Heritage Site where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. The Mahabodhi Temple stands here.
* Nalanda: Site of the ancient Nalanda University, a renowned center of learning in the 5th to 12th centuries CE, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
* Rajgir: An ancient city that was the first capital of the Magadha kingdom and is sacred to both Buddhists and Jains.
* Patna Sahib: The birthplace of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, making it a major pilgrimage site for Sikhs.
* Vaishali: A place where Buddha delivered his last sermon and the traditional site of the world's first republic.
Famous Products
Bihar is known for several agricultural and craft products, some with geographical indication (GI) tags.
* Makhana (Fox Nuts): Bihar is the largest producer of makhana in India, particularly the Mithila Makhana (GI-tagged).
* Litchi: Bihar accounts for a significant share of India's annual litchi production, with the Shahi Litchi of Muzaffarpur being particularly famous (GI-tagged).
* Madhubani Painting: A globally recognized style of folk art (GI-tagged), traditionally done by women in the Mithila region.
* Sikki Grass Craft: Handicrafts made from a golden-colored grass (GI-tagged).
* Patna Rice: Historically known for high-quality rice strains, mentioned in historical accounts like Ain-i-Akbari.
