Geography of Bihar

{{Main|Physiographical Regions of Bihar}}

Bihar has three parts on the basis of physical and structural conditions:

The Southern Plateau Region, Bihar's Gangetic Plain, and the Shivalik Region.

{{cite web|last=by|date=2017-12-20|title=Geographical location of Bihar|url=https://bihar.pscnotes.com/bihar-geography/geographical-location-of-bihar/|access-date=2021-05-09|website=Bihar PSC Exam Notes|language=en-US}} The Southern Plateau Region is located between Kaimur district in the West to Banka in the East. It is made up of hard rocks like gneiss, schist and granite. This region has many conical hills which are made up of batholim like Pretshil, Ramshila and Jethian hill. Bihar's Plain is located between the Southern Plateau and the Northern Mountains. It is bounded by the 150m contour line in the north as well as in the south. The vast stretch of fertile Bihar Plain is divided by the Ganges River into two unequal parts - North Bihar and the South Bihar.{{cite web|date=2020-12-10|title=Geographical Structure of Bihar: Geology {{!}} Physiology {{!}} Plain {{!}}Plateau|url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/geographical-structure-of-bihar-geology-physiology-plain-plateau-1481802502-1|access-date=2021-05-09|website=Jagranjosh.com}} Northern Bihar's Plain is located in East Champaran & West Champaran (Terai area with higher elevation), and plains of Samastipur, Begusarai, Saharsa and Katihar . Region is drained by Saryu, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla-Balan, Kosi and Mahananda and their tributaries. Southern Bihar's Plain is narrow than northern plain of Bihar and triangular in shape because many hills are located in this region such as hills of Gaya, Rajgir, Giriyak, Bihar Sharif, Sheikhpura, Jamalpur and Kharagpur hills. Third, Shivalik Region in sub-Himalayan foothills of Shivalik range's shadows the state from Northern part of West Champaran over an area 32 km long and 6–8 km wide. West Champaran district are clad in a belt of moist deciduous forest. As well as trees, this consists of scrub, grass and reeds.

{{Main|Administration in Bihar}}

The state is divided into 9 divisions, 38 districts, 101 subdivisions and 534 circles.{{cite news|title=Indexing Gender Parity and Estimation of Child Marriage: A comprehensive study of 534 Blocks in Bihar|newspaper=Business Standard India|date=25 September 2017|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/male-child-preference-leads-to-early-marriage-for-girls-in-bihar-117092500203_1.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925092627/http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/male-child-preference-leads-to-early-marriage-for-girls-in-bihar-117092500203_1.html|archive-date=2017-09-25}} 12 municipal corporations, 49 Nagar Parishads and 80 Nagar Panchayats for administrative purposes.{{cite web|title=Bihar Civic elections likely in May 2017|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170330/jsp/bihar/story_143389.jsp#.WNziu7lMTcs|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331031251/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170330/jsp/bihar/story_143389.jsp#.WNziu7lMTcs|archive-date=2017-03-31}}{{cite web|title=बिहार : नगर विकास एवं आवास विभाग की पहल, पुनर्गठन से नगर परिषदों की बढ़ जायेगी संख्या|url=http://www.prabhatkhabar.com/news/patna/reorganization-will-increase-the-number-of-city-councils/956843.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324174135/http://www.prabhatkhabar.com/news/patna/reorganization-will-increase-the-number-of-city-councils/956843.html|archive-date=2017-03-24}}{{cite web|title=पहली बार कोई महिला बनेगी पटना नगर निगम की मेयर|url=http://www.prabhatkhabar.com/news/patna/story/954291.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324175018/http://www.prabhatkhabar.com/news/patna/story/954291.html|archive-date=2017-03-24}}{{cite web|title=Ward delimitation begins in Chhapra|website=The Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/ward-delimitation-begins-in-chhapra/articleshow/57299170.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227073049/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/ward-delimitation-begins-in-chhapra/articleshow/57299170.cms|archive-date=2017-02-27}}{{cite web|title=छपरा को निगम बख्तियारपुर को मिला नगर परिषद का दर्जा|url=https://www.bhaskar.com/news/BIH-PAT-HMU-MAT-latest-patna-news-020501-2002341-NOR.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324181148/http://www.bhaskar.com/news/BIH-PAT-HMU-MAT-latest-patna-news-020501-2002341-NOR.html|archive-date=2017-03-24}}{{Divisions and Districts of Bihar}}

Bihar is in Indo-Gangetic plain so naturally fertile soil is one asset of the state.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} Thus Indo-Gangetic plain's soil is the backbone of agricultural and industrial development. The Indo-Gangetic plain in Bihar consists of a thick alluvial mantle of drift origin overlying in most part, the siwalik and older tertiary rocks. The soil is mainly little young loam rejuvenated every year by constant deposition of silt, clay and sand brought by streams but mainly by floods in Bihar{{Citation

| last1 = Das

| first1 = K.K.L.

| last2 = Das

| first2 = K.N.

| editor-last = Sharma

| editor-first = Hari Shanker

| volume = 4

| title = Perspectives in geomorphology

| place = New Delhi

| publisher = Naurung Rai Concept Publishing Company

| year = 1981

| chapter = Alluvial Morphology of the North Bihar Plain – A study in applied geomorphology

| pages = 85 ff

| access-date = April 9, 2011

| chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=6j1OC4P31ukC&q=alluvial+morphology+north+bihar+plain+das&pg=PA85}}

This soil is deficient in phosphoric acid, nitrogen and humus, but potash and lime are usually present in sufficient quantity.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} The most common soil in Bihar is Gangetic alluvium of Indo-Gangetic plain region, Piedmont Swamp Soil which is found in northwestern part of West Champaran district and Terai Soil which is found in eastern part of Bihar along the border of Nepal.[http://gov.bih.nic.in/profile/climate.htm Soil of Bihar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928224117/http://gov.bih.nic.in/profile/climate.htm |date=2011-09-28 }} clay soil, sand soil and loamy soil are common in Bihar.[http://www.biharonline.com/other.htm other common soil in Bihar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706120418/http://www.biharonline.com/other.htm |date=2008-07-06 }}

Bihar is mainly a vast stretch of very fertile flat land. It is drained by the Ganges River, including northern tributaries of other river. The Bihar plain is divided into two unequal halves by the river Ganges which flows through the middle from west to east. Other Ganges tributaries are the Son, Budhi Gandak, Chandan, Orhani and Phalgu. The Himalayas begin at foothills a short distance inside Nepal but influence Bihar's landforms, climate, hydrology and culture. Central parts of Bihar have some small hills, for example the Rajgir hills. The Himalayan Mountains are to the north of Bihar, in Nepal. To the south is the Chota Nagpur plateau, which was part of Bihar until 2000 but now is part of a separate state called Jharkhand.

{{See also|Protected areas in Bihar}}

Bihar has notified forest area of 6,764.14 km², which is 7.1 per cent of its geographical area.{{cite web| title =State Profile| publisher =Gov. of India| url =http://india.gov.in/knowindia/st_bihar.php| url-status =live| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20081218193622/http://india.gov.in/knowindia/st_bihar.php| archive-date =2008-12-18}} The sub Himalayan foothill of Someshwar and Dun ranges in Champaran district another belt of moist deciduous forests. These also consists of shrub, grass and reeds. Here the rainfall is above 1,600 mm and thus promotes luxuriant Sal forests in the favoured areas. The hot and dry summer gives the deciduous forests. The most important trees are Shorea Robusta (Sal), Shisham, Cedrela Toona, Khair, and Semal. This type of forests also occurs in Saharsa district and Purnia district.{{cite web| title =Forest in Bihar| publisher =Forest Ministry of Bihar| url =http://forest.bih.nic.in/| url-status =live| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20090410052852/http://forest.bih.nic.in/| archive-date =2009-04-10}}

Bihar is a producer of Steatite (945 tonnes), Pyrites (9,539 tonnes/year), Quartzite (14,865 tonnes/year), Crude Mica (53 tonnes/year), Limestone (4,78,000 tonnes/year). Bihar has also some good resource of Bauxite in Jamui district, Cement Mortar in Bhabhua, dolomite in Bhabhua, Glass sand in Bhabhua, Mica in Muzaffarpur, Nawada, Jamui, Gaya and salt in Gaya and Jamui, Uranium and Beryllium are found in Gaya District, Coal in Rajmahal Coalfield, Gold In Jamui.

{{cite web |url=http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/bihar/biharminerals.htm |title=Bihar Mineral Map, Mineral Resources of Bihar |access-date=2008-11-27 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226113329/http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/bihar/biharminerals.htm |archive-date=2008-12-26 }}

• Ajay River
• Bagmati
• Budhi Gandak
• Bhutahi Balan
• Gandak
• Ganges
• Ghaghara
• Phalgu
• Gandaki River
• Kamala
• Karmanasha
• Koshi River
• Mahananda River
• Mohana
• Punpun
• Sapt Koshi
• Son River

• Dhua Kund Falls
• Kakolat Waterfall
• Karkat Waterfall
• Madhuvdhandam Falls
• Manjhar Kund Waterfall
• North Tank Waterfall
• Telhar Waterfall

• Manjhar Kund
• Dhua Kund
• Sita Kund
• Surya Kund
• Rishi Kund

• Anupam Lake
• Kharagpur Lake
• Kanwar Lake Begusarai
• Ghora Katora Darbhanga
• Gogabil Lake Katihar
• Matsyagandha Lake

• Mangal Talab
• Pandu Pokhar

• Indrapuri Barrage

Source:{{Cite web |url=http://www.cpreecenvis.nic.in/Database/Bihar_2215.aspx |title=Bihar |access-date=2021-04-06 |archive-date=2021-02-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226125344/http://www.cpreecenvis.nic.in/Database/Bihar_2215.aspx |url-status=dead }}

• Barabar hills
• Brahmayoni hills Gaya Dist
• Brahmajuni Hills
• Bateshwar hills
• Dungeshwari hills
• Gridhakuta hills
• Gurpa hills
• Kavadol Hills/Kauvadol
• Kaimur Range
• Mandar Hills
• Mundeshwari Hills
• Nagarjuni Hills
• Pretshila Hills
• Pragbodhi hills
• Ramshila Hills
• Rajgir hills
• Ramshila hills
• Vaibhar Hills

Source:{{cite web|url=http://www.cpreecenvis.nic.in/Database/Bihar_2410.aspx |title=Bihar |publisher=Cpreecenvis.nic.in |date=2020-08-28 |accessdate=2022-08-05}}

• Barabar Caves
• Bateshwar cave
• Dungeshwari Cave
• Gopika Cave
• Indasala Caves
• Lomas Rishi Cave
• Mahakala caves
• Patalpuri Caves
• Pippala cave
• Saptaparni Cave
• Sattaparnaguha Cave
• Son Bhandar Caves
• Sitamarhi Cave
• Vadathika Cave

{{multiple image

| align = right

| direction = vertical

| image1 = Biharimap.png

| image2 = Flooded Bihar.JPG

| footer = Above: River Map of Bihar Below: flooded farmlands in northern Bihar during the 2008 Bihar flood.

}}

{{Main|Floods in Bihar}}

{{Cquote|{{center|1=Total human deaths is 5874 and animal deaths is 19044 in Bihar due to floods between 1979–2006[http://disastermgmt.bih.nic.in/ Disaster Management in Bihar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023031614/http://disastermgmt.bih.nic.in/ |date=2008-10-23 }}[http://disastermgmt.bih.nic.in/Statitics/Statistics.htm Disaster Management in Bihar – Statistics] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019015932/http://disastermgmt.bih.nic.in/Statitics/Statistics.htm |date=2008-10-19 }}}} }}

Bihar is India's most flood-prone state, with 76% of the population in the north Bihar living under the recurring threat of flood devastation.[http://fmis.bih.nic.in/history.html Flood Management Information System – History of Flood in Bihar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100419085617/http://fmis.bih.nic.in/history.html |date=2010-04-19 }} According to some historical data, 16.5% of the total flood affected area in India is located in Bihar while 22.1% of the flood affected population in India lives in Bihar.[http://www.indiawaterportal.org/bihar/?cat=5 India Water Portal – Bihar Floods 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201071221/http://www.indiawaterportal.org/bihar/?cat=5 |date=2009-02-01 }} About {{convert|68800|km2|mi2}} out of total geographical area of {{convert|94160|km2|mi2}} comprising 73.06% is flood affected. Floods in Bihar are a recurring disaster which on an annual basis destroys thousands of human lives apart from livestock and assets worth millions.

{{See also|Bengal famine of 1770|Bihar famine of 1873–74|Golghar}}

{{Main|Climate of Bihar}}

Bihar has cool winters, the lowest temperatures being around 0–10 degrees Celsius (33 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit). Winter months are December and January. It is hot in the summer with average highs around 35–45 Celsius ( 95–105 Fahrenheit). April to mid June are the hot months. The monsoon months of June, July, August, and September see good rainfall. October & November and February & March have cool, pleasant climate.

{{Portal|India}}

• 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake
• Climate of Bihar
• Floods in Bihar

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Geography of India by state or territory}}

{{Geography of India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geography Of Bihar}}