West Bengal facts: capital, state animal, bird, flower and state day
West Bengal at a glance
- Capital
- Kolkata
- State day
- 20 June (West Bengal Day)
- State animal
- Fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus)
- State bird
- White-throated kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)
- State flower
- Night flowering jasmine (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis)
- State tree
- Alstonia (Alstonia scholaris)
Sources: Capitals: Government of India. State symbols and state days: Wikipedia (lists of Indian state animals, birds, flowers and trees, and List of Indian state days), retrieved October 2026.
Key facts about West Bengal: its capital, languages, government and courts, and the main figures from the Census of India 2011, the most recent census.
Key facts
| Capital | Kolkata |
|---|---|
| Formed | 15 August 1947 |
| Official languages | Bengali and English (with Nepali, Hindi, Urdu, Santali and others in some areas) |
| Area | 88,752 sq km |
| Districts (2026) | 23 |
| Legislative Assembly seats | 294 |
| Lok Sabha seats | 42 |
| Rajya Sabha seats | 16 |
| High Court | Calcutta High Court, Kolkata |
Census 2011
| Population | 91,276,115 (9.13 crore) |
|---|---|
| Density | 1,028 people per sq km |
| Living in towns and cities | 31.9 per cent |
| Sex ratio | 950 women per 1,000 men |
| Literacy rate (age 7 and over) | 76.26 per cent (men 81.69, women 70.54) |
Sources
Population figures: Census of India 2011, state profile (Final Population Totals). Area: Census of India 2011. Districts: the Ministry of Education's AISHE directory, which follows the Local Government Directory (checked October 2026). Seats and courts: Election Commission of India and the state government.
Reference links
- National Portal of India: Government of India
- Election Commission of India: constituencies and elections
- Local Government Directory: official list of districts, blocks and villages