Editing Bengal (section)

== Demographics ==
{{Main|Demographics of Bangladesh|Demographics of West Bengal|Languages of Bangladesh}}
{{Pie chart
|caption = Language in Bengal
|label1=[[Bengali language|Bengali]]|color1=Red|value1=92
|label2=Others|color2=dodgerblue|value2=8}}
The Bengal region is one of the [[Population density|most densely populated areas]] in the world. With a population of 300&nbsp;million, [[Bengalis]] are the third largest ethnic group in the world after the [[Han Chinese]] and [[Arabs]].{{efn|Roughly 163 million in Bangladesh and 100&nbsp;million in the [[India|Republic of India]] ([[CIA Factbook]] 2014 estimates, numbers subject to rapid population growth); about 3 million [[Bangladeshis in the Middle East]], 1 million [[Bengalis in Pakistan]], 0.4&nbsp;million [[British Bangladeshi]].}}
According to provisional results of 2011 Bangladesh census, the population of Bangladesh was 149,772,364;<ref name=BBSprovjul2011>{{cite web |title=2011 Population & Housing Census: Preliminary Results |url=http://www.bbs.gov.bd/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/BBS/PHC2011Preliminary%20Result.pdf |publisher=Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Statistics Division, Ministry of Planning, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh |date=July 2011 |access-date=17 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115170757/http://www.bbs.gov.bd/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/BBS/PHC2011Preliminary%20Result.pdf |archive-date=15 January 2013 }}</ref> however, CIA's ''[[The World Factbook]]'' gives 163,654,860 as its population in a July 2013 estimate. According to the provisional results of the 2011 Indian national census, West Bengal has a population of 91,347,736.<ref name="2011 pp tableA2">{{cite web |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/prov_data_products_wb.html |title=Area, population, decennial growth rate and density for 2001 and 2011 at a glance for West Bengal and the districts: provisional population totals paper 1 of 2011: West Bengal |publisher=Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=26 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107060612/http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/prov_data_products_wb.html |archive-date=7 January 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> "So, the Bengal region, {{as of|2011|lc=y}}, has at least 241.1&nbsp;million people. This figures give a population density of 1003.9/km<sup>2</sup>; making it among the most densely populated areas in the world.<ref name=censuswb>{{cite web |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/ |title=Provisional Population Totals: West Bengal |access-date=26 August 2006 |website=Census of India, 2001 |publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070514045222/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/ |archive-date=14 May 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="WorldBank">[[World Bank Group|World Bank]] Development Indicators Database, 2006.</ref>

[[Bengali language|Bengali]] is the main language spoken in Bengal. Many phonological, lexical, and structural differences from the standard variety occur in peripheral varieties of Bengali across the region. Other regional languages closely related to Bengali include [[Sylheti language|Sylheti]], [[Chittagonian language|Chittagonian]], [[Chakma language|Chakma]], [[Rangpuri language|Rangpuri/Rajbangshi]], [[Hajong language|Hajong]], [[Rohingya language|Rohingya]], and [[Tangchangya language|Tangchangya]].<ref name="ethnologue.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/country/BD/languages |title=Bangladesh |website=Ethnologue |access-date=26 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626114709/http://www.ethnologue.com/country/BD/languages |archive-date=26 June 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

According to the 2011 Indian census, 18% of the Bengali-speakers are bilingual of whom half can speak [[Hindi]], and 5% are trilingual.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nagarajan |first=Rema |date=14 November 2018 |title=Hindi, Bengali speakers India's least multilingual groups |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/hindi-bengali-speakers-indias-least-multilingual-groups/articleshow/66612384.cms |issn=0971-8257 |work=The Times of India |access-date=19 July 2023}}</ref>

In general, [[Bengalis]] are followers of [[Islam]], [[Hinduism]], [[Christianity]] and [[Buddhism]] with a significant number are [[Irreligion|Irreligious]].

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Population trends for major religious groups in the Bengal region (West Bengal and Bangladesh) under the [[British Raj|British India]] (1881–1941)
|- style="text-align: left;"
! Religious<br />group
! Population <br />% 1881
! Population <br />% 1891
! Population <br />% 1901
! Population <br />% 1911
! Population <br />% 1921
! Population <br />% 1931
! Population <br />% 1941
|-
! style="background: green; color: white;"| Islam
| 50.16% || 50.7% || 51.58% || 52.74% || 53.99% || 54.87% || 54.73%
|-
! style="background: Orange; color: white;"| Hinduism
| 48.45% || 47.27% || 46.60% || 44.80% || 43.27% || 43.04% || 41.55%
|-
! style="background: DodgerBlue; color: white;"| Christianity
| 0.2% || – || – || – || – || – || –
|-
! style="background: Yellow; color: white;"| Buddhism
| 0.69% || – || – || – || – || – || –
|-
! style="background: Silver;"| Other religions
| 0.5% || – || – || – || – || – 
||-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Bengal region religious diversity as per 2011 census'''<ref name=census2011>{{cite web|url=http://203.112.218.65:8008/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/National%20Reports/Union%20Statistics.pdf|title=Population & Housing Census |year=2011 |author=[[Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics]] |publisher=Bangladesh Government |access-date=17 April 2015 |page=xiii |quote="Population By Religion (%) Muslim 90.39 Hindu 8.54 Buddhist 0.60 Christian 0.37 Others 0.14" |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903181037/http://203.112.218.65:8008/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/National%20Reports/Union%20Statistics.pdf |archive-date=3 September 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>Data Archived 4 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Census – Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://censusindia.gov.in |title=Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |publisher=Censusindia.gov.in |access-date=17 July 2021}}</ref>
|-
! Religion
! Population
|-
| [[Bengali Muslims|Muslims]] ([[File:Star and Crescent.svg|18px]])
| 159,274,952
|-
| [[Bengali Hindus|Hindus]] ([[File:Om.svg|15px]])
| 86,138,190
|-
| [[Bengali Christians|Christians]] ([[File:Christian cross.svg|12px]])
| 1,718,887
|-
| [[Bengali Buddhists|Buddhists]] ([[File:Dharma Wheel.svg|18px]])
| 1,278,871
|-
| Other or no religion
| 1,707,917
|-
| Total
| 250,118,816
|}

In addition, several minority ethnolinguistic groups are native to the region. These include speakers of other Indo-Aryan languages (e.g., [[Bishnupriya Manipuri language|Bishnupriya Manipuri]], [[Sadri language|Oraon Sadri]], various [[Bihari languages]]), [[Tibeto-Burman languages]] (e.g., [[A'Tong language|A'Tong]], [[Chak language|Chak]], [[Koch language|Koch]], [[Garo language|Garo]], [[Megam language|Megam]], [[Meitei language|Meitei]] (officially called "[[Manipuri language|Manipuri]]"), [[Mizo language|Mizo]], [[Mru language|Mru]], [[Pangkhua language|Pangkhua]], [[Rakhine language|Rakhine]]/[[Marma Language|Marma]], [[Kok Borok language|Kok Borok]], [[Reang language|Riang]], [[Tippera language|Tippera]], [[Usoi language|Usoi]], various [[Chin languages]]), [[Austroasiatic languages]] (e.g., [[Khasi language|Khasi]], [[Koda language|Koda]], [[Mundari language|Mundari]], [[Pnar language|Pnar]], [[Santali language|Santali]], [[War language|War]]), and [[Dravidian languages]] (e.g., [[Kurukh language|Kurukh]], [[Sauria Paharia language|Sauria Paharia]]).<ref name="ethnologue.com" />

Life expectancy is around 72.49 years for Bangladesh<ref>{{Cite CIA World Factbook |country=Bangladesh |access-date=31 October 2009}}</ref> and 70.2 for West Bengal.<ref>{{cite web |title=Contents 2010–14 |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Vital_Statistics/SRS_Life_Table/1.CONTENTS-2010-14.pdf |publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=12 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113174353/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Vital_Statistics/SRS_Life_Table/1.CONTENTS-2010-14.pdf |archive-date=13 November 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="life table">{{cite web |title=Abridged Life Tables- 2010–14 |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Vital_Statistics/SRS_Life_Table/2.Analysis_2010-14.pdf |page=5 |publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=12 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110123124/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Vital_Statistics/SRS_Life_Table/2.Analysis_2010-14.pdf |archive-date=10 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> In terms of literacy, West Bengal leads with 77% literacy rate,<ref name=censuswb /> in Bangladesh the rate is approximately 72.9%.<ref>{{cite book |last=CRI |title=Bangladesh Education for All |date=2014 |publisher=CRI Publication |isbn=978-0-7566-9859-1 |page=138 |url=http://cri.org.bd/publication/2015/Bangladesh%20Education%20for%20All/#/1/ |access-date=6 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814012330/http://cri.org.bd/publication/2015/Bangladesh%20Education%20for%20All/#/1/ |archive-date=14 August 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|CRI do not give a breakdown by gender or state the age bracket for the data}} The level of poverty in West Bengal is at 19.98%, while in Bangladesh it stands at 12.9%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/PublicationsView.aspx?id=15283 |title=Table 162, Number and Percentage of Population Below Poverty Line |publisher=Reserve Bank of India, Government of India |year=2013 |access-date=20 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407102043/http://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/PublicationsView.aspx?id=15283 |archive-date=7 April 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Misha |first1=Farzana |last2=Sulaiman |first2=Munshi |title=Bangladesh Priorities: Poverty, Sulaiman and Misha {{pipe}} Copenhagen Consensus Center |url=http://www.copenhagenconsensus.com/publication/bangladesh-priorities-poverty-sulaiman-and-misha |website=copenhagenconsensus.com |access-date=7 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416191511/http://www.copenhagenconsensus.com/publication/bangladesh-priorities-poverty-sulaiman-and-misha |archive-date=16 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="unicef_stats">{{cite web |url=http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/bangladesh_bangladesh_statistics.html |title=Statistics |date=18 December 2013 |website=UNICEF |access-date=2 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219134729/http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/bangladesh_bangladesh_statistics.html |archive-date=19 December 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

West Bengal has one of the lowest total fertility rates in India. West Bengal's TFR of 1.6 roughly equals that of Canada.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/1rl0WtFHAUyrXy1KcwGYlK/Why-West-Bengal-is-like-Canada-and-Bihar-like-Swaziland.html |title=Why West Bengal is like Canada, and Bihar like Swaziland |work=Mint |access-date=7 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160724083636/http://www.livemint.com/Politics/1rl0WtFHAUyrXy1KcwGYlK/Why-West-Bengal-is-like-Canada-and-Bihar-like-Swaziland.html |archive-date=24 July 2016 |url-status=live|date=25 December 2014}}</ref>

=== Major cities ===
The Bengal region is home to the some of [[List of urban areas by population|major urban areas]] of the world, [[Dhaka]] is the [[List of urban areas by population|4th largest urban areas]] of the world. [[Kolkata]] is [[List of urban areas by population|17th largest urban area]].{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|+ List of million plus urban areas of Bengal
|-
! Rank
! City
! Country
! data-sort-type="numeric" | Population (2024)
! Image
|-
| align="center" | 1 || '''[[Dhaka]]''' || {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| data-sort-value="1" | 24,653,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dhaka, Bangladesh Metro Area Population 1950-2024 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/20119/dhaka/population |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref>
| [[File:Dhaka April (33244268934).jpg|alt=|thumb|130px|[[Dhaka]]]]
|-
| align="center" | 2 || '''[[Kolkata]]''' || {{flag|India}}
| data-sort-value="2" | 15,845,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Calcutta, India Metro Area Population 1950-2024 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/21211/calcutta/population |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref>
| [[File:EM Bypass Kolkata.jpg|thumb|130px|[[Kolkata]]]]
|-
| align="center" | 3 || '''[[Chittagong]]''' || {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| data-sort-value="3" | 5,653,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chittagong, Bangladesh Metro Area Population 1950-2024 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/20115/chittagong/population |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref>
| [[File:Chittagong city skyline.jpg|thumb|130px|[[Chittagong]]]]
|-
| align="center" | 4 || '''[[Asansol]]''' || {{flag|India}}
| data-sort-value="4" | 1,565,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Asansol, India Metro Area Population 1950-2024 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/21170/asansol/population |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref>
| [[File:Modernisation of ISP.JPG|thumb|130px|[[Asansol]]]]
|-
| align="center" | 5 || '''[[Siliguri]]''' || {{flag|India}}
| data-sort-value="5" | 1,191,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Siliguri, India Metro Area Population 1950-2024 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/21405/siliguri/population |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref>
| [[File:Siliguri view 3.jpg|thumb|130px|[[Siliguri]]]]
|}

====Other major cities in West Bengal====
Other important cities of West Bengal region such as [[Howrah]], [[Kalyani, West Bengal|Kalyani]], [[Basirhat]], [[Kharagpur]], [[Durgapur]], [[Coochbehar]], [[Malda, West Bengal|Malda]], [[Chandannagar]], [[Bardhaman]], [[Darjeeling ]] etc.<ref>{{cite web |title=West Bengal (India): State, Major Agglomerations & Cities |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/india/cities/westbengal/ |website=CityPopulation.de |access-date=10 May 2025}}</ref>

====Other major cities in Bangladesh====
Other important cities in Bangladesh such as [[Sylhet]], [[Khulna]], [[Jessore]], [[Rajshahi]], [[Rangpur, Bangladesh|Rangpur]], [[Cox's Bazar]] etc.