Editing Bengal (section)

== Geography ==
{{Main|Geography of Bangladesh|Geography of West Bengal}}
Most of the Bengal region lies in the [[Ganges-Brahmaputra delta]], but there are highlands in its north, northeast and southeast. The Ganges Delta arises from the confluence of the rivers [[Ganges]], [[Brahmaputra River|Brahmaputra]], and [[Meghna River|Meghna]] rivers and their respective tributaries. The total area of Bengal is {{convert|237212|km2}}—West Bengal is {{convert|88752|km2|0|abbr=on}} and Bangladesh {{convert|148460|km2|0|abbr=on}}.

The flat and fertile Bangladesh Plain dominates the [[geography of Bangladesh]]. The [[Chittagong Hill Tracts]] and [[Sylhet region]] are home to most of the [[List of mountains in Bangladesh|mountains in Bangladesh]]. Most parts of Bangladesh are within {{convert|10|m|ft|abbr=off}} above the sea level, and it is believed that about 10% of the land would be flooded if the sea level were to rise by {{convert|1|m|ft|abbr=off}}.<ref name=ali>{{cite journal |last=Ali |first=A |year=1996 |title=Vulnerability of Bangladesh to climate change and sea level rise through tropical cyclones and storm surges |doi=10.1007/BF00175563 |journal=Water, Air, & Soil Pollution |volume=92 |issue=1–2 |pages=171–179 |bibcode=1996WASP...92..171A |s2cid=93611792 |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00175563|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Because of this low elevation, much of this region is exceptionally vulnerable to seasonal flooding due to monsoons.
The highest point in Bangladesh is in Mowdok range at {{convert|1052|m|ft|abbr=off}}.<ref>[http://www.sol.co.uk/v/viewfinder/elevmisquotes.html#keok Summit Elevations: Frequent Internet Errors.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725020735/http://www.sol.co.uk/v/viewfinder/elevmisquotes.html |date=25 July 2013 }} Retrieved 13 April 2006.</ref> A major part of the coastline comprises a [[marsh]]y [[jungle]], the [[Sundarbans]], the largest [[mangrove]] forest in the world and home to diverse flora and fauna, including the [[royal Bengal tiger]]. In 1997, this region was declared endangered.<ref name=sundarbans>{{cite journal |last=IUCN |year=1997 |title=Sundarban wildlife sanctuaries Bangladesh |journal=World Heritage Nomination-IUCN Technical Evaluation}}</ref>

West Bengal is on the eastern bottleneck of India, stretching from the [[Himalaya]]s in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. The state has a total area of {{convert|88752|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name=area>{{cite web |url=http://www.indianmirror.com/geography/geo9.html |title=Statistical Facts about India |access-date=26 October 2006 |website=indianmirror.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061026055639/http://www.indianmirror.com/geography/geo9.html |archive-date=26 October 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Darjeeling Himalayan hill region]] in the northern extreme of the state belongs to the eastern Himalaya. This region contains [[Sandakfu]] ({{convert|3636|m|ft|0|abbr=on}})—the highest peak of the state.<ref name=sandak>{{cite web |url=http://yhaindia.org/sandakphu_trek.htm |title=National Himalayan Sandakphu-Gurdum Trekking Expedition: 2006 |access-date=26 October 2006 |publisher=Youth Hostels Association of India: West Bengal State Branch |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061024013140/http://www.yhaindia.org/sandakphu_trek.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=24 October 2006}}</ref> The narrow [[Terai region]] separates this region from the plains, which in turn transitions into the Ganges delta towards the south. The [[Rarh region]] intervenes between the Ganges delta in the east and the [[western plateau and high lands]]. A small coastal region is on the extreme south, while the Sundarbans mangrove forests form a remarkable geographical landmark at the Ganges delta.

At least nine districts in West Bengal and 42 districts in Bangladesh have [[Arsenic contamination of groundwater|arsenic levels in groundwater]] above the World Health Organization maximum permissible limit of 50&nbsp;μg/L or 50 parts per billion and the untreated water is unfit for human consumption.<ref name=chowdhury>{{cite journal |title=Groundwater arsenic contamination in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India |last1=Chowdhury |first1=U. K. |last2=Biswas |first2=B. K. |last3=Chowdhury |first3=T. R. |last4=Samanta |first4=G. |last5=Mandal |first5=B. K. |last6=Basu |first6=G. C. |last7=Chanda |first7=C. R. |last8=Lodh |first8=D. |last9=Saha |first9=K. C. |last10=Mukherjee |first10=S. K. |last11=Roy |first11=S. |last12=Kabir |first12=S. |last13=Quamruzzaman |first13=Q. |last14=Chakraborti |first14=D. |display-authors=3 |date=May 2000 |journal=[[Environmental Health Perspectives]] | volume=108 |issue=4 |pages=393–397 |url=http://www.ehponline.org/members/2000/108p393-397chowdhury/chowdhury-full.html |doi=10.2307/3454378 |jstor=3454378 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927002931/http://www.ehponline.org/members/2000/108p393-397chowdhury/chowdhury-full.html |archive-date=27 September 2007 |pmid=10811564 |pmc=1638054}}</ref> The water causes arsenicosis, skin cancer and various other complications in the body.

=== Geographic distinctions ===
[[File:Kanchenjunga view from Bangladesh.jpg|thumb|[[Kangchenjunga]], the third highest mountain in the world, seen from a tea garden in Bangladesh. Kangchenjunga is often visible from the plains of [[Tetulia Upazila|Tetulia]] in the northernmost tip of Bangladesh.|198x198px]]

==== North Bengal ====
[[North Bengal]] is a term used for the north-western part of Bangladesh and northern part of West Bengal. The Bangladeshi part comprises [[Rajshahi Division]] and [[Rangpur Division]]. Generally, it is the area lying west of [[Jamuna River (Bangladesh)|Jamuna River]] and north of [[Padma River]], and includes the [[Barind Tract]]. Politically, West Bengal's part comprises [[Jalpaiguri Division]] and most of [[Malda division]] (except [[Murshidabad district]]) together and Bihar's parts include [[Kishanganj district]]. [[Darjeeling]] Hilly are also part of North Bengal. The people of Jaipaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar usually identify themselves as North Bengali. North Bengal is divided into [[Terai]] and [[Dooars]] regions. North Bengal is also noted for its rich cultural heritage, including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Aside from the Bengali majority, North Bengal is home to many other communities including Nepalis, [[Santhal people]], Lepchas and Rajbongshis.

==== Northeast Bengal ====
[[File:People crossing Tanguar Haor in a boat.jpg|alt=|thumb|Tanguar Haor in [[Sunamganj District]], Bangladesh. Haor are a common sight in the Northeast of Bengal.|184x184px]]
Northeast Bengal<ref name="google">{{cite book |title=An Easy Introduction to the History and Geography of Bengal: For the Junior Classes in Schools |author=Lethbridge, E. |date=1874 |publisher=Thacker |url=https://archive.org/details/easyintroduction00lethrich |page=[https://archive.org/details/easyintroduction00lethrich/page/5 5] |access-date=7 January 2017}}</ref> refers to the Sylhet region, which today comprises the [[Sylhet Division]] of Bangladesh and [[Karimganj district]] in the Indian state of [[Assam]]. The region is famous for its fertile land terrain, many rivers, extensive tea plantations, rainforests and wetlands. The [[Brahmaputra River|Brahmaputra]] and [[Barak River|Barak]] river are the geographic markers of the area. The city of [[Sylhet]] is its largest urban centre, and the region is known for its unique regional [[Sylheti language]]. The ancient name of the region is Srihatta and Nasratshahi.<ref name="en.banglapedia.org">{{cite book |last=Akhter |first=Nasrin |year=2012 |chapter=Sarkar |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Sarkar |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> The region was ruled by the [[Kamarupa]] and [[Harikela]] kingdoms as well as the [[Bengal Sultanate]]. It later became a district of the [[Mughal Empire]]. Alongside the predominant Bengali population resides a small [[Garo people|Garo]], [[Bishnupriya Manipuri]], [[Khasi people|Khasia]] and other tribal minorities.<ref name="en.banglapedia.org" />

The region is the crossroads of Bengal and [[northeast India]].
[[File:Bangladesh Bank (33398162476).jpg|left|thumb|307x307px|Central Bengal, one of the most urban and developed regions in Bengal]]

==== Central Bengal ====
Central Bengal refers to the [[Dhaka Division]] of Bangladesh. It includes the elevated [[Madhupur tract]] with a large [[Sal (tree)|Sal tree forest]]. The Padma River cuts through the southern part of the region, separating the greater [[Faridpur District|Faridpur]] region. In the north lies the greater [[Mymensingh]] and [[Tangail]] regions.

==== South Bengal ====
{{Main|South Bengal}}
[[File:Cox's Bazar beach 15.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Cox's Bazar]] has the longest uninterrupted sea beach in the world]]
South Bengal covers the southwestern Bangladesh and the southern part of the Indian state of West Bengal. The Bangladeshi part includes [[Khulna Division]], [[Barisal Division]] and the proposed [[Faridpur Division]]<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PpIzAFZ5zZEC&q=South%20Bengal%20area%20districts&pg=PA16 |title=Social Structure and Cultural Practices in Slums: A Study of Slums in Dhaka City |isbn=9788172111106 |last1=Das |first1=Tulshi Kumar |year=2000|publisher=Northern Book Centre }}</ref> The part of South Bengal of West Bengal includes [[Presidency division]], [[Burdwan division]] and [[Medinipur division]].<ref name="swhydro">{{cite web |url=http://www.swhydro.arizona.edu/07symposium/presentationpdf/ChristianaD_pro.pdf |title=Arsenic Mitigation in West Bengal, India: New Hope for Millions |author=David Christiana |publisher=Southwest Hydrology |page=32 |date=1 September 2007 |access-date=20 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305124232/http://www.swhydro.arizona.edu/07symposium/presentationpdf/ChristianaD_pro.pdf |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xgoYwm4xiVYC&q=%22South%20Bengal%22&pg=PA322 |title=Agroforestry: Systems and Practices |isbn=9788189422622 |last1=Puri |first1=Sunil |year=2007|publisher=New India }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=toTvPa0CRIgC&q=South%20Bengal%20area%20districts&pg=PA347 |title=Gandhi and globalisation |isbn=9788183242967 |last1=Reddy |first1=Angadi Ranga |year=2009|publisher=Mittal Publications }}</ref>

The [[Sundarbans]], a major [[biodiversity hotspot]], is located in South Bengal. Bangladesh hosts 60% of the forest, with the remainder in India.

==== Southeast Bengal ====
{{Main|Greater Chittagong}}

[[File:Sunset of Porenga.jpg|thumb|Sunset at [[Patenga|Potenga Beach]], [[Chittagong]], Bangladesh|276x276px]]
Southeast Bengal<ref name="google2">{{cite book |title=A History of Early Modern Southeast Asia, 1400–1830 |author1=Andaya, B. W. |author2=Andaya, L. Y. |date=2015 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-88992-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Rh2BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA220 |page=220 |access-date=7 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="google3">{{cite book |title=Modern World System and Indian Proto-industrialization: Bengal 1650–1800 |author=Singh, A. K. |date=2006 |volume=1 |publisher=Northern Book Centre |isbn=9788172112011 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WwNUblS-jpwC&pg=PA225 |page=225 |access-date=7 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="google4">{{cite book |title=Islam in Bangladesh |author=Banu, U. A. B. Razia Akter |year=1992 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-09497-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XyzqATEDPSgC&pg=PA6 |page=6 |access-date=7 January 2017 |quote=in Samatata (South-east Bengal) where the Buddhist Khadaga dynasty ruled throughout the fifth, sixth and seventh centuries AD.}}</ref> refers to the hilly-coastal [[Chittagonian language|Chittagonian]]-speaking and coastal Bengali-speaking areas of [[Chittagong Division]] in southeastern Bangladesh. The region is noted for its [[thalassocracy|thalassocratic]] and [[seafaring]] heritage. The area was dominated by the Bengali [[Harikela]] and [[Samatata]] kingdoms in antiquity. It was known to Arab traders as ''Samandar'' in the 9th century.<ref>{{cite book |last=Rashid |first=M Harunar |year=2012 |chapter=Harikela |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Harikela |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> During the medieval period, the region was ruled by the [[Chandra dynasty]], the [[sultanate of Bengal]], the [[kingdom of Tripura]], the [[kingdom of Mrauk U]], the [[Portuguese Empire]] and the [[Mughal Empire]], prior to the advent of British rule. The [[Chittagonian language]], a sister of Bengali is prevalent in coastal areas of southeast Bengal. Along with its Bengali population, it is also home to [[Tibeto-Burman]] ethnic groups, including the [[Chakma people|Chakma]], [[Marma people|Marma]], [[Tanchangya people|Tanchangya]] and [[Bawm people|Bawm]] peoples.

Southeast Bengal is considered a bridge to Southeast Asia and the northern parts of [[Arakan]] are also historically considered to be a part of it.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chittagong to bridge S Asian nations |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/cache/cached-news-details-226586.html |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=17 March 2012 |access-date=12 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813113736/http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/cache/cached-news-details-226586.html |archive-date=13 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Places of interest ===
There are four [[World Heritage Sites]] in the region, including the [[Sundarbans]], the [[Somapura Mahavihara]], the [[Mosque City of Bagerhat]] and the [[Darjeeling Himalayan Railway]]. Other prominent places include the [[Bishnupur, Bankura]] temple city, the [[Adina Mosque]], the [[Katra Masjid|Caravanserai Mosque]], numerous [[zamindar]] palaces (like [[Ahsan Manzil]] and [[Cooch Behar Palace]]), the [[Lalbagh Fort]], the [[Bara Katra|Great Caravanserai ruins]], the [[Choto Katra|Shaista Khan Caravanserai ruins]], the Kolkata [[Victoria Memorial (Kolkata)|Victoria Memorial]], the Dhaka Parliament Building, archaeologically excavated ancient fort cities in [[Mahasthangarh]], [[Mainamati]], [[Chandraketugarh]] and [[Wari-Bateshwar]], the [[Jaldapara National Park]], the [[Lawachara National Park]], the [[Teknaf Game Reserve]] and the [[Chittagong Hill Tracts]].

[[Cox's Bazar]] in southeastern Bangladesh is home to the longest natural sea beach in the world with an unbroken length of 120&nbsp;km (75&nbsp;mi). It is also a growing [[surfing]] destination.<ref>{{cite news |title=World's longest natural sea beach under threat |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-20699989 |publisher=BBC News |date=28 December 2012 |access-date=21 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113172432/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-20699989 |archive-date=13 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[St. Martin's Island]], off the coast of Chittagong Division, is home to the sole [[coral reef]] in Bengal.

=== Other regions ===
[[File:Bengali speaking zone.png|thumb|Today, [[Bengali language|Standard Bengali]] is still spoken in areas beside Bengal proper, including the Barak Valley, Tripura and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.]]
Bengal was a regional power of the Indian subcontinent. The administrative jurisdiction of Bengal historically extended beyond the territory of Bengal proper. In the 9th century, the Pala Empire of Bengal ruled large parts of northern India. The Bengal Sultanate controlled Bengal, Assam, Arakan, Bihar and Orissa at different periods in history. In Mughal Bengal, the Nawab of Bengal had a jurisdiction covering Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Bengal's administrative jurisdiction reached its greatest extent under the British Empire, when the Bengal Presidency extended from the Straits of Malacca in the east to the Khyber Pass in the west. In the late-19th and early-20th centuries, administrative reorganisation drastically reduced the territory of Bengal.

Several regions bordering Bengal proper continue to have high levels of Bengali influence. The Indian state of Tripura has a Bengali majority population. Bengali influence is also prevalent in the Indian regions of Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; as well as in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

====Arakan====
[[File:Eastern Lower Bengal and Chittagong with Arakan.jpg|thumb|Bengal and Arakan in 1638.]]
[[Arakan]] (now [[Rakhine State]], [[Myanmar]]) has historically been under strong Bengali influence. Since antiquity, Bengal has influenced the culture of Arakan. The ancient Bengali script was used in Arakan.<ref>"Three medallions above the head contain sacred syllables in proto-Bengali script". [[Pamela Gutman]] and
Zaw Min Yu, 'Vesali', Burma's Lost Kingdoms: Splendours of Arakan (Orchid Press 2001). p. 57</ref> An Arakanese inscription recorded the reign of the Bengali [[Candra dynasty]]. [[Paul Wheatley (geographer)|Paul Wheatley]] described the "Indianization" of Arakan.<ref>[[Pamela Gutman]] and Zaw Min Yu,&nbsp;Burma's Lost Kingdoms: Splendours of Arakan&nbsp;(Orchid Press 2001). p. 3</ref>

According to [[Pamela Gutman]], "Arakan was ruled by kings who adopted Indian titles and traditions to suit their own environment. Indian Brahmins conducted royal ceremonies, Buddhist monks spread their teachings, traders came and went and artists and architects used Indian models for inspiration. In the later period, there was also influence from the Islamic courts of Bengal and Delhi".<ref>[[Pamela Gutman]] and Zaw Min Yu,&nbsp;Burma's Lost Kingdoms: Splendours of Arakan&nbsp;(Orchid Press 2001). p. 8</ref> Arakan emerged as a [[vassal state]] of the [[Bengal Sultanate]].<ref name="google6">{{cite book |last1=Chowdhury |first1=Mohammed |title=Bengal-Arakan Relations, 1430–1666 A.D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rohuAAAAMAAJ |year=2008 |publisher=Firma K.L.M. |isbn=9788171021185 |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref> It later became an independent kingdom. The royal court and culture of the [[Kingdom of Mrauk U]] was heavily influenced by Bengal. [[Bengali Muslims]] served in the royal court as ministers and military commanders.<ref name="google6"/> [[Bengali Hindus]] and [[Bengali Buddhists]] served as priests. Some of the most important poets of medieval [[Bengali literature]] lived in Arakan, including [[Alaol]] and [[Daulat Qazi]].<ref name="Umran Chowdhury, Dhaka Tribune">{{cite news |author=Umran Chowdhury, Dhaka Tribune |url=https://scroll.in/article/1006362/the-history-of-the-rohingyas-that-myanmar-refuses-to-acknowledge |title=The history of the Rohingyas that Myanmar refuses to acknowledge |work=Scroll.in |date=29 September 2021 |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref> In 1660, [[Shah Shuja (Mughal prince)|Prince Shah Shuja]], the governor of Mughal Bengal and a pretender of the [[Peacock Throne]] of India, was forced to seek asylum in Arakan.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lostfootsteps.org/en/history/the-indian-prince-who-fled-to-mrauk-u |title=The Indian Prince who fled to Mrauk-U |website=Lost Footsteps |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44138771 |jstor=44138771 |title=A Contemporary Dutch Account of Shah Shuja at Arakan |last1=Ray |first1=Aniruddha |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1974 |volume=35 |pages=112–118}}</ref> Bengali influence in the Arakanese royal court persisted until Burmese annexation in the 18th-century.

The modern-day [[Rohingya people|Rohingya]] population is a legacy of Bengal's influence on Arakan.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Islam |first=Nurul |title=Rohingya: The descendants of ancient Arakan |url=https://archive.dhakatribune.com/magazine/weekend-tribune/2017/10/12/rohingya-descendants-ancient-arakan |magazine=Weekend Tribune |date=12 October 2017}}</ref><ref name="Umran Chowdhury, Dhaka Tribune"/> The [[Rohingya genocide]] resulted in the displacement of over a million people between 2016 and 2017, with many being uprooted from their homes in Rakhine State.

====Assam====
[[File:Bengali-Assamese subbranches.png|thumb|Region of the [[Bengali-Assamese languages]].]]
The Indian state of [[Assam]] shares many cultural similarities with Bengal. The Assamese language uses the same script as the Bengali language. The [[Barak Valley]] has a Bengali-speaking majority population. During the [[Partition of India]], Assam was also partitioned along with Bengal. The [[Sylhet Division]] joined [[East Bengal]] in Pakistan, with the exception of [[Karimganj]] which joined Indian Assam. Previously, East Bengal and Assam were part of a single province called [[Eastern Bengal and Assam]] between 1905 and 1912 under the [[British Raj]].<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43553644 | jstor=43553644 | last1=Iqbal | first1=Iftekhar | title=The Space between Nation and Empire: The Making and Unmaking of Eastern Bengal and Assam Province, 1905–1911 | journal=The Journal of Asian Studies | year=2015 | volume=74 | issue=1 | pages=69–84 | doi=10.1017/S0021911814001661 | s2cid=161412009 }}</ref>

Assam and Bengal were often part of the same kingdoms, including [[Kamarupa]], [[Gauda Kingdom|Gauda]] and [[Kamata Kingdom|Kamata]]. Large parts of Assam were annexed by [[Alauddin Hussain Shah]] during the Bengal Sultanate.<ref>Sarkar, J. N. (1992), "Chapter II The Turko-Afghan Invasions", in Barpujari, H. K. (ed.), The Comprehensive History of Assam, vol. 2, Guwahati: Assam Publication Board, pp. 35–48</ref> Assam was one of the few regions in the subcontinent to successfully resist Mughal expansion and never fell completely under Mughal rule.

====Andaman and Nicobar Islands====
Bengali is the most spoken language among the population of the [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]], a strategically important archipelago which is controlled by India as a federal territory. The islands were once used as a British penal colony. During [[World War II]], the islands were seized by the Japanese and controlled by the [[Provisional Government of Free India]]. Anti-British leader [[Subhash Chandra Bose]] visited and renamed the islands. Between 1949 and 1971, the Indian government resettled many [[Bengali Hindus]] in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://reviews.history.ac.uk/review/2042 |title=Review of ''Crossing the Bay of Bengal'' |first1=Madhumita |last1=Mazumdar |doi-access=free |doi= 10.14296/RiH/2014/2042 |publisher=Reviews in History |date= 5 January 2017 |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref>

====Bihar====
[[File:Pope1880BengalPres2.jpg|thumb|Bengal in 1880, including Bihar, Orissa and Assam.]]
In antiquity, Bihar and Bengal were often part of the same kingdoms. The ancient region of [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]] covered both Bihar and Bengal. Magadha was the birthplace or bastion of several pan-Indian empires, including the [[Mauryan Empire]], the [[Gupta Empire]] and the [[Pala Empire]]. Bengal, Bihar and Orissa together formed a single province under the [[Mughal Empire]]. The Nawab of Bengal was styled as the Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.<ref name="banglapedia1">{{cite web|url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Nawab |title=Nawab |website=Banglapedia |date=18 June 2021 |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref>

====Chittagong Hill Tracts====
The [[Chittagong Hill Tracts]] is the southeastern frontier of Bangladesh. Its indigenous population includes [[Tibeto-Burman]] ethnicities, including the [[Chakma people]], [[Bawm people]] and [[Mru people|Mro people]] among others. The region was historically ruled by tribal chieftains of the [[Chakma Circle]] and [[Bohmong Circle]]. In 1713, the [[Chakma Raja]] signed a treaty with [[Mughal Bengal]] after obtaining permission from [[Farrukhsiyar|Emperor Farrukhsiyar]] for trade with the plains of Chittagong.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003406020-6/mughal-influence-chittagong-chittagong-hill-tracts-cht-ashfaque-hossain-ananda-bikash-chakma |doi=10.4324/9781003406020 |isbn=9781003406020 |title=The Mughals and the North-East |chapter=Mughal Influence on Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) |year=2023 |publisher=Routledge |last1=Nag |first1=Sajal |s2cid=258409383}}</ref><ref name="thedailystar2">{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/in-focus/news/chakma-resistance-british-rule-3090111 |title=Chakma resistance to British rule |work=The Daily Star |date=8 August 2022 |type=Opinion}}</ref> Like the kings of Arakan, the Chakma Circle began to fashion themselves using Mughal nomenclatures and titles. They initially resisted the [[Permanent Settlement]] and the activities of the [[East India Company]].<ref name="thedailystar2"/> The tribal royal families of the region came under heavy Bengali influence. The Chakma queen [[Benita Roy]] was a friend of [[Rabindranath Tagore]]. The region was governed by the [[Chittagong Hill Tracts manual]] under colonial rule. The manual was significantly amended after the end of British rule; and the region became fully integrated with Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-1313.html |title=The Chittagong Hill-tracts Regulation, 1900}}</ref>

====Malay Archipelago====
[[File:Bengal Presidency (1849-1853) with modern borders.png|thumb|Extent of the Bengal Presidency between 1858 and 1867, including the Straits Settlements]]
Through trade, settlements and the exchange of ideas; parts of [[Maritime Southeast Asia]] became linked with Bengal.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ghosh |first=Suchandra |year=2013 |title=Locating South Eastern Bengal in the Buddhist Network of Bay of Bengal (C. 7th Century CE-13th Century CE) |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=74 |pages=148–153 |jstor=44158810}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/19480881.2019.1640577|title=Crossings and contacts across the Bay of Bengal: a connected history of ports in early South and Southeast Asia|first=Suchandra|last=Ghosh|date=2 September 2019|journal=Journal of the Indian Ocean Region|volume=15|issue=3|pages=281–296|via=Taylor and Francis+NEJM|doi=10.1080/19480881.2019.1640577|s2cid=202332142 }}</ref> Language, literature, art, governing systems, religions and philosophies in ancient [[Sumatra]] and [[Java]] were influenced by Bengal. [[Indianized kingdom|Hindu-Buddhist kingdom]]s in Southeast Asia depended on the Bay of Bengal for trade and ideas. [[Islam in Southeast Asia]] also spread through the Bay of Bengal, which was a bridge between the Malay Archipelago and Indo-Islamic states of the Indian subcontinent.<ref>{{cite book|author=Sunil S. Amrith|title=Crossing the Bay of Bengal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8eWwAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA37|date=7 October 2013|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-72846-2|page=37}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Formichi|first=Chiara|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t-fWDwAAQBAJ|title=Islam and Asia: A History|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2020|isbn=978-1-107-10612-3|pages=75–79}}</ref> A large number of wealthy merchants from Bengal were based in Malacca.<ref name="autogenerated185"/> Bengali ships were the largest ships in the waters of the Malay Archipelago during the 15th century.<ref>Tapan Raychaudhuri; Irfan Habib, eds. (1982). The Cambridge Economic History of India. Vol. I. Cambridge University Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-521-22692-9.</ref>

Between 1830 and 1867, the ports of Singapore and [[Malacca]], the island of [[Penang]], and a portion of the [[Malay Peninsula]] were ruled under the jurisdiction of the [[Bengal Presidency]] of the [[British Empire]].<ref>Jarman, J. L. (Ed). (1998). Annual reports of the Straits Settlements 1855–1941 (Vol 1: 1855–1867, pp. 3–4). Slough, UK: Archive Editions. Call no.: RSING English 959.51 STR.</ref> These areas were known as the [[Straits Settlements]], which was separated from the Bengal Presidency and converted into a [[Crown colony]] in 1867.<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911|wstitle=Straits Settlements|last=Clifford|first=Hugh Charles|author-link=Hugh Clifford (colonial administrator)|volume=25|pages=980–981|inline=1}}</ref>{{RP|980}}

====Meghalaya====
The Indian state of [[Meghalaya]] historically came under the influence of [[Shah Jalal]], a Muslim missionary and conqueror from [[Sylhet]]. During [[British Raj|British rule]], the city of [[Shillong]] was the [[summer capital]] of [[Eastern Bengal and Assam]] (modern Bangladesh and Northeast India). Shillong boasted the highest per capita income in British India.<ref name="orfonline1"/>

====North India====
[[File:Sepoy of the Indian Infantry, 1900 (c)..jpg|thumb|A sepoy of the [[Bengal Army]], which played a key role in the expansion of the Bengal Presidency into the northern reaches of India up to the [[Khyber Pass]].]]
The ancient Mauryan, Gupta and [[Pala Empire|Pala]] empires of the [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]] region (Bihar and Bengal) extended into northern India. The westernmost border of the Bengal Sultanate extended towards [[Varanasi]] and [[Jaunpur district|Jaunpur]].<ref>Kunal Chakrabarti; Shubhra Chakrabarti (22 August 2013). Historical Dictionary of the Bengalis. Scarecrow Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-8108-8024-5.</ref><ref name="Hasan2007p16-17"/> In the 19th century, [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]] and the [[Ceded and Conquered Provinces]] formed the western extent of the Bengal Presidency. According to the British historian [[Rosie Llewellyn-Jones]], "The Bengal Presidency, an administrative division introduced by the East India Company, would later include not only the whole of northern India up to the Khyber Pass on the north-west frontier with Afghanistan, but would spread eastwards to Burma and Singapore as well".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Llewellyn-Jones |first1=Rosie |title=Empire Building: The Construction of British India, 1690–1860 |year=2023 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vXysEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT26 |access-date=28 July 2023 |publisher=Hurst Publishers |isbn=978-1-80526-026-4 |page=25}}</ref>

====Odisha====
[[Odisha]], previously known as Orissa, has a significant Bengali minority. Historically, the region has faced invasions from Bengal, including an invasion by [[Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Iliyas_Shah |title=Iliyas Shah |website=Banglapedia |date=18 June 2021 |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref> Parts of the region were ruled by the [[Bengal Sultanate]] and [[Mughal Bengal]]. The [[Nawab of Bengal]] was styled as the "Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa" because the Nawab was granted jurisdiction over Orissa by the [[Mughal Emperor]].<ref name="banglapedia1"/>

====Tibet====
During the [[Pala Empire|Pala dynasty]], Tibet received missionaries from Bengal who influenced the emergence of [[Tibetan Buddhism]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pala-dynasty |title=Pala dynasty {{pipe}} Indian Empire, Buddhist Monarchs, Bengal Region |website=Encyclopædia Britannica |date=14 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Pala_Dynasty |title=Pala Dynasty |website=Banglapedia |date=18 June 2021 |access-date=28 July 2023}}</ref> One of the most notable missionaries was [[Atisa]]. During the 13th century, Tibet experienced an [[Islamic invasion of Tibet|Islamic invasion]] by the forces of [[Bakhtiyar Khalji]], the Muslim conqueror of Bengal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tibetpolicy.net/china-and-strategic-infrastructures-in-tibet-ccps-recipe-for-a-troubled-relationship/ |title=China and Strategic Infrastructures in Tibet: CCP's Recipe for a Troubled Relationship |date=16 May 2023}}</ref>

====Tripura====
The [[Tripura (princely state)|princely state of Tripura]] was ruled by the [[Manikya dynasty]] until the 1949 [[Tripura Merger Agreement]]. Tripura was historically a [[vassal state]] of Bengal. After assuming the throne with military support from the Bengal Sultanate in 1464, [[Ratna Manikya I]] introduced administrative reforms inspired by the government of Bengal. The Tripura kings requested Sultan [[Ruknuddin Barbak Shah|Barbak Shah]] to provide manpower for developing the administration of Tripura. As a result, [[Bengali Hindu]] bureaucrats, cultivators and artisans began settling in Tripura.<ref>Sarma, Ramani Mohan (1987). Political History of Tripura. Puthipatra.</ref> Today, the Indian state of [[Tripura]] has a Bengali-majority population. Modern Tripura is a gateway for trade and transport links between [[Bangladesh]] and [[Northeast India]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Deb |first=Debraj |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/representatives-japan-bangladesh-tripura-gateway-ne-india-at-conclave-8553149/ |title=Representatives of Japan, Bangladesh look at Tripura as potential gateway of NE India at conclave |work=The Indian Express |date=12 April 2023 |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tripura-emerging-as-international-trade-gateway-of-northeast-pm-modi-101671372968462.html |title=Tripura emerging as international trade gateway of northeast: PM Modi |date=18 December 2022 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref> In [[Bengali culture]], the celebrated singer [[S. D. Burman]] was a member of the Tripura royal family.

=== Flora and fauna ===
[[File:Sundarban Tiger.jpg|thumb|The [[Bengal tiger]]]]
The flat Bengal Plain, which covers most of Bangladesh and West Bengal, is one of the most [[Soil fertility|fertile]] areas on Earth, with lush vegetation and farmland dominating its landscape. Bengali villages are buried among groves of [[mango]], [[jackfruit]], [[betel nut]] and [[date palm]]. Rice, [[jute]], [[mustard plant|mustard]] and [[sugarcane]] plantations are a common sight. [[Body of water|Water bodies]] and [[wetland]]s provide a habitat for many aquatic plants in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta. The northern part of the region features Himalayan foothills (''[[Dooars]]'') with densely wooded [[Sal (tree)|Sal]] and other tropical [[evergreen]] trees.<ref name=India123>{{cite web |url=http://www.webindia123.com/westbengal/land/forest.htm#N |title=Natural vegetation |access-date = 31 October 2006 |work=West Bengal |publisher=Suni System (P) Ltd |url-status = live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060523204956/http://www.webindia123.com/westbengal/land/forest.htm#N |archive-date = 23 May 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Sal_Forest |title=Sal Forest |website=Banglapedia |date=18 June 2021 |access-date=28 July 2023}}</ref> Above an elevation of 1,000 metres (3,300&nbsp;ft), the forest becomes predominantly subtropical, with a predominance of temperate-forest trees such as [[oak]]s, [[conifer]]s and [[rhododendron]]s. Sal woodland is also found across central Bangladesh, particularly in the [[Bhawal National Park]]. The [[Lawachara National Park]] is a [[rainforest]] in northeastern Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nishorgo.org/nishorgo/files_pdf/Secondary%20Data%20on%20Lawachara%20NP.pdf |title=Secondary Data Collection for Pilot Protected Areas: Lawachara National Park |date=November 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001204429/http://www.nishorgo.org/nishorgo/files_pdf/Secondary%20Data%20on%20Lawachara%20NP.pdf |access-date=28 July 2023|archive-date=1 October 2011 }}</ref> The Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh is noted for its high degree of [[biodiversity]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://unpo.org/article/1537 | title=UNPO: Chittagong Hill Tracts: The vanishing forest biodiversity of Bangladesh | date=2 November 2009 }}</ref>

The [[littoral]] [[Sundarbans]] in the southwestern part of Bengal is the largest [[mangrove forest]] in the world and a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]].<ref>{{cite web |author=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/798/#:~:text=The%20Sundarbans%20Reserve%20Forest%20(SRF,mangrove%20forest%20in%20the%20world |title=The Sundarbans – UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher=UNESCO |access-date=28 July 2023}}</ref> The region has over [[List of mammals in Bangladesh|89 species of mammals]], [[List of birds of Bangladesh|628 species of birds]] and [[List of fishes in Bangladesh|numerous species of fish]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Muhammad Selim Hossain |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=89375 |title=Conserving biodiversity must for survival |work=The Daily Star |date=23 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530100603/http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=89375 |access-date=28 July 2023 |archive-date=30 May 2015}}</ref> For Bangladesh, the [[Nymphaea|water lily]], the [[oriental magpie-robin]], the [[hilsa]] and [[mango tree]] are national symbols. For West Bengal, the [[white-throated kingfisher]], the [[Alstonia|chatim tree]] and the [[night-flowering jasmine]] are state symbols. The [[Bengal tiger]] is the [[national animal]] of Bangladesh and India. The [[fishing cat]] is the state animal of West Bengal.