There are 38 districts in Bihar and among them the largest district is West Champaran. It is located in the northwestern part of Bihar sharing border with Nepal. It is also popular for being the birthplace of Satyagraha in India.
Let us explore the details of the area, history, and population of West Champaran district.
West Champaran: Largest District in Bihar by Area
Spanning an area of 5228 square kilometers, West Champaran district is the largest district of Bihar by area. It is also known as Paschim Champaran. The administrative headquarters of West Champaran district is Bettiah.
The second largest district in Bihar is Gaya, which is 4976 square kilometers. Areawise if we compare it with the smallest district in Bihar, which is Sheohar with an area of 443 square kilometers, West Champaran is about 12 times bigger.
Did You Know:
While West Champaran is the largest district by area in Bihar, the title for the most populated district in Bihar is held by Patna.
What is the History of West Champaran?
West Champran was formed on 2nd November, 1972, by separating from the undivided Champaran district into West and East Champaran. Champaran district was formed in the year 1866 during the British rule.
It’s administrative headquarters is Bettiah, which got its name from the cane plants that were once abundantly grown in the area.
Trivia Fact:
The name Champarana comes from the term Champaka Aranya which means forest of Champa or Magnolia trees.
West Champaran holds a very prominent position in the struggle of Independence, as it is the place where Satyagraha was born in India under Mahatma Gandhi in 1917. It was also known as the Champaran Satyagraha.
Did You Know:
Champaran Satyagraha was the first civil disobedience movement in India, which was led by Mahatma Gandhi and local leader Rajkumar Shukla, against the practice of Tinkathia system where the farmers were asked to grow indigo on 3/20th of their agricultural land.
What is the Population of West Champaran?
As per the Census 2011 data, the population of West Champaran is 3.935,042. It has a skewed sex ratio of 909 females per 1000 males and a population density of 753 people per square kilometer.
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