Bihar

Not to be confused with Bahir. For other uses, see Bihar (disambiguation).

Bihar
State
Mahabodhi Temple Golghar Darbhanga Fort Valmiki National Park Ghora Katora Lake Nalanda Mahavihara
Emblem of Bihar
Nickname:  "Land of Monasteries"
Motto:  Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone triumphs)
Anthem: Mere Bharat Ke Kanthahar (The Garland of My India)
Location of Bihar in India
Coordinates: 25.4°N 85.1°E / 25.4; 85.1
Country	India
Region	East India
Previously was	Bihar Province
Formation	22 March 1912
Capital and largest city	Patna
Districts	38
Government
• Body	Government of Bihar
• Governor	Syed Ata Hasnain
• Chief Minister	Samrat Choudhary (BJP)
• Deputy Chief Minister	Vijay Kumar Chaudhary (JD(U)) Bijendra Prasad Yadav (JD(U))
Area
• Total	98,940 km2 (38,200 sq mi)
• Rank	12th
Dimensions
• Length	345 km (214 mi)
• Width	483 km (300 mi)
Elevation	53 m (174 ft)
Highest elevation (Someshwar Fort)	880 m (2,890 ft)
Lowest elevation (Ganges River)	11 m (36 ft)
Population  (2023 census)
• Total	130,725,310
• Rank	2nd
• Density	1,388/km2 (3,590/sq mi)
• Urban	16.2%
• Rural	83.8%
Demonym	Bihari
Language
• Official	Hindi
• Additional official	Urdu
• Official script	Devanagari script
GDP
• Total (2026-27)	₹13.1 lakh crore (US$140 billion) (nominal) ~$560 billion (PPP)
• Rank	14th
• Per capita	~₹98,500 (US$1,000) (nominal) (2026 est.) ~$4,060 (PPP) (33rd)
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
ISO 3166 code	IN-BR
Vehicle registration	BR
HDI (2023)	0.650 (Medium) (36th)
Literacy (2024)	74.3% (35th)
Sex ratio (2023)	1090♀/1000 ♂
Website	state.bihar.gov.in
Symbols of Bihar
Foundation day	Bihar Day
Bird	House sparrow
Fish	Walking catfish
Flower	Marigold
Fruit	Mango
Mammal	Gaur
Tree	Peepal tree
State highway mark
State highway of Bihar BR SH1 - BR SH82
List of Indian state symbols

Bihar (Hindi: Bihār,pronounced [bɪˈɦaːr] ^ⓘ) is a state in eastern India. It borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Bengal to the east, and Jharkhand to the south. Bihar is split by the river Ganges, which flows from west to east. It is the second largest state by population, the 12th largest by area, and the 14th largest by GDP in 2024. The official language on Bihar is Hindi, which shares official status alongside that of Urdu. The main native languages are Maithili, Magahi and Bhojpuri, but there are several other languages being spoken at smaller levels.

Bihar played a central role in the history and development of Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya at the Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Early Buddhist schools, such as Nalanda and Vikramashila emerged in Bihar as major centres of Buddhist learning, attracting students and scholars from across Asia. Under dynasties including the Mauryas and Guptas, Buddhism received royal patronage and expanded from the region to other parts of Asia.

Since the late 1970s, Bihar has lagged far behind other Indian states in terms of social and economic development. Economists and social scientists claim that this is a direct result of the policies of the central government: such as the freight equalisation policy, its apathy towards Bihar, lack of Bihari sub-nationalism, and the Permanent Settlement of 1793 by the British East India Company. The state government has, however, made significant strides in developing the state. Improved governance has led to an economic revival in the state through increased investment in infrastructure, better healthcare facilities, greater emphasis on education, and a reduction in crime and corruption.