Physiography of West Bengal

Broadly speaking, West Bengal has two natural divisions - the Himalayan north and the alluvial plain south of it. The Bay of Bengal forms the southern coastline of the state. The Bay of Bengal is one of the largest bays in the world.

The Himalayan region in north Bengal has three general divisions - the high altitude mountain region, the foothills or the Terai region and the mixed deciduous forest and grassland region known as the Dooars. Swift flowing rivers like the Teesta, Torsha, Rangeet and the Mahananda flow through these areas.

The rivers in North Bengal like the Teesta and Mahananda flow into Bangladesh were they finally create a huge river system along with the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. The rivers of the north and the Ganges are perennial rivers since they originate in the Himalayas.

The important rivers in the plains of Bengal include the Ganges, Hooghly, Rupnarayan and Damodar. The plains of the Ganges and the other associated rivers form one of the most fertile regions in the world. The Ganges flows through the state at one of its narrowest points and flows into Bangladesh.