South Dinajpur, one of the smallest districts in
West Bengal, is primarily an agricultural area with major part of the land being under cultivation. The district occupies an area of 2,183 sq km. It has an international border with Bangladesh on the eastern side. South Dinajpur is also bordered by
Malda and
North Dinajpur districts. The population is around 1.5 million, most of which is constituted by Hindus and Muslims. Bengali is the main language used.
South Dinajpur has a rich cultural heritage. Ruins of past glory are still found in the area.
Balurghat, the headquarters, is situated on the shores of the river Kulik. The other rivers are the Atryee, Punarbhaba and Tangon. The industry sector is dominated by agriculture based units.
Major tourist spots include the Sarongbari forest,
Balurghat College Museum, the
Patiram Thakur estate,
Bollakali temple, and the lake
Tapan Dighi.
