Midnapore District in
West Bengal was a major site of the freedom movement during British rule. The district borders the states of
Orissa and
Jharkhand on the western side. Midnapore is also bounded by the districts of
Bankura,
Hooghly,
Howrah, and
South 24 Parganas. Spread over an area of 14,081 sq km, it has a population of around 9.6 million. The headquarters is
Midnapore, a major educational center in West Bengal.
About 70 percent of the workers are engaged in agriculture and related activities. Main rivers flowing through the district are Kangsabati, Silabati, Rupnarayan,
Haldi, and Subarnarekha. Rice, jute, potatoes, coconut, and rapeseed are among the important crops cultivated.
The district has excellent infrastructure facilities. Kharagpur is a major railway junction. Among the major tourist destinations are
Digha, Shankarpur,
Tamluk,
Jhargram, Belpahari, and Kankrajhor.
