Provinces of India
Encyclopedia
Provinces of India, earlier Presidencies of British India, still earlier, Presidency towns, and collectively British India, were the administrative units of the territories of India
under the tenancy or the sovereignty
of either the East India Company
or the British Crown
between 1612 and 1947.
British India is divided into three periods. From the early 17th century to the middle of the 18th century, the East India Company
traded in Bengal
on the sufferance of the native powers. Its rivals were the merchant trading companies of Holland and France. In the next hundred years, referred to as Company rule in India
, the Company acquired paramountcy, but increasingly shared its sovereignty with the Crown, gradually losing its mercantile privileges. Following the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the Company's remaining powers were transferred to the Crown initiating the direct rule by the British Empire
(1858–1947). The term "British India" has also been used secondarily as a shortened form for "the British people
in the British Empire in India."
(now in the state of Gujarat), and this became the company's first headquarters town. It was followed in 1611 by a permanent factory
at Machilipatnam
on the Coromandel Coast
, and in 1612 the company joined other European trading companies
in Bengal
. However, following the decline of the Mughal Empire in 1707 and after the East India Company's victory at the Battle of Plassey
in 1757 and Battle of Buxar
, both in Bengal
1764, the Company gradually began to formally expand its dominions and collectively call the area India
. By the mid-19th century, the East India Company had become the paramount political and military power on the subcontinent, its territory held in trust
for the British Crown
.
Company rule in India
, however, ended with the Government of India Act 1858
following the events of the Indian rebellion of 1857
. British India was thereafter directly ruled by the British Crown as a colonial possession of the United Kingdom
, and India was officially known after 1876 as the Empire of India. India consisted of regions referred to as British India that were directly administered by the British, and other regions, the Princely State
s, that were ruled by Indian rulers. These rulers were allowed a measure of internal autonomy in exchange for British suzerainty
. British India constituted a significant portion of India both in area and population; in 1910, for example, it covered approximately 54% of the area and included over 77% of the population. In addition, there were Portuguese
and French
exclaves in India. Independence from British rule was achieved in 1947 with the formation of the Dominion
s of India and Pakistan
, the latter also including present-day Bangladesh
.
The term British India also applied to Burma for a shorter time period: starting in 1824, a small part of Burma, and by 1886, almost two thirds of Burma had come under British India. This arrangement lasted until 1937, when Burma commenced being administered as a separate British colony. British India did not apply to other countries in the region, such as Sri Lanka
(then Ceylon), which was a British Crown Colony
, or the Maldive Islands, which were a British protectorate. At its greatest extent, in the early 20th-century, the territory of British India extended as far as the frontiers of Persia in the west; Afghanistan
in the northwest; Tibet
in the northeast; and China
, French Indo-China and Siam in the east. It also included the Colony of Aden in the Arabian Peninsula
.
File:Joppen1907India1700a.jpg |India in 1700 showing the Mughal Empire
and the European trading settlements.
File:IGI1908MadrasTown2(1).jpg|The presidency town of Madras in a 1908 map. Madras was established as Fort St. George in 1640.
File:IGI1908IsleBombay2(1).jpg|The presidency town of Bombay (shown here in a 1908 map) was established in 1684.
File:IGI1908CalcuttaTown2.jpg|The presidency town of Calcutta (shown here in a 1908 map) was established in 1690 as Fort William.
The East India Company
, which was incorporated on December 31, 1600, established trade relations with Indian rulers in Masulipatam on the east coast in 1611 and Surat
on the west coast in 1612. The company rented a trading outpost in Madras in 1639. Bombay, which was ceded to the British Crown by Portugal
as part of the wedding dowry of Catherine of Braganza
in 1661, was in turn granted to the East India Company to be held in trust for the Crown.
Meanwhile, in eastern India, after obtaining permission from the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
to trade with Bengal, the Company established its first factory at Hoogly in 1640. Almost a half-century later, after Emperor Aurengzeb forced the Company out of Hooghly, Calcutta was founded by Job Charnock
in 1686. By the mid-18th century the three principal trading settlements, now called the Madras Presidency
(or the Presidency of Fort St. George
), the Bombay Presidency
, and the Bengal Presidency
(or the Presidency of Fort William
) were each administered by a Governor.
File:IGI1908India1765a.jpg|Map of India in 1765
File:Joppen1907India1795a.jpg|Map of India in 1795
File:Joppen1907India1805a.jpg|Map of India in 1805
File:Joppen1907India1823a.jpg|Map of India in 1823
File:IGI1908India1837a.jpg|Map of India in 1837
File:Joppen1907India1848a.jpg|Map of India in 1848
File:IGI1908India1857b.jpg|Map of India in 1857
File:Joppen1907BritishBengalBritishBurmaA.jpg|Expansion of British Bengal and Burma
After Robert Clive's victory in the Battle of Plassey
in 1757, the puppet government of a new Nawab of Bengal
, was maintained by the East India Company. However, after the invasion of Bengal by the Nawab of Oudh in 1764 and his subsequent defeat in the Battle of Buxar
, the Company obtained the Diwani of Bengal, which included the right to administer and collect land-revenue (land tax) in Bengal, the region of present-day Bangladesh
, West Bengal
and Bihar
. In 1772, the Company also obtained the Nizāmat of Bengal (the "exercise of criminal jurisdiction") and thereby full sovereignty of the expanded Bengal Presidency
. During the period, 1773 to 1785, very little changed; the only exceptions were the addition of the dominions of the Raja
of Banares
to the western boundary of the Bengal Presidency, and the addition of Salsette Island
to the Bombay Presidency
.
Portions of the Kingdom of Mysore
were annexed to the Madras Presidency
after the Third Anglo-Mysore War
ended in 1792. Next, in 1799, after the defeat of Tipu Sultan
in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
more of his territory was annexed to the Madras Presidency. In 1801, Carnatic
, which had been under the suzerainty
of the Company, began to be directly administered by it as a part of the Madras Presidency.
File:Pope1880NorthWesternProv2.jpg|North-Western Provinces
, constituted in 1836 from erstwhile Ceded and Conquered Provinces
File:Pope1880Panjab3.jpg|Punjab
annexed in 1849
File:Pope1880Oudh2.jpg|Oudh annexed in 1856
File:Pope1880BritishIndia1.jpg|The British Indian Empire in 1880, when, three years after the formal name-change to "Empire of India," it was still being called "British India."
File:IndiaPolitical1893ConstablesHandAtlas.jpg|The British Indian Empire in 1893, after the annexation of Upper Burma
and incorporation of Baluchistan
File:Jopen1907IndianEmpire1907a.jpg |A map of the British Indian Empire
in 1907 during the partition of Bengal (1905–1912)
File:IndianEmpireCeylon1915.jpg|The Indian Empire in 1915 after the reunification of Bengal, the creation of the new province of Bihar and Orissa, and the re-establishment of Assam.
File:Pope1880MadrasPres2.jpg|Madras Presidency shown in an 1880 map.
File:Pope1880BombayPres2.jpg|Bombay Presidency in an 1880 map.
File:Pope1880BengalPres2.jpg|Bengal Presidency in 1880
File:Pope1880CentralProv2.jpg|An 1880 map of Central Provinces. The province had been constituted in 1861.
File:IGI1908CPandBerar2.jpg|1908 map of Central Provinces and Berar
. Berar was included in 1903.
File:Pope1880Beluch2.jpg|Beluchistan, shown as an independent kingdom along with Afghanistan and Turkestan, in an 1880 map.
File:IGI1908Beluchistan2.jpg|Beluchistan, shown as a part of the British Indian Empire
in a 1908 map.
At the turn of the 20th century, British India consisted of eight provinces that were administered either by a Governor or a Lieutenant-Governor. The following table lists their areas and populations (but does not include those of the dependent Native States):
During the partition of Bengal (1905–1912), a new Lieutenant-Governor's province of Eastern Bengal and Assam existed. In 1912, the partition was partially reversed, with the eastern and western halves of Bengal re-united and the province of Assam re-established; a new Lieutenant-Governor's province of Bihar and Orissa was also created.
Upon the Partition of India
into Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan
, twelve provinces (Ajmer-Merwara-Kekri, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Bihar, Bombay, Central Provinces and Berar, Coorg, Delhi, Madras, Panth-Piploda, Orissa, and the United Provinces) became provinces within India, three (Baluchistan, North-West Frontier, and Sindh) within Pakistan, and two (Bengal and Punjab) were partitioned between India and Pakistan.
In 1950, after the new Indian Constitution
was adopted, the provinces in India were replaced by redrawn states and union territories. Pakistan, however, retained its five provinces, one of which, East Bengal
, was renamed East Pakistan
in 1956 and became the independent nation of Bangladesh
in 1971.
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
under the tenancy or the sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
of either the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
or the British Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
between 1612 and 1947.
British India is divided into three periods. From the early 17th century to the middle of the 18th century, the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
traded in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
on the sufferance of the native powers. Its rivals were the merchant trading companies of Holland and France. In the next hundred years, referred to as Company rule in India
Company rule in India
Company rule in India refers to the rule or dominion of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent...
, the Company acquired paramountcy, but increasingly shared its sovereignty with the Crown, gradually losing its mercantile privileges. Following the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the Company's remaining powers were transferred to the Crown initiating the direct rule by the British Empire
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
(1858–1947). The term "British India" has also been used secondarily as a shortened form for "the British people
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
in the British Empire in India."
British India
In 1608 the English East India Company established a settlement at SuratSurat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
(now in the state of Gujarat), and this became the company's first headquarters town. It was followed in 1611 by a permanent factory
Factory (trading post)
Factory was the English term for the trading posts system originally established by Europeans in foreign territories, first within different states of medieval Europe, and later in their colonial possessions...
at Machilipatnam
Machilipatnam
Machilipatnam is a city and a special grade municipality in the Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located south east of state capital, Hyderabad.-History:...
on the Coromandel Coast
Coromandel Coast
The Coromandel Coast is the name given to the southeastern coast of the Indian Subcontinent between Cape Comorin and False Divi Point...
, and in 1612 the company joined other European trading companies
East India Company (disambiguation)
The East India Company, also known as the English East India Company and the British East India Company, was a historical English, and later British, company, founded in 1600, and chartered with the monopoly of trading with Southeast Asia, East Asia, and India.East India Company may also refer to...
in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. However, following the decline of the Mughal Empire in 1707 and after the East India Company's victory at the Battle of Plassey
Battle of Plassey
The Battle of Plassey , 23 June 1757, was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies, establishing Company rule in South Asia which expanded over much of the Indies for the next hundred years...
in 1757 and Battle of Buxar
Battle of Buxar
The Battle of Buxar was fought on 22 October 1764 between the forces under the command of the British East India Company, and the combined armies of Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal; Shuja-ud-Daula Nawab of Awadh; and Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor...
, both in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
1764, the Company gradually began to formally expand its dominions and collectively call the area India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. By the mid-19th century, the East India Company had become the paramount political and military power on the subcontinent, its territory held in trust
Trust law
In common law legal systems, a trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another...
for the British Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
.
Company rule in India
Company rule in India
Company rule in India refers to the rule or dominion of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent...
, however, ended with the Government of India Act 1858
Government of India Act 1858
The Government of India Act 1858 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed on August 2, 1858. Its provisions called for the liquidation of the British East India Company and the transference of its functions to the British Crown...
following the events of the Indian rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
. British India was thereafter directly ruled by the British Crown as a colonial possession of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom (disambiguation)
The term United Kingdom usually refers to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state to the north-west of mainland Europe, but may refer to the following:-British Isles:...
, and India was officially known after 1876 as the Empire of India. India consisted of regions referred to as British India that were directly administered by the British, and other regions, the Princely State
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
s, that were ruled by Indian rulers. These rulers were allowed a measure of internal autonomy in exchange for British suzerainty
Suzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
. British India constituted a significant portion of India both in area and population; in 1910, for example, it covered approximately 54% of the area and included over 77% of the population. In addition, there were Portuguese
Portuguese India
The Portuguese Viceroyalty of India , later the Portuguese State of India , was the aggregate of Portugal's colonial holdings in India.The government started in 1505, six years after the discovery of a sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, with the nomination of the first Viceroy Francisco de...
and French
French India
French India is a general name for the former French possessions in India These included Pondichéry , Karikal and Yanaon on the Coromandel Coast, Mahé on the Malabar Coast, and Chandannagar in Bengal...
exclaves in India. Independence from British rule was achieved in 1947 with the formation of the Dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
s of India and Pakistan
Dominion of Pakistan
The Dominion of Pakistan was an independent federal Commonwealth realm in South Asia that was established in 1947 on the partition of British India into two sovereign dominions . The Dominion of Pakistan, which included modern-day Pakistan and Bangladesh, was intended to be a homeland for the...
, the latter also including present-day Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
.
The term British India also applied to Burma for a shorter time period: starting in 1824, a small part of Burma, and by 1886, almost two thirds of Burma had come under British India. This arrangement lasted until 1937, when Burma commenced being administered as a separate British colony. British India did not apply to other countries in the region, such as Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
(then Ceylon), which was a British Crown Colony
Crown colony
A Crown colony, also known in the 17th century as royal colony, was a type of colonial administration of the English and later British Empire....
, or the Maldive Islands, which were a British protectorate. At its greatest extent, in the early 20th-century, the territory of British India extended as far as the frontiers of Persia in the west; Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in the northwest; Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
in the northeast; and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, French Indo-China and Siam in the east. It also included the Colony of Aden in the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
.
Presidency towns (1600–1765)
File:Joppen1907India1700a.jpg |India in 1700 showing the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
and the European trading settlements.
File:IGI1908MadrasTown2(1).jpg|The presidency town of Madras in a 1908 map. Madras was established as Fort St. George in 1640.
File:IGI1908IsleBombay2(1).jpg|The presidency town of Bombay (shown here in a 1908 map) was established in 1684.
File:IGI1908CalcuttaTown2.jpg|The presidency town of Calcutta (shown here in a 1908 map) was established in 1690 as Fort William.
- Madras PresidencyMadras PresidencyThe Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
: established 1640. - Bombay PresidencyBombay PresidencyThe Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
: East India Company's headquarters moved from Surat to Bombay (Mumbai) in 1687. - Bengal PresidencyBengal PresidencyThe Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
: established 1690.
The East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, which was incorporated on December 31, 1600, established trade relations with Indian rulers in Masulipatam on the east coast in 1611 and Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
on the west coast in 1612. The company rented a trading outpost in Madras in 1639. Bombay, which was ceded to the British Crown by Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
as part of the wedding dowry of Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza was a Portuguese infanta and queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles II.She married the king in 1662...
in 1661, was in turn granted to the East India Company to be held in trust for the Crown.
Meanwhile, in eastern India, after obtaining permission from the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
to trade with Bengal, the Company established its first factory at Hoogly in 1640. Almost a half-century later, after Emperor Aurengzeb forced the Company out of Hooghly, Calcutta was founded by Job Charnock
Job Charnock
Job Charnock was a servant and administrator of the English East India Company, traditionally regarded as the founder of the city of Calcutta.-Early life and career:...
in 1686. By the mid-18th century the three principal trading settlements, now called the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
(or the Presidency of Fort St. George
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
), the Bombay Presidency
Bombay Presidency
The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
, and the Bengal Presidency
Bengal Presidency
The Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
(or the Presidency of Fort William
Bengal Presidency
The Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
) were each administered by a Governor.
Presidencies of British India (1772–1858)
File:IGI1908India1765a.jpg|Map of India in 1765
File:Joppen1907India1795a.jpg|Map of India in 1795
File:Joppen1907India1805a.jpg|Map of India in 1805
File:Joppen1907India1823a.jpg|Map of India in 1823
File:IGI1908India1837a.jpg|Map of India in 1837
File:Joppen1907India1848a.jpg|Map of India in 1848
File:IGI1908India1857b.jpg|Map of India in 1857
File:Joppen1907BritishBengalBritishBurmaA.jpg|Expansion of British Bengal and Burma
After Robert Clive's victory in the Battle of Plassey
Battle of Plassey
The Battle of Plassey , 23 June 1757, was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies, establishing Company rule in South Asia which expanded over much of the Indies for the next hundred years...
in 1757, the puppet government of a new Nawab of Bengal
Nawab of Bengal
The Nawabs of Bengal were the hereditary nazims or subadars of the subah of Bengal during the Mughal rule and the de-facto rulers of the province.-History:...
, was maintained by the East India Company. However, after the invasion of Bengal by the Nawab of Oudh in 1764 and his subsequent defeat in the Battle of Buxar
Battle of Buxar
The Battle of Buxar was fought on 22 October 1764 between the forces under the command of the British East India Company, and the combined armies of Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal; Shuja-ud-Daula Nawab of Awadh; and Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor...
, the Company obtained the Diwani of Bengal, which included the right to administer and collect land-revenue (land tax) in Bengal, the region of present-day Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
and Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
. In 1772, the Company also obtained the Nizāmat of Bengal (the "exercise of criminal jurisdiction") and thereby full sovereignty of the expanded Bengal Presidency
Bengal Presidency
The Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
. During the period, 1773 to 1785, very little changed; the only exceptions were the addition of the dominions of the Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
of Banares
Bañares
Bañares is a village in the province and autonomous community of La Rioja, Spain.-References:...
to the western boundary of the Bengal Presidency, and the addition of Salsette Island
Salsette Island
Salsette Island is an island in Maharashtra state on India's west coast. The metropolis of Mumbai and the city of Thane lie on this island, making it the 14th most populous island and the fourth most densely populated island in the world, after Migingo Island in Kenya, Ap Lei Chau in Hong Kong,...
to the Bombay Presidency
Bombay Presidency
The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
.
Portions of the Kingdom of Mysore
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
were annexed to the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
after the Third Anglo-Mysore War
Third Anglo-Mysore War
The Third Anglo-Mysore War was a war in South India between the Sultanate of Mysore and the British East India Company and its allies, including the Mahratta Empire and the Nizam of Hyderabad...
ended in 1792. Next, in 1799, after the defeat of Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War was a war in South India between the Sultanate of Mysore and the British East India Company under the Earl of Mornington....
more of his territory was annexed to the Madras Presidency. In 1801, Carnatic
Carnatic region
The Carnatic coast is the region of South India lying between the Eastern Ghats and the Coromandel Coast, in the modern Indian states of Tamil Nadu, south eastern Karnataka and southern Andhra Pradesh....
, which had been under the suzerainty
Suzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
of the Company, began to be directly administered by it as a part of the Madras Presidency.
File:Pope1880NorthWesternProv2.jpg|North-Western Provinces
North-Western Provinces
The North-Western Provinces was an administrative region in British India which succeeded the Ceded and Conquered Provinces and existed in one form or another from 1836 until 1902, when it became the Agra Province within the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh .-Area:The province included all...
, constituted in 1836 from erstwhile Ceded and Conquered Provinces
Ceded and Conquered Provinces
The Ceded and Conquered Provinces constituted a region in northern India that was ruled by the British East India Company from 1805 to 1834; it corresponded approximately—in present-day India—to all regions in Uttar Pradesh state with the exception of the Lucknow and Faizabad divisions...
File:Pope1880Panjab3.jpg|Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
annexed in 1849
File:Pope1880Oudh2.jpg|Oudh annexed in 1856
- Madras PresidencyMadras PresidencyThe Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
: Expanded in the mid-to-late 18th century Carnatic WarsCarnatic WarsThe Carnatic Wars were a series of military conflicts in the middle of the 18th century on the Indian subcontinent...
and Anglo-Mysore WarsAnglo-Mysore WarsThe Anglo-Mysore Wars were a series of wars fought in India over the last three decades of the 18th century between the Kingdom of Mysore and the British East India Company, represented chiefly by the Madras Presidency...
. - Bombay PresidencyBombay PresidencyThe Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
: expanded after the Anglo-Maratha WarsAnglo-Maratha WarsThe Anglo-Maratha Wars were three wars fought in India between the Maratha Empire and the British East India Company:* First Anglo-Maratha War * Second Anglo-Maratha War...
. - Bengal PresidencyBengal PresidencyThe Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
: Expanded after the battles of PlasseyBattle of PlasseyThe Battle of Plassey , 23 June 1757, was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies, establishing Company rule in South Asia which expanded over much of the Indies for the next hundred years...
(1757) and BuxarBattle of BuxarThe Battle of Buxar was fought on 22 October 1764 between the forces under the command of the British East India Company, and the combined armies of Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal; Shuja-ud-Daula Nawab of Awadh; and Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor...
(1764), and after the SecondSecond Anglo-Maratha WarThe Second Anglo-Maratha War was the second conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India.-Background:...
and Third Anglo-Maratha WarThird Anglo-Maratha WarThe Third Anglo-Maratha War was the final and decisive conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India. The war left the Company in control of most of India. It began with an invasion of Maratha territory by 110,400 British East India Company troops, the largest...
s. - Ajmer-Merwara-Kekri: ceded by Sindhia of Gwalior in 1818 at the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Maratha War.
- Coorg: Annexed in 1834.
- Ceded and Conquered ProvincesCeded and Conquered ProvincesThe Ceded and Conquered Provinces constituted a region in northern India that was ruled by the British East India Company from 1805 to 1834; it corresponded approximately—in present-day India—to all regions in Uttar Pradesh state with the exception of the Lucknow and Faizabad divisions...
: Established in 1802 within the Bengal PresidencyBengal PresidencyThe Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
. Proposed to be renamed the Presidency of AgraPresidency of AgraAgra Presidency was one of the six Northwestern Provinces of British India , lying nearly in their centre; area, 9,479 sq. m.; pop...
under a Governor in 1835, but proposal not implemented. - North-Western ProvincesNorth-Western ProvincesThe North-Western Provinces was an administrative region in British India which succeeded the Ceded and Conquered Provinces and existed in one form or another from 1836 until 1902, when it became the Agra Province within the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh .-Area:The province included all...
: established as a Lieutenant-Governorship in 1836 from the erstwhile Ceded and Conquered Provinces - SindSindhSindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
annexed to the Bombay Presidency in 1843. - PunjabPunjab regionThe Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
: Established in 1849 from territories captured in the FirstFirst Anglo-Sikh WarThe First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company between 1845 and 1846. It resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom.-Background and causes of the war:...
and SecondSecond Anglo-Sikh WarThe Second Anglo-Sikh War took place in 1848 and 1849, between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company. It resulted in the subjugation of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab and what subsequently became the North-West Frontier Province by the East India Company.-Background...
Anglo-Sikh Wars. - Nagpur ProvinceNagpur ProvinceNagpur Province was a province of British India that covered parts of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh states. It was formed in 1853 when the British annexed the princely state of Nagpur. In 1861 it was merged into the Central Provinces...
: Created in 1853 from the princely state of Nagpur, seized by the doctrine of lapseDoctrine of lapseThe Doctrine of Lapse was an annexation policy purportedly devised by Lord Dalhousie, who was the Governor General for the British in India between 1848 and 1856...
. Merged into the Central Provinces in 1861. - Oudh annexed in 1856 and governed thereafter until 1905 as a Chief Commissionership, as a part of North-Western ProvincesNorth-Western ProvincesThe North-Western Provinces was an administrative region in British India which succeeded the Ceded and Conquered Provinces and existed in one form or another from 1836 until 1902, when it became the Agra Province within the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh .-Area:The province included all...
and Oudh.
Provinces of India (1858–1947)
File:Pope1880BritishIndia1.jpg|The British Indian Empire in 1880, when, three years after the formal name-change to "Empire of India," it was still being called "British India."
File:IndiaPolitical1893ConstablesHandAtlas.jpg|The British Indian Empire in 1893, after the annexation of Upper Burma
Upper Burma
Upper Burma refers to a geographic region of Burma , traditionally encompassing Mandalay and its periphery , or more broadly speaking, Kachin and Shan States....
and incorporation of Baluchistan
File:Jopen1907IndianEmpire1907a.jpg |A map of the British Indian Empire
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
in 1907 during the partition of Bengal (1905–1912)
File:IndianEmpireCeylon1915.jpg|The Indian Empire in 1915 after the reunification of Bengal, the creation of the new province of Bihar and Orissa, and the re-establishment of Assam.
- Central ProvincesCentral Provinces and BerarThe Central Provinces and Berar was a province of British India. The province comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered much of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur. The Central Provinces was formed in...
: Created in 1861 from Nagpur Province and the Saugor and Nerbudda TerritoriesSaugor and Nerbudda TerritoriesThe Saugor and Nerbudda Territories was a region of British India, located in central part of present-day Madhya Pradesh state in central India. It includes the present-day districts of Sagar , Damoh, Jabalpur, and Narsinghpur...
. Berar administered since 1903, renamed the Central Provinces and Berar in 1936. - Burma: Lower BurmaLower BurmaLower Burma is a geographic region of Burma and includes the low-lying Irrawaddy delta , as well as coastal regions of the country ....
annexed 1852, established as a province in 1862, Upper BurmaUpper BurmaUpper Burma refers to a geographic region of Burma , traditionally encompassing Mandalay and its periphery , or more broadly speaking, Kachin and Shan States....
incorporated in 1886. Separated from British India in 1937 to become administered independently by the newly established British Government Burma Office. - AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
: separated from Bengal in 1874. Incorporated into new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam in 1905. Re-established as a province in 1912. - Andaman and Nicobar Islands: established as a province in 1875.
- Baluchistan: Organized into a province in 1887.
File:Pope1880MadrasPres2.jpg|Madras Presidency shown in an 1880 map.
File:Pope1880BombayPres2.jpg|Bombay Presidency in an 1880 map.
File:Pope1880BengalPres2.jpg|Bengal Presidency in 1880
File:Pope1880CentralProv2.jpg|An 1880 map of Central Provinces. The province had been constituted in 1861.
File:IGI1908CPandBerar2.jpg|1908 map of Central Provinces and Berar
Central Provinces and Berar
The Central Provinces and Berar was a province of British India. The province comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered much of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur. The Central Provinces was formed in...
. Berar was included in 1903.
File:Pope1880Beluch2.jpg|Beluchistan, shown as an independent kingdom along with Afghanistan and Turkestan, in an 1880 map.
File:IGI1908Beluchistan2.jpg|Beluchistan, shown as a part of the British Indian Empire
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
in a 1908 map.
- North-West Frontier ProvinceNorth-West Frontier ProvinceKhyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
: created in 1901 from the north-western districts of Punjab Province. - Eastern Bengal and AssamEast BengalEast Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
: created in 1905 upon partition of Bengal, together with the former province of Assam. Re-merged with Bengal in 1912, with north-eastern part re-established as the province of Assam. - Bihar and OrissaBihar and OrissaBihar and Orissa was a province of British India which included the present-day Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Orissa. The territories were conquered by the British in the 18th and 19th centuries, and were part of the Bengal Presidency, the largest British province in India. Bihar and...
: separated from Bengal in 1912. Renamed Bihar in 1936 when Orissa became a separate province. - DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
: Separated from Punjab in 1912, when it became the capital of British India. - Aden: separated from Bombay Presidency to become province of India in 1932; separated from India and made the Crown Colony of Aden in 1937.
- OrissaOrissaOrissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
: Separated from Bihar in 1936. - SindSindhSindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
: Separated from Bombay in 1936. - Panth-PiplodaPanth-PiplodaPanth-Piploda was a province of British India. It is located in present-day Ratlam District of Madhya Pradesh state of central India.Panth-Piploda was British India's smallest province, with an area of , and a population of 5267...
: made a province in 1942, from territories ceded by a native ruler.
Major provinces
During the partition of Bengal (1905–1912), a new Lieutenant-Governor's province of Eastern Bengal and Assam existed. In 1912, the partition was partially reversed, with the eastern and western halves of Bengal re-united and the province of Assam re-established; a new Lieutenant-Governor's province of Bihar and Orissa was also created.
| Province of British India | Area (in thousands of square miles) | Population (in millions of inhabitants) | Chief Administrative Officer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burma | 170 | 9 | Lieutenant-Governor |
| Bengal | 151 | 75 | Lieutenant-Governor |
| Madras Madras Presidency The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India... |
142 | 38 | Governor-in-Council |
| Bombay Bombay Presidency The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest... |
123 | 19 | Governor-in-Council |
| United Provinces United Provinces of Agra and Oudh The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh was a province of India under the British Raj, which existed from 1902 to 1947; the official name was shortened by the Government of India Act 1935 to United Provinces, by which the province had been commonly known, and by which name it was also a province of... |
107 | 48 | Lieutenant-Governor |
| Central Provinces and Berar Central Provinces and Berar The Central Provinces and Berar was a province of British India. The province comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered much of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur. The Central Provinces was formed in... |
104 | 13 | Chief Commissioner |
| Punjab Punjab (British India) Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India... |
97 | 20 | Lieutenant-Governor |
| Assam | 49 | 6 | Chief Commissioner |
Minor provinces
In addition, there were a few minor provinces that were administered by a Chief Commissioner:| Minor Province | Area (in thousands of square miles) | Population (in thousands of inhabitants) | Chief Administrative Officer |
|---|---|---|---|
| North-West Frontier Province | 16 | 2,125 | Chief Commissioner |
| British Baluchistan | 46 | 308 | British Political Agent in Baluchistan served as ex-officio Chief Commissioner |
| Coorg Kodagu Kodagu , also known by its anglicised former name of Coorg, is an administrative district in Karnataka, India. It occupies an area of in the Western Ghats of southwestern Karnataka. As of 2001, the population was 548,561, 13.74% of which resided in the district's urban centres, making it the least... |
1.6 | 181 | British Resident in Mysore served as ex-officio Chief Commissioner |
| Ajmer-Merwara Ajmer-Merwara Ajmer-Merwara is a former province of British India in the historical Ajmer region. The territory of the province was ceded to the British by Daulat Rao Sindhia by a treaty on June 25, 1818.... |
2.7 | 477 | British Political Agent in Rajputana served as ex-officio Chief Commissioner |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 3 | 25 | Chief Commissioner |
Provinces at independence, 1947
At independence in 1947, British India had seventeen provinces:- Ajmer-Merwara-Kekri
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
- BaluchistanBaluchistan (Chief Commissioners Province)The Chief Commissioner's Province of Baluchistan was a province of British India located in the northern parts of the modern Balochistan province.- History :...
- Bengal Province
- BiharBiharBihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
- Bombay Province
- Central Provinces and BerarCentral Provinces and BerarThe Central Provinces and Berar was a province of British India. The province comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered much of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur. The Central Provinces was formed in...
- Coorg
- Delhi ProvinceDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
- Madras Province
- North-West Frontier ProvinceNorth-West Frontier ProvinceKhyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
- Panth-PiplodaPanth-PiplodaPanth-Piploda was a province of British India. It is located in present-day Ratlam District of Madhya Pradesh state of central India.Panth-Piploda was British India's smallest province, with an area of , and a population of 5267...
- OrissaOrissaOrissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
- PunjabPunjab (British India)Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
- SindhSindhSindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
- United Provinces of Agra and OudhUnited Provinces of Agra and OudhThe United Provinces of Agra and Oudh was a province of India under the British Raj, which existed from 1902 to 1947; the official name was shortened by the Government of India Act 1935 to United Provinces, by which the province had been commonly known, and by which name it was also a province of...
Upon the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
into Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan
Dominion of Pakistan
The Dominion of Pakistan was an independent federal Commonwealth realm in South Asia that was established in 1947 on the partition of British India into two sovereign dominions . The Dominion of Pakistan, which included modern-day Pakistan and Bangladesh, was intended to be a homeland for the...
, twelve provinces (Ajmer-Merwara-Kekri, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Bihar, Bombay, Central Provinces and Berar, Coorg, Delhi, Madras, Panth-Piploda, Orissa, and the United Provinces) became provinces within India, three (Baluchistan, North-West Frontier, and Sindh) within Pakistan, and two (Bengal and Punjab) were partitioned between India and Pakistan.
In 1950, after the new Indian Constitution
Constitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
was adopted, the provinces in India were replaced by redrawn states and union territories. Pakistan, however, retained its five provinces, one of which, East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
, was renamed East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
in 1956 and became the independent nation of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
in 1971.
See also
- British Empire in India (for usage)
- Company rule in IndiaCompany rule in IndiaCompany rule in India refers to the rule or dominion of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent...
(for the period 1757–1858) - British RajBritish RajBritish Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
(for the period 1858–1947) - East India CompanyEast India CompanyThe East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
(for the period 1612–1858) - British rule in BurmaBritish rule in BurmaBritish rule in Burma lasted from 1824 to 1948, from the Anglo-Burmese Wars through the creation of Burma as a province of British India to the establishment of an independently administered colony, and finally independence...
- Princely states
- Royal Indian NavyRoyal Indian NavyThe Royal Indian Navy was the naval force of British India. Along with the Presidency armies and the later British Indian Army it comprised the Armed Forces of British India....
External links
.- Statistical abstracts relating to British India, from 1840 to 1920 at uchicago.edu
- Digital Colonial Documents (India) Homepage at latrobe.edu.au
- Provinces of British India at worldstatesmen.org
- Collection of early 20th century photographs of the cities of Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras with other interesting Indian locations from the magazine, India Illustrated, at the University of Houston Digital Library
- Coins of British India