Bengal (; Bengali: বাংলা/বঙ্গ, lit. 'Bānglā/Bôngô' [ˈbaŋla]/[ˈbɔŋgo]) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in Asia, which is located in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Geographically, it is made up by the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta system, the largest such formation in the world ; along with mountains in its north bordering the Himalayan states of Nepal and Bhutan and east bordering Burma.
Politically, Bengal is divided between the sovereign Republic of Bangladesh, which covers two thirds of the region, and West Bengal which is a part of India. In 2011, the population of Bengal was estimated to be 250 million, making it one of the most densely populated regions in the world. An estimated 160 million people live in Bangladesh, while 91.3 million people live in West Bengal. The predominant ethno-linguistic group is the Bengali people, who speak the Indo-Aryan Bengali language. Bengali Muslims are the majority in Bangladesh. Bengali Hindus are the majority in West Bengal. Outside Bengal proper, the Indian territories of Assam, Jharkhand, Bihar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, are also home to significant communities with Bengali heritage.
