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🌏 Geography of Bihar Chapter 5: Soils, Natural Vegetation & Wildlife (मृदा, वनस्पति एवं वन्यजीव)

Module 2: Natural vegetation and forests

📖 Chapter 5 of 17 🧩 Module 2 of 6 ⏱️ ~2 min read 💡 7 MCQs
Topic Part 1 of 2

Concept

Subtopic 2.1: Natural vegetation and forests

  • Current position (India State of Forest Report 2023): forest cover 7,532.45 sq km = 8.00% of Bihar (very dense 387, moderately dense 3,284 and open forest 3,861 sq km); tree cover 2,370 sq km (2.52%); forest + tree cover 10.52%. The 2009-11 figures are given below.
  • Forests cover only about 6.65% of present Bihar. Before the creation of Jharkhand, undivided Bihar had about 16.87% forest.
  • Over 80% of rain falls in 3–4 months and the rest of the year is dry, so natural vegetation is deciduous: trees shed leaves in the dry season to survive.
  • Moist deciduous forests: where rainfall is above 120 cm, mainly in the north-east (Kishanganj) and the damp Himalayan Terai. Common trees: sal, semal, shisham, khair, bamboo.
  • Dry deciduous forests: where rainfall is below 120 cm; found on the Kaimur hills, northern slopes of Chotanagpur and scattered hills; some sparse forests in Purnia and Araria.
  • Terai forests in the sub-Himalayan region have moist vegetation; sal, shisham, semal and tun are important.
  • According to the Forest Survey of India (FSI), forest area was 6,804 sq km (2009) and 6,845 sq km (2011), an increase of 41 sq km.
  • The National Forest Policy target is 33% forest cover; Bihar's policy aims to raise forests toward this. Social forestry (mixed plantation, afforestation, shelter belts) helps.
⭐ Key Points
  • 7,532.45 sq km = 8.00% (10.52% with tree cover).
  • About 6.65% of the geographic area.
  • 16.87%; Jharkhand took most forests.
  • Rain falls in a few months, so trees shed leaves.
  • Above 120 cm, e.g. Kishanganj and the Terai.
  • Below 120 cm, e.g. Kaimur hills.
  • 6,845 sq km, up 41 sq km from 6,804 sq km in 2009.
📌 One-line Q&A
  • Question: Bihar's forest cover as per ISFR 2023: Answer: 8.00%.
  • Question: Forest cover of present Bihar is about: Answer: 6.65%.
  • Question: Undivided Bihar (before Jharkhand) had forest cover of: Answer: 16.87%.
  • Question: Bihar's natural vegetation is mainly: Answer: Deciduous.
  • Question: Moist deciduous forests receive rainfall of: Answer: Above 120 cm.
  • Question: Dry deciduous forests are found where rainfall is: Answer: Below 120 cm.
  • Question: Forest area per FSI (2011) was: Answer: 6,845 sq km.
Topic
Questions

MCQs

Answer this question, then use Next.

Question 1: Bihar's forest cover as per ISFR 2023:

7,532.45 sq km = 8.00% (10.52% with tree cover).

Question 2: Forest cover of present Bihar is about:

About 6.65% of the geographic area.

Question 3: Undivided Bihar (before Jharkhand) had forest cover of:

16.87%; Jharkhand took most forests.

Question 4: Bihar's natural vegetation is mainly:

Rain falls in a few months, so trees shed leaves.

Question 5: Moist deciduous forests receive rainfall of:

Above 120 cm, e.g. Kishanganj and the Terai.

Question 6: Dry deciduous forests are found where rainfall is:

Below 120 cm, e.g. Kaimur hills.

Question 7: Forest area per FSI (2011) was:

6,845 sq km, up 41 sq km from 6,804 sq km in 2009.
Question 1 of 7

One-liners

Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.

Bihar's forest cover as per ISFR 2023:

8.00%.

Forest cover of present Bihar is about:

6.65%.

Undivided Bihar (before Jharkhand) had forest cover of:

16.87%.

Bihar's natural vegetation is mainly:

Deciduous.

Moist deciduous forests receive rainfall of:

Above 120 cm.

Dry deciduous forests are found where rainfall is:

Below 120 cm.

Forest area per FSI (2011) was:

6,845 sq km.
Question 1 of 7