World’s Largest Mangrove Forest -The Sundarbans

The Sundarban Reserved Forest (SRF) in Bangladesh and India is the single largest mangrove forest in the world. The SRF is a unique bioclimatic zone in a typical geographical situation in the coastal region of Bay of Bengal. The forest covers 10,280 Sq.km of area, about 6,018 of which are in Bangladesh and the rest in Indian part of West Bengal. This south-western part of Bangladesh is a landmark of ancient heritage of

mythological and historical events.

This mangrove biotype has been considered a highly productive ecosystem. This forest globally recognized for its wide biodiversity of mangrove flora and fauna both on land and water and is of immense scientific, anthropological and archaeological interest. It provides a wide range of valuable forest products, maintain estuarine water quality and play crucial role in the life cycle of many commercially important fishes.

About 3.5 million people directly or indirectly depend on the resources of the Sundarban. This forest has a network of numerous small and big rivers, canals, estuaries and creeks with a total of 450 rivers that flourish the Sundarban. In the adverse bioclimatic of mangrove forests infested with fierce wild animals- tiger, the Royal Bengal on land and crocodiles in water  that are struggling for survival and are in search of worthwhile shelter for their existence with the blessings of gods and goddess and religious priests and pious well reputed "Gazi Saheb, Kalu Khan, Mother Narayani and "Banbibi".

Probably the name of the Sundarban is derived from the name of the principal tree species "Sundari" (Heritiera fomes). On the other hand, people presumed that from word "Samunder" (means sea), first “Saumundarba” and then the name "Sundarban" came into existence.

The forest Sundarban is not only resources for biodiversity of life, both animals and plants and sources for the people living around it but is also a world wide famous forest with beauty that attracts people. Perhaps, the name may have come from Sundar or beautiful as one will be amazed to sea that the total forest is divided by the canals and estuaries into small islands. Each of the islands is characterized by specific and single species of plants/trees that are unique and make the forest beautiful and attractive.