Size

• The Ganges Delta stretches some 220 miles across India and Bangladesh. The Ganges empties into the Bay of Bengal, with more than two-thirds of it in Bangladesh. It covers 23,000 square miles.
  
  

Geography

• The delta is formed by the Ganges River system, which has rivers and streams flowing into it from India, China, Bangladesh and Nepal. The actual delta is triangular as seen from above and is among the most fertile regions in the world. Being composed of swamplands, waterways, floodplains and lakes means that the Ganges Delta floods annually during the rainy season. The annual rainfall in the delta is between 80 and 120 inches.
  
  

Significance

• The fertile soil of the Ganges Delta provides a way of life for one of the largest human populations on Earth. The region is home to more than 130 million people, who depend on it for their survival despite the risks of continual flooding. Among the crops they raise and live on are rice, sugar cane and tea, with fishing also a large part of the economy. The huge number of people means that pollution is a major problem in the Ganges River system.
  
  

Considerations

• The yearly monsoons and more than occasional cyclones make this a dangerous place to live. In 1970 the tropical cyclone that has been credited with causing the most fatalities occurred. Estimates put the death toll at half a million, but experts believe that it may have topped the million mark, as people were swept out to sea and drown. This flooding, besides causing death and destruction, can wipe out the crops that the people of the Ganges Delta badly need.
  
  

Warning

• The Bengal tiger inhabits a part of the Ganges Delta known as the Sunderban, which is a sort of tidal forest. Each year the tiger kills about 30 villagers as they go into its domain in search of food and other resources. Crocodiles are also present in these waterways.