Sundarbans, formerly Sunderbunds, vast tract of forest and saltwater swamp forming the lower a part of the Padma (Ganges [Ganga])-Brahmaputra River delta in southeastern West Bengal state, northeastern India, and southern Bangladesh. The Hugli River estuary in India to the western segment of the Meghna River estuary in Bangladesh and reaches inland for about 50 miles (80 km) at its broadest point. the entire area of the Sundarbans, including both land and water, is roughly 3,860 square miles (10,000 square km), about three-fifths of which is in Bangladesh
The name Sundarbans is assumed to be derived from sundri or sundari (Heritiera fomes), the name of the massive mangrove trees that are most plentiful within the area. The forestland transitions into a low-lying mangrove swamp approaching the coast, which itself consists of sand dunes and dirt flats. Mangrove forests constitute about two-fifths of the Sundarbans region’s overall area , with water covering roughly half that area. The landscape is consistently being transformed by the erosional forces of the ocean and wind along the coast and by the big a lot of silt and other sediments that are deposited along the myriad estuaries. act has also altered the landscape, notably through forest removal, which accelerates erosion. additionally , because considerable amounts of river water are diverted upstream for irrigation and other uses, salinity within the mangrove swamps has moved farther inland, especially within the Indian sector of the territory.
Sundari, gewa or gengwa (Excoecaria agallocha), nipa palms (Nypa fruticans), and other halophytic (salt-tolerant) species are the dominant flora within the mangrove swamps. The Sundarbans region is renowned as a refuge for a spread of animal species, many of them rare and endangered. Notably, it's one among the last preserves of Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris), which are found in relative abundance there. Other mammals include spotted deer, wild boars, otters, wildcats, and Ganges dolphins (Platanista gangetica), but several species that when inhabited the region—including Javan rhinoceroses, guar, water ox , and spotted deer—are now believed to be extinct there. Several dozen reptile and amphibian species are found within the Sundarbans, notably crocodiles, Indian pythons, cobras, and marine turtles. The region is home to quite 250 bird species—both seasonal migrants and permanent residents—including hornbills, storks and other waders, kingfishers, white ibis, and raptors like sea eagles.
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