Murshidabad district is a district of West Bengal, in eastern India. Situated on the left bank of the river Ganges, the district is very fertile. Covering an area of 5,324 sq. km. and is a densely populated district and the ninth most populous in India (out of 640). Baharampur town is the headquarters of the district. The Murshidabad city, which lends its name to the district, was the seat of power of the Nawabs of Bangla. All of Bengal was once governed from this town. A few years after Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula lost to the British at the Battle of Plassey, the capital of Bengal was moved to the newly founded city of Calcutta. It borders Malda district to the north, Jharkhand's Sahebganj district and Pakur district to the north-west, Birbhum to the west, Bardhaman to the south-west and Nadia district due south. The international border with Bangladesh's Rajshahi division is on the east.

According to the 2011 census Murshidabad district has a population of 71,02,403, roughly equal to the nation of Bulgaria or the US state of Washington. This gives it a ranking of 9th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 1,334 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,460/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 21.07%. Murshidabad has a sex ratio of 957 females for 1000 every males, and a literacy rate of 67.53%.The district comprises two distinct regions separated by the Bhagirathi River. To the west lies the Rarh, a high, undulating continuation of the Chota Nagpur plateau. The eastern portion, the Bagri, is a fertile, low-lying alluvial tract, part of the Ganges Delta. The district is drained by the Bhagirathi and Jalangi rivers and their tributaries. Bhagirathi is a branch of the Ganges, and flows southwards from Farakka barrage where it originates from the Ganges. It flows southwards through the district and divides it into more or less equal halves. The eastern portion, the Bagri . The district is drained by the Bhagirathi and Jalangi rivers and their tributaries. Bhagirathi is a branch of the Ganges, and flows southwards from Farakka barrage where it originates from the Ganges. It flows southwards through the district and divides it into more or less equal halves.

Murshidabad has a tropical wet and dry climate. The annual mean temperature is approximately 27C ; monthly mean temperatures range from 17C to 35C. Summers are hot and humid with temperatures in the low 30's and during dry spells the maximum temperatures often exceed 40C during May and June. Winter tends to last for only about two and a half months, with seasonal lows dipping to 9C -11C between December and January. On an average, May is the hottest month with daily average temperatures ranging from a low of 27C to a maximum of 40C, while January the coldest month has temperatures varying from a low of 12C to a maximum of 23C. Often during early summer, dusty squalls followed by spells of thunderstorm or hailstorms and heavy rains cum ice sleets lash the district, bringing relief from the humid heat.

Most of the land is arable, and used as agricultural land. Commonly seen trees are Neem, Mango, Jackfruit. Jowbona is a popular village near nowda thana and also called greenvillage in West Bangal. Most of the people depend on agriculture for their livelihood. There are some silk farms and some weaving machines, but they are losing out fast against the modern industries. Murshidabad is famous for the high quality silk produced here.Beedi industry is also there.Many of the India's major beedi companies are from this district.

The Hazarduari Palace, or the palace with a thousand doors is the chief tourist attraction of Murshidabad. This three-storey palace was built in 1837 by Duncan McLeod for the Nawab Najim Humaun Jah, descendent of Mir Zafar. It has thousand doors (among which only 100 are real) and 114 rooms and 8 galleries, built in European architectural style. The total area of Hazarduari Palace is 41 acres (170,000 m2). It is now a museum and has a collection of armoury, splendid paintings, exhaustive portraits of the Nawabs, various works of art including beautiful works of ivory (Murshidabad school) of China (European) and many other valuables. The Armoury has 2700 arms in its collections of which only few are displayed. Swords used by Shiraj-ud-Daulla and his grandfather, Nawab Alivardi Khan, can be seen here. The other attractions in this floor are Vintage Cars and Fittan Cars used by the Nawabs and their families. The Hazarduari Palace, or the palace with a thousand doors is the chief tourist attraction of Murshidabad. This three-storey palace was built in 1837 by Duncan McLeod for the Nawab Najim Humaun Jah, descendent of Mir Zafar.It has thousand doors (among which only 100 are real) and 114 rooms and 8 galleries, built in European architectural style. The total area of Hazarduari Palace is 41 acres (170,000 m2).

It is now a museum and has a collection of armoury, splendid paintings, exhaustive portraits of the Nawabs, various works of art including beautiful works of ivory (Murshidabad school) of China (European) and many other valuables. The Armoury has 2700 arms in its collections of which only few are displayed. Swords used by Shiraj-ud-Daulla and his grandfather, Nawab Alivardi Khan, can be seen here. The other attractions in this floor are Vintage Cars and Fittan Cars used by the Nawabs and their families.