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Terai region
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Terai region
Terai region

Terai

region, Asia
Also known as: Tarai
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

Terai, region of northern India and southern Nepal running parallel to the lower ranges of the Himalayas. A strip of undulating former marshland, it stretches from the Yamuna River in the west to the Brahmaputra River in the east. At its northern edge are numerous springs forming several streams, including the important Ghaghara River, that intersect the Terai (meaning “moist land”) and are responsible for its marshy character. Interspersed with the Terai is the Bhabar, which is a region of coarse gravel and shingle deposits supporting sal (Shorea robusta) forests. Drainage and cultivation of the area, once extremely malarial, have diminished the marshlands. The eastern part of the Terai is known in West Bengal state and in Bangladesh as the Duars.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Andrew Pereira.