a British district of Hindustan, in the Birbhoom province of Bengal, situated between Lat. 23° 32' and 24° 40'. Long. 86° 25' and 88° 30', and containing an area of 4730 square miles, with a population of 1,040,876. Along the courses of the rivers Damooda and Hailjee, which traverse the southern and western parts of the district, coal and iron ore are found in large quantities. The district was acquired by the East India Company in 1765, by virtue of the grant of the emperor of Delhi.