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|
| Total population |
|---|
| 213,000[1] |
| Regions with significant populations |
| New Jersey · New York City · Atlanta · Baltimore-Washington · Boston · Chicago · Dallas · Houston · Los Angeles · Miami · San Francisco Bay Area · Philadelphia |
| Languages |
| Religion |
|
Hinduism · Islam · Buddhism · Christianity |
Bengali Americans are Americans who can trace their ancestry to the region of Bengal in South Asia. This region comprises the Indian state of West Bengal and the country Bangladesh. Bengalis form a heterogeneous ethnic group which shares a common language and a similar culture. In the United States, Bengalis often fall under the broader category of Indian American or, even more broadly, South Asian American. Bengali Americans can be further subdivided into Bangladeshi Americans and Bengali Hindus, although these two terms can overlap. Large communities reside in most major metropolitan areas of the United States, including those of New York City, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Miami, and Dallas.
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Many Bengali Americans participate in an annual conference, the North American Bengali Conference, in order to celebrate their culture and discuss issues the community faces. They often form regional organizations to network and plan events.
Bengali Americans are mostly adherents of either Hinduism or Islam. This is manifested in the yearly celebration of Durga Puja, Eid ul-Fitr, and other religious celebrations. Several secular holidays are also enjoyed by the whole community, such as the Bengali new year, Pohela Boishakh.
Many Bengali Americans have contributed much to the larger American culture: