Purulia lies between 22.60 degrees and 23.50 degrees north latitudes and 85.75 degrees and 86.65 degrees east longitudes. The geographical area of the district is 6259 km˛. This district is bordered on the east by Bankura, Paschim Medinipur districts, on the north by Bardhaman district of West Bengal state and Dhanbad district of Jharkhand state, on the west by Bokaro and Ranchi districts of Jharkhand state and on the south by West Singhbhum and East Singhbhum districts of Jharkhand state. Purulia is the westernmost district of West Bengal with an all-India significance because of its tropical location, its shape as well as function like a funnel. It funnels not only the tropical monsoon current from the Bay to the subtropical parts of north-west India, but also acts as a gateway between the developed industrial belts of West Bengal and the hinterlands in Orissa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh

The district has a population of 2,538,233 (as per the 2001 census) out of which 19.35% is Scheduled Caste and 19.22% is Scheduled Tribes. The literacy rates of male and female are 74.18% and 37.15% of the total population respectively. According to the 2001 census, 83.42% of the population are Hindus, while 7.12% are Muslims

Birth Rate per 1000 population is 24.1 (Rural-26.5, Urban-17.2), Death Rate- per 1000 population 8.2 (Rural-8.4, Urban-7.9), Infant Mortality Rate per 1000 life birth 54.5 (Rural-56.6, Urban-39.7), Maternal Mortality Rate 3.23. Percentage of eligible couple correctly & effectively protected 51.5, No. of Doctors to population –17500, No. of nurses to population-3000, Percentage of live birth by trained professionals 44.1 (Rural-41.2, Urban-85.3)

At present District possesses one District Hospital, one Sub-divisional Hospital, one Mental Hospital, one jail Hospital, one Police Hospital, 5 Rural Hospitals / CHC, 15 BPHC, 60 PHC / New PHC/ SHC and 385 functioning Sub-Centers ( 186 with ANM(R) & HA(M) ,166 only ANM(R), 29 only HA(M), Vacant-4)

Literacy percentage of this district is 56.14 % (excluding 0-6 years population). The male literacy percentage is 74.18% and female literacy percentage is 37.15 %. In rural and urban areas the literacy percentages are 53.82 and 75.96 respectively. The male literacy percentage has been increased from 62.17 % in 1991 to 74.18% in 2001. The female literacy has been increased form 23.24 %in 1991 to 37.15% in 2001. In case of rural areas female literacy has been increased to 14.34 % over 1991 and in urban areas it is 7.36 % over 1991

Useful Links:
http://purulia.gov.in
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purulia_District