Bihar, one of the few states in India where lack of infrastructure and facilities have restricted tourism to a very restricted number. Bihar otherwise has a wide variety of sights. The earliest known habitation in the entire Ganga basin is in this state. The world's most ancient highway, the nuclei of the first empire and second civilization of the Indian subcontinent, the earliest of the cave temples and the world's largest fair are some of the highlights which Bihar offers the tourist.

However, early this century for ore and minerals, have been tamed for industry. The availability of local resources led the Tata Group to establish one of India's largest iron and steel factories at Jamshedpur, named after Jamshed ji Tata, founder of the industrial house of Tata. Energy for the factories is provided by a series of dams built on the Damodar River that flows through the Plateau.

Bihar is also very important state for the Buddhist pilgrims who throng this state to visit sites associated with Lord Buddha. Bodhgaya, where Buddha attained enlightenment under a Bodhi Tree, Rajgir where he spent many years meditating, Nalanda - one of the most ancient Universities where most distinguished people, religious leaders, astronomers visited or taught. Patna, earlier known as Patliputra, the capital of Magadh Kingdom and the birth place of the tenth Sikh Guru, Govind Singh is another important city.