Araria district

This article is about the district. For its eponymous headquarters, see Araria. For other places with same/similar name, see Araria (disambiguation).

District of Bihar in India

Araria district

District of Bihar

Sunset at Sultan Pokhar, Forbesganj

Location of Araria district in Bihar

Country|  India
State|  Bihar
Region| Mithila
Division| Purnia
Established| 14 Jan 1990
Headquarters| Araria
Government

• Lok Sabha constituencies| Araria
• Vidhan Sabha constituencies| Narpatganj, Raniganj, Forbesganj, Araria, Jokihat, Sikti
Area

• Total

| 2,830 km2 (1,090 sq mi)
Population

(2011)

• Total

| 2,811,569
• Density| 990/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
Demographics

• Literacy| 53.53%(2011)
• Sex ratio| 921 females for every 1000 males
Time zone| UTC+05:30 (IST)
Major highways| NH 27
HDI (2016)|  0.251[1] (low)
Website| araria.nic.in

Araria district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India. Araria district is a part of Purnia division. The district occupies an area of 2,830 km2 (1,090 sq mi). Araria town is the administrative headquarters of this district. The Nepali border is about 8 km from Forbesganj headquarters.

## Etymology

[edit]

During the British Raj, the area was under the administration of a British district collector and municipal commissioner, Alexander John Forbes (1807-1890) of East India Company. Forbes had a bungalow at the same location. Consequently, the area was known as 'residential area' also abbreviated as 'R-area'. Over time, the name transformed to 'Araria' and the neighbouring subdivision came to be known as 'Forbesganj'.[2]

## History

[edit]

Araria district is a part of the Mithila region.[3] Mithila first gained prominence after being settled by Indo-Aryan peoples who established the Mithila Kingdom (also called Kingdom of the Videhas).[4]

During the late Vedic period (c. 1100–500 BCE), Kingdom of the Videhas became one of the major political and cultural centers of South Asia, along with Kuru and Pañcāla. The kings of the Kingdom of the Videhas were called Janakas.[5] The Mithila Kingdom was later incorporated into the Vajjika League, which had its capital in the city of Vaishali, which is also in Mithila.[6] The territory of the district became Araria sub-division of the former Purnia district in 1964. Araria district was formed in January 1990 as one of the administrative districts of under Purnia Division.[citation needed]

### 2017 North Bihar Floods

[edit]

2017 Floods affected 19 districts of North Bihar causing death of 514 people,[7][8][9][10] in which Araria district accounted for 95 deaths alone.[11][12] Floods have claimed 215 lives in Araria over 18 years, of which 61 in 2016.[13]

## Geography

[edit]

Araria district occupies an area of 2,830 square kilometres (1,090 sq mi).[14]

National Highway 27 passes through the district.[citation needed]

## Politics

[edit]

This section is transcluded from 17th Bihar Assembly. (edit | history)

District  | No.  | Constituency  | Name  | Party  | Alliance  | Remarks

|
|
|
|
|
|

Araria | 46  | Narpatganj | Jai Prakash Yadav |  | BJP |  | NDA |
47  | Raniganj | Achmit Rishidev |  | JD(U) |  | NDA |
48  | Forbesganj | Vidya Sagar Keshri |  | BJP |  | NDA |
49  | Araria | Avidur Rahman |  | INC |  | MGB |
50  | Jokihat | Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam |  | RJD |  | MGB | Switched from AIMIM to RJD[15]
51  | Sikti | Vijay Kumar Mandal |  | BJP |  | NDA |

## Economy

[edit]

In 2006 the Indian government named Araria one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640)[16] and it is also in the list of 112 aspirational districts of India by NITI Aayog. It is one of the 36 districts in Bihar receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).[16]

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1901| 374,909| —
1911| 402,864| +0.72%
1921| 430,193| +0.66%
1931| 465,311| +0.79%
1941| 506,546| +0.85%
1951| 537,600| +0.60%
1961| 779,578| +3.79%
1971| 994,586| +2.47%
1981| 1,272,151| +2.49%
1991| 1,611,638| +2.39%
2001| 2,158,608| +2.97%
2011| 2,811,569| +2.68%
source:[17]

According to the 2011 census Araria district has a population of 2,811,569,[18] roughly equal to the nation of Jamaica[19] or the US state of Utah.[20] This gives it a ranking of 139th in India (out of a total of 640).[18] The district has a population density of992 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,570/sq mi) .[18] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 30%.[18] Araria has a sex ratio of 921 females for every 1000 males,[18] and a literacy rate of 55.1%.[18] 6.00% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 13.61% and 1.38% of the population respectively.[18]

Religions in Araria district (2011)[21]

Religion |  | Percent
Hinduism |

| 56.68%
Islam |

| 42.95%
Other or not stated |

| 0.37%

Hinduism is the majority religion. Muslims are majority in Araria and Jokihat blocks, and are in near-majority in Palasi block.[21]

Block  | Hindu %  | Muslim %  | Other %

|
|
|

Narpatganj | 70.45  | 29.23  | 0.32
Forbesganj | 62.56  | 36.99  | 0.45
Bhargama | 75.26  | 24.52  | 0.22
Raniganj | 69.09  | 30.3  | 0.61
Araria | 39.01  | 60.61  | 0.38
Kursakatta  | 74.79  | 24.92  | 0.29
Sikti  | 65.09  | 34.73  | 0.18
Palasi | 51.09  | 48.46  | 0.45
Jokihat  | 21.39  | 78.38  | 0.23

Languages in Araria district (2011)[22]

1. Urdu (28.7%)
2. Hindi (25.1%)
3. Maithili (including Thethi) (20.6%)
4. 'Other' Hindi (16.4%)
5. Bengali (2.17%)
6. Kulhaiya (2.10%)
7. Surjapuri (1.91%)
8. Santali (1.05%)
9. Others (2.01%)

At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 28.71% of the population in the district spoke Urdu, 25.05% Hindi, 20.57% Maithili (including Thati), 2.17% Bengali, 2.10% Kulhaiya, 1.91% Surjapuri and 1.05% Santali as their first language. 16.43% spoke languages recorded as 'Others' under Hindi on the census.[22]

## Administration

[edit]

The district is divided into two subdivisions, Forbesganj subdivision and Araria subdivision.[citation needed]

## Notable people

[edit]

* Phanishwar Nath 'Renu', novelist and story writer.
* Mohammed Taslimuddin Former Union Minister of State[23]
* Subrata Roy, chairman of Sahara Group
* Quaiser Khalid IPS, Maharashtra Cadre, Poet, Educationist[24]

## See also

[edit]

* Districts of Bihar
* Araria Lok Sabha constituency

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Development of Human Development Index at District Level for EAG States". March 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
2. ^ Prasad, Bhuvaneshwar; Agrawal, Rajendra (27 March 2013). "Telecom racket busted in sleepy Araria district of Bihar". The Times of India. TNN. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
3. ^ "Bihar assembly elections 2020: BJP eyes winning push from Mithila | Bihar Assembly Elections 2020 Election News - Times of India". The Times of India.
4. ^ Michael Witzel (1989), Tracing the Vedic dialects in Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes ed. Caillat, Paris, pages 13, 17 116–124, 141–143
5. ^ Witzel, M. (1989). "Tracing the Vedic dialects". In Caillat, C. (ed.). Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes. Paris: Fondation Hugot. pp. 141–143.
6. ^ Hemchandra, R. (1972). Political History of Ancient India. Calcutta: University of Calcutta.
7. ^ "Floods in Bihar not man-made, says minister | Patna News - Times of India". The Times of India.
8. ^ "Flood Situation Improves In Bihar, Number Of Dead At 514". NDTV.com.
9. ^ "Floods in Bihar: Flood situation worsens in Bihar, death toll rises to 253 | India News - Times of India". The Times of India.
10. ^ "Bihar floods: 119 dead; bridge collapse caught on camera | Patna News - Times of India". The Times of India.
11. ^ "बिहार : बाढ़ ने लिखी खौफनाक कहानी, अबतक 379 व्यक्तियों की मौत और 1.61 करोड आबादी प्रभावित". Prabhat Khabar - Hindi News.
12. ^ "Death toll in Bihar floods mounts to 304; situation grim in UP | India News - Times of India". The Times of India.
13. ^ "Araria to Kishenganj, Bihar's decades-old flood tragedy has a worrying new trend". Hindustan Times. September 10, 2017.
14. ^ Srivastava (2010). "States and Union Territories: Bihar: Government". In Dayawanti (ed.). India 2010: A Reference Annual (54th ed.). New Delhi, India: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India). pp. 1118–1119\. ISBN 978-81-230-1617-7.
15. ^ Cite error: The named reference `:1` was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
16. ^ a b Ministry of Panchayati Raj (September 8, 2009). "A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme" (PDF). National Institute of Rural Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
17. ^ "Table A-02 Decadal Variation in Population Since 1901: Bihar" (PDF). census.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
18. ^ a b c d e f g "District Census Handbook: Araria" (PDF). Census of India. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
19. ^ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved 2011-10-01. "Jamaica 2,868,380 July 2011 est"
20. ^ "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2011-09-30. "Utah 2,763,885"
21. ^ a b "Table C-01 Population by Religion: Bihar". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
22. ^ a b "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Bihar". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
23. ^ "Who was Mohammed Taslimuddin, RJD strongman and voice of Seemanchal who died at 74 on Sunday". September 18, 2017.
24. ^ "Quaiser Khalid - Profile & Biography". Rekhta.

## External links

[edit]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Araria District.

* Araria district website

Places adjacent to Araria district

|  NepalSaptari district |  NepalMorang district |  NepalJhapa district

|
|

|  |
Supaul district |

Araria district

| Kishanganj district
|  |
Madhepura district | Purnia district | North Dinajpur district

* v
* t
* e

Araria district

Headquarters: Araria

Araria subdivision|

* Araria
* Jokihat
* Kursakanta
* Raniganj
* Sikti
* Palasi

Forbesganj subdivision|

* Forbesganj
* Narpatganj
* Bhargama

Municipalities|

* Araria
* Forbesganj
* Narpatganj

* v
* t
* e

State of Bihar

Capital: Patna

State symbols|

* Animal: Gaur
* Bird: House sparrow
* Flower: Marigolds
* Tree: Sacred fig

History|

* Chhath
* Kingdom of the Videhas
* Janaka
* Sita
* Chirand
* Magadha
* Nanda Empire
* Maurya Empire
* Shunga Empire
* Kanva dynasty
* Gupta Empire
* Sur Empire
* Chandragupta Maurya
* Chanakya
* Bindusara
* Ashoka the Great
* Buddhism in India
* Edicts of Ashoka
* Samudragupta
* Chandragupta II
* Arthashastra
* Lion Capital of Ashoka
* Ashoka Chakra
* Pataliputra
* Bimbisara
* Ajatashatru
* Anga
* Rajgir
* Vaishali
* Aryabhata
* Siege of Arrah
* Raj Darbhanga

Administration|

* Government
* Legislative Assembly
* Legislative Council
* Chief Ministers
* Human rights Commission
* Governors
* High Court
* Police
* Public Service Commission

Overviews|

* Cinema
* Climate
* Cuisine
* Demography
* Economy
* Education
* Geography
* History
* Media
* People
* Transportation
* Politics
* Tourism
* State Day

Divisions and
districts|

* Bhagalpur
* Banka
* Bhagalpur
* Darbhanga
* Darbhanga
* Madhubani
* Samastipur
* Kosi
* Madhepura
* Saharsa
* Supaul
* Magadh
* Arwal
* Aurangabad
* Gaya
* Jehanabad
* Nawada
* Munger
* Begusarai
* Jamui
* Khagaria
* Munger
* Lakhisarai
* Sheikhpura
* Patna
* Bhojpur
* Buxar
* Kaimur
* Nalanda
* Patna
* Rohtas
* Purnia
* Araria
* Katihar
* Kishanganj
* Purnia
* Saran
* Gopalganj
* Saran
* Siwan
* Tirhut
* East Champaran
* Muzaffarpur
* Sheohar
* Sitamarhi
* Vaishali
* West Champaran

Cities|

* Patna
* Gaya
* Aurangabad
* Bhagalpur
* Muzaffarpur
* Darbhanga
* Purnia
* Bihar Sharif
* Arrah
* Begusarai
* Katihar
* Munger
* Chhapra
* Hajipur

Municipal corporations|

* Patna Municipal Corporation
* Chhapra Municipal Corporation

Politics|

* Elections in Bihar
* BJP
* JD-U
* RJD
* LJP
* RLM
* HAM
* Other political parties

Culture|

* Biharis
* Maithils
* Bhojpuri people
* Magahi people
* Chhath Puja
* Cuisine
* Languages
* Music
* Art and craft
* Religion
* Festivals
* Cinema
* Culture of Bihar
* Culture of Angika region
* Culture of Bhojpuri region
* Culture of Magadh region
* Culture of Maithili region

* v
* t
* e

Minority Concentrated Districts in India

Andaman and Nicobar Islands|

* Nicobar

Arunachal Pradesh|

* Changlang
* East Kameng
* Lower Subansiri
* Papum Pare
* Tawang
* Tirap
* West Kameng

Assam|

* Barpeta
* Bongaigaon
* Cachar
* Darrang
* Dhubri
* Dima Hasao
* Goalpara
* Hailakandi
* Kamrup
* Karimganj
* Kokrajhar
* Morigaon
* Nagaon

Bihar|

* Araria
* Darbhanga
* Katihar
* Kishanganj
* Purnia
* Sitamarhi
* West Champaran

Delhi|

* North East Delhi

Haryana|

* Gurgaon
* Sirsa

Ladakh|

* Leh

Jharkhand|

* Gumla
* Pakur
* Ranchi
* Sahibganj

Karnataka|

* Bidar
* Kalaburagi

Kerala|

* Wayanad
* Malappuram

Madhya Pradesh|

* Bhopal

Maharashtra|

* Buldhana
* Hingoli
* Parbhani
* Washim

Manipur|

* Chandel
* Churachandpur
* Senapati
* Tamenglong
* Thoubal
* Ukhrul

Meghalaya|

* West Garo Hills

Mizoram|

* Lawngtlai
* Mamit

Odisha|

* Gajapati

Sikkim|

* Mangan

Uttar Pradesh|

* Amroha
* Baghpat
* Bahraich
* Balrampur
* Barabanki
* Bareilly
* Bijnor
* Budaun
* Bulandshahr
* Ghaziabad
* Kheri
* Lucknow
* Meerut
* Moradabad
* Muzaffarnagar
* Pilibhit
* Rampur
* Saharanpur
* Shahjahanpur
* Shrawasti
* Siddharthnagar

Uttarakhand|

* Haridwar
* Udham Singh Nagar

West Bengal|

* Bardhaman
* Birbhum
* Cooch Behar
* Dakshin Dinajpur
* Howrah
* Kolkata
* Maldah
* Murshidabad
* Nadia
* North 24 Parganas
* South 24 Parganas
* Uttar Dinajpur

Source: "List of 90 Minority Concentration Districts" (PDF). www.minorityaffairs.gov.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 2025-03-05.

* v
* t
* e

Cities and towns in Purnia Division

Araria district|

* Araria
* Forbesganj
* Jogbani

Katihar district|

* Barsoi
* Katihar
* Kora
* Manihari

Kishanganj district|

* Bahadurganj
* Kishanganj
* Thakurganj

Purnia district|

* Banmankhi Bazar
* Kasba
* Purnia
* Bhawanipur Rajdham

See also|

* Purnia division topics

Cities and towns
in other divisions|

* Bhagalpur
* Darbhanga
* Kosi
* Magadh
* Munger
* Patna
* Saran
* Tirhut

* v
* t
* e

Purnia division topics

General|

* Floods in Bihar
* 2008 Bihar flood
* 2007 Bihar flood
* Vikramshila Setu

Districts|

* Araria
* Katihar
* Kishanganj
* Purnia

Locations
other than cities and towns|

* Bhawanipur Rajdham
* Galgalia

Community development blocks|

* Bhawanipur
* Araria
* Jokihat
* Kursakanta
* Raniganj
* Sikti
* Palasi
* Forbesganj
* Narpatganj
* Bhargama

Rivers|

* Ganges
* Kankai
* Kosi
* Mahananda
* Mechi
* Ratua Khola

Transport|

* NH 31
* NH 27
* NH 81
* Barauni–Katihar section
* Katihar–Siliguri line
* Barauni–Gorakhpur, Raxaul and Jainagar lines
* Barauni–Guwahati line

Railway stations|

* Barsoi Junction
* Katihar Junction
* Kishanganj
* Thakurganj

Lok Sabha constituencies|

* Araria
* Purnia
* Katihar
* Kishanganj

Vidhan Sabha constituencies|

| Araria|

* Narpatganj
* Raniganj
* Forbesganj
* Araria
* Jokihat
* Sikti

|

Kishanganj|

* Bahadurganj
* Thakurganj
* Kishanganj
* Kochadhaman

Purnia|

* Amour
* Baisi
* Kasba
* Banmankhi
* Rupauli
* Dhamdaha
* Purnia

Katihar|

* Katihar
* Kadwa
* Balrampur
* Pranpur
* Manihari
* Barari
* Korha

Former Vidhan Sabha constituencies|

* Barsoi

See also|

* Cities and towns in Purnia Division
* People from Araria
* Villages in Araria district
* Villages in Katihar district
* Villages in Purnia district
* Bihar topics

Other divisions|

* Bhagalpur
* Darbhanga
* Kosi
* Magadh
* Munger
* Patna
* Saran
* Tirhut

26°07′48″N 87°28′12″E﻿ / ﻿26.13000°N 87.47000°E﻿ / 26.13000; 87.47000
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