View source for Araria district

{{About|the district|its eponymous headquarters|Araria}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Araria district
| settlement_type                 = [[List of districts of Bihar|District of Bihar]] 
| total_type                      = Total
| native_name                     = 
| image_skyline                   = Sunset at Sultan Pokhat, Forbesganj (INDIA).jpg
| image_caption                   = 
| image_map                       = Bihar district location map Araria.svg
| map_caption                     = Location of Araria district in Bihar
| coordinates                     = 
| coor_pinpoint                   = Araria
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1               = [[States and union territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Bihar]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[Administrative divisions of Bihar|Division]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Purnia division|Purnia]]
| established_title               = Established
| established_date                = 
| seat_type                       = Headquarters
| seat                            = [[Araria]]
| parts_type                      = [[Tehsils of India|Tehsils]]
| parts_style                     = para
| p1                              = 
| area_total_km2                  = 2830
| area_footnotes                  = 
| population_as_of                = 2011
| population_total                = 2,811,569
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_urban                = 
| population_density_km2          = auto
| demographics_type1              = Demographics
| demographics1_title1            = [[Literacy in India|Literacy]]
| demographics1_info1             = 53.53%(2011)
| demographics1_title2            = Sex ratio
| demographics1_info2             = 100
| leader_title                    = 
| leader_name                     = 
| leader_title1                   = [[Lok Sabha|Lok Sabha constituencies]]
| leader_name1                    = [[Araria (Lok Sabha constituency)|Araria]]
| leader_title2                   = [[Vidhan Sabha|Vidhan Sabha constituencies]]
| leader_name2                    = [[Narpatganj (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Narpatganj]], [[Raniganj, Araria (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Raniganj]], [[Forbesganj (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Forbesganj]], [[Araria (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Araria]], [[Jokihat (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Jokihat]], [[Sikti (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Sikti]]
| timezone1                       = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1                     = +05:30
| registration_plate              = 
| blank_name_sec1                 = [[Indian road network|Major highways]]
| blank_info_sec1                 = [[National Highway 57 (India)|NH 57]]
| blank_name_sec2                 = 
| blank_info_sec2                 = 
| website                         = {{URL|https://araria.nic.in/}}
| official_name                   = 
}}
'''Araria district''' is one of the thirty-eight [[districts of Bihar]] [[States and territories of India|state]], [[India]]. Araria district is a part of [[Purnia division]]. The district occupies an area of 2830 km². [[Araria]] town is the administrative headquarters of this district.

==History==
Araria district is a part of the [[Mithila (region)|Mithila region]].<ref>https://m.timesofindia.com/elections/assembly-elections/bihar/bihar-assembly-elections-2020-bjp-eyes-winning-push-from-mithila/amp_articleshow/78314749.cms</ref> Mithila first gained prominence after being settled by [[Indo-Aryan peoples]] who established the [[Mithila Kingdom]] (also called Kingdom of the Videhas).<ref>[[Michael Witzel]] (1989), ''Tracing the Vedic dialects in Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes'' ed. Caillat, Paris, pages 13, 17 116–124, 141–143</ref>

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 Kingdom|Kuru]] and Pañcāla. The kings of the Kingdom of the Videhas were called [[Janaka]]s.<ref>{{cite book |author=Witzel, M. |author-link=Michael Witzel |year=1989 |chapter=Tracing the Vedic dialects |title=Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes |location=Paris |editor1-last=Caillat |editor1-first=C. |pages=141–143 |publisher=Fondation Hugot}}</ref>
The Mithila Kingdom was later incorporated into the [[Vajji]] confederacy, which had its capital in the city of [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]], which is also in Mithila.<ref>{{cite book |author=Hemchandra, R. |year=1972 |title=Political History of Ancient India |location=Calcutta |publisher=University of Calcutta}}</ref>
The territory of the present-day district became Araria sub-division of the erstwhile [[Purnia district]] in 1964. Araria district was formed in January 1990 as one of the administrative districts of under [[Purnia Division]].

==Geography==
Araria district occupies an area of {{convert|2830|km2|sqmi}},<ref name="Reference Annual">{{cite book|title=India 2010: A Reference Annual|last1=Srivastava, Dayawanti et al. (ed.)|publisher=Additional Director General, Publications Division, [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)]], [[Government of India]]|year=2010|isbn=978-81-230-1617-7|edition=54th|location=New Delhi, India|pages=1118–1119|chapter=States and Union Territories: Bihar: Government}}<!--| access-date = 2011-10-11 --></ref> comparatively equivalent to [[Russia]]'s [[Zemlya Georga]].<ref name='Islands'>{{cite web | url = http://islands.unep.ch/Tiarea.htm | title = Island Directory Tables: Islands by Land Area | access-date = 2011-10-11 | date = 1998-02-18 | publisher = [[United Nations Environment Program]] | quote = Zemlya Georga 2,821km2}}</ref> The famous village of Araria is Dehti

==Economy==
In 2006 the Indian government named Araria one of the country's 250 [[Poverty in India|most backward districts]] (out of a total of [[Districts of India|640]]).<ref name=brgf/> It is one of the 36 districts in Bihar currently receiving funds from the [[Backward Regions Grant Fund]] Programme (BRGF).<ref name=brgf>{{cite web|author=Ministry of Panchayati Raj |date=September 8, 2009 |title=A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme |publisher=National Institute of Rural Development |url=http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |access-date=September 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405033402/http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |archive-date=April 5, 2012 }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{bar box
|title=Religions in Araria District
|titlebar=#Fcd116
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Hindus]]|orange|56.68}}
{{bar percent|[[Muslims]]|green|42.95}}
{{bar percent|Christian|blue|0.15}}
{{bar percent|Not Stated|black|0.14}}
{{bar percent|Jain|brown|0.07}}
{{bar percent|Sikh|olive|0.01}}
{{bar percent|Buddhist|yellow|0.01}}
}}
According to the [[2011 census of India|2011 census]] Araria district has a [[Demographics of India|population]] of 2,811,569,<ref name=districtcensus>{{cite web | url = http://www.census2011.co.in/district.php | title = District Census 2011 | access-date = 2011-09-30 | year = 2011 | publisher = Census2011.co.in}}</ref> roughly equal to the nation of [[Jamaica]]<ref name="cia">{{cite web | author = US Directorate of Intelligence | title = Country Comparison:Population | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | access-date = 2011-10-01 | quote = Jamaica 2,868,380 July 2011 est
 }}</ref> or the US state of [[Utah]].<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php 
 |title=2010 Resident Population Data 
 |publisher=U. S. Census Bureau 
 |access-date=2011-09-30 
 |quote=Utah 2,763,885 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019160532/http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php 
 |archive-date=2013-10-19 
}}</ref> This gives it a ranking of 139th in India (out of a total of [[Districts of India|640]]).<ref name=districtcensus/> The district has a population density of {{convert|	992	|PD/sqkm|PD/sqmi}} .<ref name=districtcensus/> Its [[Family planning in India|population growth rate]] over the decade 2001-2011 was 30%.<ref name=districtcensus/> Araria has a [[sex ratio]] of 921 [[Women in India|females]] for every 1000 males,<ref name=districtcensus/> and a [[Literacy in India|literacy rate]] of 55.1%.<ref name=districtcensus/> The population of Araria district has a large concentration of Muslims.<ref name=districtcensus/>

At the time of the [[2011 Census of India]], 44.90% of the population in the district spoke [[Hindi]], 28.71% [[Urdu]], 20.57% [[Maithili language|Maithili]], 2.17% [[Bengali language|Bengali]], 2.10% [[Kulhaiya]] and 1.05% [[Santali language|Santali]] as their first language.<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16.html 2011 Census of India, Population By Mother Tongue]</ref>

{{historical populations|11=1901|12=3,74,909|13=1911|14=4,02,864|15=1921|16=4,30,193|17=1931|18=4,65,311|19=1941|20=5,06,546|21=1951|22=5,37,600|23=1961|24=7,79,578|25=1971|26=9,94,586|27=1981|28=12,72,151|29=1991|30=16,11,638|31=2001|32=21,58,608|33=2011|34=28,11,569|percentages=pagr|footnote=source:<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/A2_Data_Table.html Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901]</ref>|align=middle}}

==2017 North Bihar Floods==
[[2017 Bihar Flood|2017 Floods]] affected 19 districts of North Bihar causing death of 514 people,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/floods-in-state-not-man-made-says-minister/articleshow/60265509.cms|title=Floods in Bihar not man-made, says minister &#124; Patna News - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/flood-situation-improves-in-bihar-number-of-dead-at-514-1743155|title=Flood Situation Improves In Bihar, Number Of Dead At 514|website=NDTV.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/flood-situation-worsens-in-bihar-death-toll-rises-to-253/articleshow/60147634.cms|title=Floods in Bihar: Flood situation worsens in Bihar, death toll rises to 253 &#124; India News - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/bihar-floods-119-dead-rains-likely-to-continue-for-a-week/articleshow/60113191.cms|title=Bihar floods: 119 dead; bridge collapse caught on camera &#124; Patna News - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref> in which Araria district accounted for 95 deaths alone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/patna/1044062|title=बिहार : बाढ़ ने लिखी खौफनाक कहानी, अबतक 379 व्यक्तियों की मौत और 1.61 करोड आबादी प्रभावित|website=Prabhat Khabar - Hindi News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bihar-floods-death-toll-mounts-to-304/articleshow/60163110.cms|title=Death toll in Bihar floods mounts to 304; situation grim in UP &#124; India News - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref> Floods have claimed 215 lives in Araria over 18 years, of which 61 in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/changing-patterns-of-bihar-floods-a-cause-for-concern-for-the-state-authorities/story-YADcMZeZiAR7heywaucSoJ.html|title=Araria to Kishenganj, Bihar's decades-old flood tragedy has a worrying new trend|date=September 10, 2017|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref>

==Notable people==
<!-- include only notable names, with a wikipedia page, and a reliable third-party source-->
*[[Phanishwar Nath 'Renu']], novelist and story writer.
*[[Mohammed Taslimuddin]] Former Union Minister of State<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/who-was-mohammed-taslimuddin-rjd-strongman-and-voice-of-seemanchal-who-died-at-74-on-sunday/859970/|title=Who was Mohammed Taslimuddin, RJD strongman and voice of Seemanchal who died at 74 on Sunday|date=September 18, 2017}}</ref>
*[[Subrata Roy]], chairman of Sahara Group
*[[Quaiser Khalid]] IPS, Maharashtra Cadre, Poet, Educationist<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rekhta.org/Poets/quaiser-khalid/profile|title=Quaiser Khalid - Profile & Biography|website=Rekhta}}</ref>
*[[Pradeep Kumar Singh]] [[Bhartiya Janta Party|BJP]] Politician, Member of Lok Sabha{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

==See also==
* [[Districts of Bihar]] 
* [[Araria (Lok Sabha constituency)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Araria District}}

* [http://araria.bih.nic.in/ Araria district website]

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Araria district
|North     = {{NEP|Nepal}}[[Morang district]]
|Northeast = {{NEP|Nepal}}[[Jhapa district]]
|East      = [[Kishanganj district]]
|Southeast = [[North Dinajpur district]]
|South     = [[Purnia district]]
|Southwest = [[Madhepura district]]
|West      = [[Supaul district]]
|Northwest = {{NEP|Nepal}}[[Saptari district]]
}}
{{Districts of Bihar}}
{{Minority Concentrated Districts in India}}
{{Purnia Division}}
{{Purnia Division topics}}

{{coord|26|07|48|N|87|28|12|E|region:IN-BR_type:adm2nd_source:kolossus-nowiki|display=title}}

[[Category:Araria district| ]]
[[Category:Purnia division]]
[[Category:Districts of Bihar]]
[[Category:Minority Concentrated Districts in India]]
[[Category:1990 establishments in Bihar]]
[[Category:Aspirational Districts in India]]
Md Azim Uddin Ex Minister govt of bihar, Educationist,5 Times MLAs 1Time MLC Bihar