Bhargava1920 at 16:34, 25 January 2026

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{{About|the district|its eponymous headquarters|Goalpara}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement

| name = Goalpara district
| official_name =
| settlement_type = [[List of districts of Assam|District]] of [[Assam]]
| image_skyline = শ্ৰীসূৰ্য পাহাৰৰ প্ৰাচীন ঐতিহ্যৰ ভগ্নাৱশেষ, শিৱ লিংগ ১৬.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Shiva temple at [[Sri Surya Pahar]]
| image_flag =
| flag_alt =
| image_seal =
| seal_alt =
| image_shield =
| shield_alt =
| nickname = Raghunath
| motto =
| mottoeng =
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-point = none
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location in Assam
| coordinates =
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{Flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Assam]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Divisions of Assam|Division]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Lower Assam Division|Lower Assam]]
| established_title = 
| subdivision_type3 =
| subdivision_name3 =
| established_date = 20 October 1994
| founder =
| seat_type = Headquarters
| seat = [[Goalpara]]
| government_footnotes =
| leader_party =
| leader_title = [[Lok Sabha|Lok Sabha constituencies]]
| leader_name = [[Dhubri (Lok Sabha constituency)|Dhubri]] (shared with [[South Salmara-Mankachar District]], [[Dhubri district]])
| leader_title1 = [[Vidhan Sabha|Vidhan Sabha constituencies]]
| leader_name1 = [[Dudhnai (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Dudhnai]], [[Goalpara East (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Goalpara East]], [[Goalpara West (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Goalpara West]], [[Jaleswar, Assam (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Jaleswar]]
| leader_title2 =
| leader_name2 =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 1824
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| area_note =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_footnotes =
| population_total = 1,008,183
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = [[Goalpariya people|Goalpariya]]
| population_note =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Assamese language|Assamese]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 783 101 to** (** area code)
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 03663
| registration_plate = AS 18
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-AS]], IN-AS-GP
| footnotes =
| website = {{URL|https://goalpara.assam.gov.in/}}
}}

'''Goalpara district''' is an administrative [[districts of Assam|district]] of the Indian state of [[Assam]].

==History==
It was a princely state ruled by the [[Koch dynasty|Koch kings]] and the then ruler of the undivided kingdom. Today the erstwhile Goalpara district is divided into [[Kokrajhar]], [[Bongaigaon]], [[Dhubri]], and Goalpara district.

The name of the district [[Goalpara]] is said to have originally derived from 'Gwaltippika' meaning 'Guwali village' or the village of the milk men means ([[Yadav]]). The history of Goalpara goes back to several centuries. The district came under British rule in 1765. Before this, the area was under the control of the [[Koch dynasty]]. In 1826 the [[British Empire|British]] accessed [[Assam]] and [[Goalpara]] was annexed to the [[North-East Frontier]] in 1874, along with the creation of district headquarters at [[Dhubri]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.assamspider.com/resources/3417-Goalpara-District-brief-History.aspx |title=A brief history of Goalpara District |date=11 September 2010 |access-date=3 April 2020}}</ref>

On 1 July 1983 two districts were split from Goalpara: [[Dhubri district|Dhubri]] and [[Kokrajhar district|Kokrajhar]].<ref name='Statoids'>{{cite web | url = http://www.statoids.com/yin.html | title = Districts of India | access-date = 11 October 2011 | last = Law | first = Gwillim | date = 25 September 2011 | work = Statoids}}</ref> On 29 September 1989 [[Bongaigaon district]] was created from parts of Goalpara and [[Kokrajhar district|Kokrajhar]].<ref name='Statoids'/>

==Geography==
The district headquarters are located at Goalpara. Goalpara district occupies an area of {{convert|1824|km2|sqmi}},<ref name='Reference Annual'>{{cite book | editor = Srivastava, Dayawanti | title = India 2010: A Reference Annual | chapter = States and Union Territories: Assam: Government | edition = 54th | publisher = Additional Director General, Publications Division, [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)]], [[Government of India]] | year = 2010 | location = New Delhi, India | pages = 1116 | isbn = 978-81-230-1617-7}}</ref> comparatively equivalent to [[South Korea]]'s [[Jeju Island|Jeju-do]].<ref name='Islands'>{{cite web | url = http://islands.unep.ch/Tiarea.htm | title = Island Directory Tables: Islands by Land Area | access-date = 11 October 2011 | date = 18 February 1998 | publisher = [[United Nations Environment Program]] | quote = Jeju-do 1,825km2}}</ref>

==Economy==
In 2006 the Indian government named Goalpara 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 eleven districts in Assam currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).<ref name=brgf>{{cite web|author=Ministry of Panchayati Raj |date=8 September 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=27 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405033402/http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |archive-date=5 April 2012 }}</ref>

==Political divisions==
There are four [[Assam Legislative Assembly]] constituencies in this district: Dudhnoi, Goalpara East, Goalpara West, and Jaleswar.<ref name="ceo1">{{cite web|title=List of Assembly Constituencies showing their Revenue & Election District wise break - up |url=http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.1%20-%20DEOs%20wise%20ACs%20breakup.pdf |publisher=Chief Electoral Officer, Assam website |access-date=26 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322074811/http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.1%20-%20DEOs%20wise%20ACs%20breakup.pdf |archive-date=22 March 2012 }}</ref> Dudhnoi and Goalpara West are designated for [[scheduled tribe]]s.<ref name="ceo1"/> Dudhnoi and Goalpara West are in the [[Gauhati (Lok Sabha constituency)|Gauhati Lok Sabha constituency]], whilst the other two are in the [[Dhubri (Lok Sabha constituency)|Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency]].<ref name="ceo2">{{cite web|title=List of Assembly Constituencies showing their Parliamentary Constituencies wise break - up |url=http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.2%20-%20PC-wise%20LAC%20breakup.pdf |publisher=Chief Electoral Officer, Assam website |access-date=26 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322074903/http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.2%20-%20PC-wise%20LAC%20breakup.pdf |archive-date=22 March 2012 }}</ref>

Following are the present MLA's of Goalpara-
*Goalpara East: AK Rasheed Alam ([[Indian National Congress|INC]])
*Goalpara West: Abdur Rashid Mondal ([[Indian National Congress|INC]])
*[[Jaleswar, Assam Assembly constituency|Jaleswar]] : [[Aftabuddin]] ([[Indian National Congress|INC]])
*Dudhnoi : Jadav Swargiary ([[Indian National Congress|INC]])([[Scheduled Castes|ST]])

==Demographics==
According to the [[2011 census of India|2011 census]] Goalpara district has a population of 1,008,183,<ref name=districtcensus>{{Cite web |date=2011 |title=District Census Handbook: Goalpara |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/214/download/506/DH_2011_1803_PART_A_DCHB_GOALPARA.pdf |website=censusindia.gov.in |publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref> roughly equal to the nation of [[Cyprus]]<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 = 1 October 2011 | quote = Cyprus 1,120,489 July 2011 est. | archive-date = 27 September 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110927165947/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | url-status = dead }}</ref> or the US state of [[Montana]].<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=30 September 2011 |quote=Montana 989,415 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721072426/http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php|archive-date=21 July 2011 }}</ref> of which 171,657 are children between 0–6 years of age. Goalpara has a sex ratio of 964 females for every 1000 males.<ref name=districtcensus/> The crude literacy rate of the district is 55.91%, while the effective literacy rate of 7+ population is 67.4%. 13.69% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 4.47% and 22.97% of the population respectively.<ref name=districtcensus/>

{{historical populations|11=1901|12=90,482|13=1911|14=1,17,602|15=1921|16=1,49,263|17=1931|18=1,72,782|19=1941|20=1,98,407|21=1951|22=2,16,763|23=1961|24=2,97,178|25=1971|26=4,33,516|27=1991|28=6,68,138|29=2001|30=8,22,035|31=2011|32=10,08,183|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}}

===Religions===
{{bar box
|title=Religions in Goalpara district (2011)<ref name="Religion"/>
|titlebar=#FCD116
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Islam in Assam|Islam]]|green|57.52}}
{{bar percent|[[Hinduism in Assam|Hinduism]]|darkorange|34.51}}
{{bar percent|[[Christianity in Assam|Christianity]]|dodgerblue|7.72}}
{{bar percent|Other or not stated|black|0.25}}
}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Population of circles by religion
!Circle
!Muslims
!Hindus
!Christians
!Others
|-
|[[Lakhipur, Goalpara|Lakhipur]]
|style="background:green;color:white" |80.88%
|17.42%
|1.49%
|0.21%
|-
|Balijana
|style="background:green;color:white" |56.22%
|32.27%
|11.25%
|0.26%
|-
|Matia
|style="background:green;color:white" |61.43%
|32.90%
|5.41%
|0.26%
|-
|[[Dudhnoi]]
|6.52%
|style="background:darkorange" |70.34%
|22.81%
|0.33%
|-
|Rangjuli
|29.56%
|style="background:darkorange" |61.30%
|8.92%
|0.22%
|}

Muslim population in Goalpara district is 57.52%, while Hindu population is 34.51% and Christian Population stands at 7.72% and others include 0.25% respectively as per as census 2011 report. All the Garos are Christian.<ref name="Religion">{{cite web |date=2011 |title=Table C-01 Population By Religion: Assam |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11365/download/14478/DDW18C-01%20MDDS.XLS |website=census.gov.in |publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref> Way back in 1971, Hindus were slight majority in Goalpara district with forming 50.1% of the population, while Muslims were 41.5% at that time.<ref>International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications
https://www.ijsrp.org › ijsrp-...PDF The Change of Religion and Language Composition in the State of Assam ...</ref>

===Languages===
{{Pie chart
| thumb = right
|caption=Languages of Goalpara district (2011)<ref name="languages"/>
|label1 = [[Assamese language|Assamese]] |value1 = 51.78 |color1 = purple
|label2 = [[Bengali language|Bengali]] |value2 = 28.83 |color2 = orchid
|label3 = [[Garo language|Garo]] |value3 = 7.56 |color3 = cornflowerblue
|label4 = [[Rabha language|Rabha]] |value4 = 5.16 |color4 = steelblue
|label5 = [[Bodo language|Bodo]] |value5 = 3.53 |color5 = royalblue
|label6 = [[Hindi]] |value6 = 0.94 |color6 = orange
|label7 = Others |value7 = 2.20 |color7 = grey
}}

At the time of the 2011 census, 51.78% of the population spoke [[Assamese language|Assamese]], 28.83% [[Bengali language|Bengali]], 7.56% [[Garo language|Garo]], 5.16% [[Rabha language|Rabha]], 3.53% [[Boro language (India)|Boro]] and 0.94% [[Hindi]] as their first language.<ref name="languages">{{cite web |date=2011 |title=Table C-16 Population By Mother Tongue: Assam |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/10195/download/13307/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-1800.XLSX |website=censusindia.gov.in |publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref> [[Bengali language|Bengali]] speakers are 28.8% as per as 2011 census language census report, but Goalpara district is home to a large [[Miya people|Miya]] Muslim population of [[Bengalis|Bengali]] origin, most of whom now identify themselves as [[Assamese language|Assamese]] speakers in the census.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Saikia|first=Arunabh|date=2 April 2021|title=A new generation of 'Miya' Muslims in Assam may vote for Congress-AIUDF – but only out of compulsion|url=https://scroll.in/article/991174/a-new-generation-of-miya-muslims-in-assam-may-vote-for-congress-aiudf-but-only-out-of-compulsion|work=Scroll|access-date=16 July 2021|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=X|first=Samrat|date=8 Jan 2018|title=National Register of Citizens: Identity issue haunts Assam, again|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2018/01/08/national-register-of-citizens-identity-assam-immigrants|work=Newslaundry|access-date=16 July 2021}}</ref>

==Tourism==
{{more citations needed|section|date=April 2020}}
Tourist spots in the district include:
*[[Sri Surya Pahar]], a significant but relatively unknown archaeological site in Assam, a hill which showcases the remains of cultural heritage of three important religions of India, [[Buddhism]], [[Jainism]] and [[Hinduism]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Malakar |first1=Bhaskar |title=Goalpara District : Home |url=http://goalpara.nic.in/ |website=goalpara.gov.in |access-date=7 April 2020}}</ref>
*Dadan Hill has a Shiva Temple on its top. The temple was established by a general of the army of King Bana of [[Sonitpur]] named Dadan.
*Pir Majhar is situated in Goalpara town, a tomb of a saint named Hazarat Sayed Abul Kasem Kharasani. He is a saint who was respected by Hindus and Muslims alike.
*Pir Majhar is situated in Katarihara, Golapara, a tomb of a Muslim saint named Al Bakdadi.
*Hulukanda hill is located at the center of Goalpara.
*Sri Tukreswari hill
*Paglartek Baba at Barbhita
*Urpod beel of Agia
*Dhamar Risen beel of [[Lakhipur, Goalpara]] are some other attractions of the district.
*Hulukanda Hill, near Bramhaputra river in the town used to be the center of salt trading during British rule. Daniel Raush used to stay there.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Goalpara district}}
* [https://goalpara.assam.gov.in/ Goalpara District Official Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250423022114/https://goalpara.assam.gov.in/ |date=23 April 2025 }}

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Goalpara district
|North = [[Bongaigaon district]]
|Northeast = [[Barpeta district]]
|East = [[Kamrup district]]
|Southeast =
|South = [[East Garo Hills]], [[Meghalaya]]
|Southwest = [[West Garo Hills]], [[Meghalaya]]
|West = [[Dhubri district]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Assam}}
{{Minority Concentrated Districts in India}}
{{coord|26|26|N|90|22|E|region:IN_type:adm2nd_source:GNS-enwiki|display=title}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Goalpara district| ]]
[[Category:Districts of Assam]]
[[Category:1876 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Minority concentrated districts in India]]

Goalpara district - Revision history

Bhargava1920 at 16:34, 25 January 2026