Bhavnagar district

This article is about the district. For its eponymous headquarters, see Bhavnagar.
Bhavnagar district
district

Location of district in Gujarat
Country  India
State Gujarat
Languages
 • Official Gujarati, Hindi
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Vehicle registration GJ 4
Website gujaratindia.com
Main Gate of Shri Khodiyar Mandir
Districts of Saurastra, Gujarat

Bhavnagar District is a district of southeastern Gujarat, India, on the Saurashtra peninsula. It is also known as Gohilwar as major portion of Bhavnagar district was ruled by Gohil Rajputs.[1] The administrative headquarters is in the town of Bhavnagar.

Geography

Bhavnagar District covers an area of over 8334 km². The coastal area is mostly alluvium.

Bhavnagar borders with Ahmedabad District to the northeast, Botad District to the northwest, the Gulf of Cambay to the east and south and Amreli District to the west.

History

Bhavnagar State was a former princely state under the Raj,[1] ruled by the Gohil Rajputs.[2]

Bhavnagar lost two taluka, Botad and Gadhada to the creation in August 2013 of the new district of Botad.[3]

Historical places

Among the many historical places in Bhavnagar District are:[4]

Administrative divisions

Bhavnagar District is divided into nine talukas: Bhavnagar, Sihor, Umarana, Gariyadhar, Palitana, Mahuva, Talaja, Ghogha, and Vallbhipur.[5] There are close to 800 villages in this district.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Bhavnagar district has a population of 2,388,291,[6] roughly equal to the nation of Jamaica[7] or the US state of Kansas.[8] This gives it a ranking of 133rd in India (out of a total of 640).[6] The district has a population density of 288 inhabitants per square kilometre (750/sq mi) .[6] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 16.53%.[6] Bhavnagar has a sex ratio of 931 females for every 1000 males,[6] and a literacy rate of 76.84%.[6]


Natural heritage sites

Blackbuck National Park

Velavadar Blackbuck National Park is the only tropical grassland in India recognised as a National park. It is spread over an area of 34.08 km2. The park contains mainly blackbuck, antelopes, nilgai, wolves, jackals, hyenas, jungle cats, fox, and wild boar. Endangered birds such as Houbara Bustard, Lesser Florican, Sarus White Storks, White Pelican, Montagu, and Pallid harrier also call the park home. Raptors including the Greater Spotted Eagle, Juvenile Imperial Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Short-toed Snake Eagle, and Long-legged Buzzard are also seen in the park. The climate in Velavdar National Park makes it one of the best places for the migrating birds to breed.

Piram Island is an island approximately 6 km offshore off Ghogha. It is said that this island was created about 3.5 million years ago. It is well known for its diversity of life, including many vulnerable or endangered species. There is a ruined fort which was built in 1325.The island has mangrove vegetation and also nesting site for two endangered species of sea turtle; Olive ridley sea turtle and Green sea turtle, and around fifty species of birds, mostly seabirds.

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 "History". Bhavnagar District Panchayat, Gujarat Government. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013.
  2. ↑ Singhji, Virbhadra (1994). "The Gohil Rajputs". The Rajputs of Saurashtra. Bombay, India: Popular Prakashan. p. 38. ISBN 978-81-7154-546-9.
  3. ↑ "Maps of Gujarat's new 7 districts and changes in existing districts". Desh Gujarat. 13 August 2013. Archived from the original on 16 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "Historical Places". Bhavnagar District Panchayat, Gujarat Government. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014.
  5. ↑ "Taluka Panchayat". Bhavnagar District Panchayat, Gujarat Government. Archived from the original on 20 July 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in. 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-30.
  7. ↑ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Retrieved 2011-10-01. Jamaica 2,868,380 July 2011 est
  8. ↑ "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2011-09-30. Kansas 2,853,118
 Rajkot district Botad district "ahmedabad district
Amreli district Gulf of Khambhat
   Bhavnagar district  
Amreli district Arabian Sea "gulf of khambhat

Coordinates: 21°46′13″N 72°08′35″E / 21.77028°N 72.14306°E / 21.77028; 72.14306

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