Baliakandi Upazila

Baliakandi (বালিয়াকান্দি) is an Upazila of Rajbari District in the Division of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

History
Baliakandi Thana was established in 1881. This Thana was converted into an upazila in 1983. The area of the upazila town is 6.20 square kilometers. The upazila town is made up of three mouzas. The words 'Bali' of Baliari (sand dune) and 'Kanda' (river bank) of Chandana River are believed to have played a role in the naming of Baliakandi, which is built in Baliari of Chandana River.

Geography
The total area of Baliakandi Upazila is 228.99 square kilometers with land area of 203 square kilometers. It shares borders with Kalukhali Upazila to the north. Madhukhali Upazila of Faridpur District to the south, Rajbari Sadar Upazila to the east. A portion of Kalukhali Upazila and Sreepur Upazila of Magura District are on the west. The upazila is located at latitude 23°33 and 23°44 north and longitudes 90°26 and 90°40 south. Then central Baliakandi Upazila is located at 23.6352°N, 89.5495°W.

Demographics
As of the 2011 Bangladesh census, Baliakandi upazila had 46,262 households and a population of 207,086. 44,652 (21.56%) were under 10 years of age. Baliakandi had an average literacy rate of 55.5%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 997 females per 1000 males. 9,897 (4.78%) of the population lived in urban areas.

Administration
Baliakandi Upazila is divided into seven union parishads: Baharpur, Baliakandi, Islampur, Jamalpur, Jangal, Narua, and Nawabpur. The union parishads are subdivided into 149 mauzas and 258 villages.