Kutubdia Upazila

Kutubdia (কুতুবদিয়া) is an upazila of Cox's Bazar District in the Division of Chittagong, Bangladesh. The upazila consists of an island in the Bay of Bengal, off the coast near Chakaria, Cox's Bazar. It was found in approximately 14th century.

History
A police station at Kutubdia was established in 1917 in Baraghup. The island was upgraded into an upazila in 1983.

Kutubdia has an area of 36 sqmi, 18 mi in length and 2 mi in breadth. It is famous for the only lighthouse in Bangladesh which was built by the British during the British rule. Kutubdia is rich in producing salt and dried fish, locally known as 'Shutki'. In this island Abdul Malek Shah was born.

Geography
Kutubdia is located at -21.8167°N, 91.8583°W. It has 58,463 households and a total area of 215.79 km2. Climate change and sea level rise threaten to submerge the island in the Bay of Bengal.

Demographics
As of the 2011 Bangladesh census, Kutubdia upazila had 22,587 households and a population of 125,279. 37,001 (29.53%) were under 10 years of age. Kutubdia had an average literacy rate of 34.04%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 955 females per 1000 males. 25,488 (20.34%) of the population lived in urban areas.

Administration
Kutubdia Upazila is divided into six union parishads: Ali Akbardeil, Baraghop, Dakshin Dhurung, Kaiyarbil, Lemsikhali, and Uttar Dhurung. The union parishads are subdivided into 8 mauzas and 55 villages.