Varanasi district

Varanasi district is a district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, with the holy city of Varanasi as the district headquarters. It is also the headquarters of the Varanasi division which contains 4 districts (including Varanasi).

It is surrounded by Mirzapur district, Jaunpur district, Ghazipur district, Chandauli district, and Bhadohi district. The Ganga (Ganges) river flows through the district. Part of the Varanasi division, the district occupies an area of 15,35 km2 and Census of India, it had a population of 3,676,841.

Demographics
According to the 2011 census, Varanasi district has a population of 3,676,841, This gives it a ranking of 75th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 2399 PD/sqkm. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 17.32%. Varanasi has a sex ratio of 909 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 77.05%. 43.44% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 13.24% and 0.78% of the population respectively.

Languages
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 76.19% of the population spoke Hindi, 19.68% Bhojpuri, and 3.24% Urdu as their first language. Bhojpuri is natively spoken Varanasi.

Administrative divisions
The district is made up of three tehsils: Varanasi, Pindra and Rajatalab. All 3 are headed by a SDM.

These 3 tehsils are divided into 8 Blocks: Arajiline, Baragaon, Chiraigaon, Cholapur, Harhua, Kashividyapeeth, Pindra and Sewapuri.

Politics
There are eight Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) constituencies: Pindra, Shivpur, Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantt., Sevapuri, and Ajagara.

Colleges/Institutes

 * Indian Institute of Technology (BHU)
 * International Rice Research Institute
 * National Institute of Fashion Technology (Rae Bareli Extension)
 * National School of Drama
 * Sunbeam College for Women
 * Institute of Medical Sciences - BHU


 * Indian Institute of Vegetable Research
 * National Seed Research and Training Centre
 * Uday Pratap College

Universities

 * Banaras Hindu University
 * Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies
 * Jamia Salafia, Varanasi (The Salafi University Of India)
 * Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith
 * Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya