Bhagalpur (Devanagari:भागलपुर) is a city and a Municipal Corporation situated on the southern bank of the river Ganges in the Indian state of Bihar. It is the second prominent city of Bihar after Patna and largest city of Eastern Bihar. It covers an area of 110 square kilometers and lies between 25.07°N - 25.30°N latitude and between 86.37°E - 87.30°E longitude.
Bhagalpur has registered an average annual population growth of 3.72%, from 2006 to 2010. It is the administrative headquarters of the Bhagalpur district and Bhagalpur Division. The city is situated 220 km east of Patna and 60 km east of Munger.
The city was referred to as one of the biggest trade centers in Eastern India by the 7th century Chinese travellers Hsüan-tsang and Fa-Hien. The city had a big harbour on the River Ganges at a place called Champanagar, now called Champanala, which flows on the western boundary of the present city near Nathnagar. Many boats and coins of the Middle and Far East were found during an archaeological excavation carried out in the 1970s.
The silk industry in the city is hundreds of years old producing Tussar Silk and Tussar Saree, and Bhagalpur is known in India as the "Silk City". Located here are the Silk Institute and Agricultural University.
Other education facilities include the Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur College of Engineering, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, T.N.B.Law College and Homeopathic colleges. In 2010, Bihar Agricultural University was set up in Sabour, Bhagalpur.
The Gangetic plains surrounding the city are very fertile and the main crops include rice, wheat, maize, barley, and oilseeds. The economy of Bhagalpur is dependent mainly on agriculture and small businesses. The river is home to the Gangetic dolphin, theNational Aquatic Animal of India, which is found in Ganga Basin and the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is established near the town.
