Purnia District /

Purnia district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India. The town of Purnia is the administrative headquarters of this district. Purnia district is a part of Purnia Division. The district extends from the Ganges river northwards to the frontier of Nepal. Purnia has an area of 3,229 square km. It is a level, depressed tract of country, consisting for the most part of a rich, loamy soil of alluvial formation. It is traversed by several rivers flowing from the Himalayas, which afford great advantages of irrigation and water-carriage. Its major rivers are the Kosi, the Mahananda, the Suwara Kali and the Koli. In the west the soil is thickly covered with sand deposited by changes in the course of the Kusi. Among other rivers are the Mahananda and the Panar. Its major agricultural products are jute and banana. It has a total population of 1,878,885 of which 1,720,743 are rural and 158,142 urban. It had 1,185,356 electors in the 2005. The literacy Rate is 28.52% Purnia district has two subdivisions: Purnea and Dhumdaha and they are further composed of fourteen blocks namely East Purnea, Krityanand Nagar, Banmankhi, Kaswa, Amaur, Bainsi, Baisa, Dhamdaha, Barhara Kothi,