Porbandar district is one of the 33 districts of Gujarat state in western India. The district covers an area of 2,316 km2. It had a population of 5.85,449 of which 48.77% were urban as of the 2011 census.[1] This district was carved out of Junagadh district. It lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Porbandar city is the administrative headquarters of this district. This district is surrounded by Jamnagar district and Devboomi Dwarka to the north, Junagadh district and Rajkot district to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west and south.

Porbandar District
Kirti Mandir, birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi
Nickname: 
PBR
Map
Interactive map outlining Porbandar district
Location of Porbandar district in Gujarat
Location of Porbandar district in Gujarat
Coordinates: 21°37′48″N 69°36′0″E / 21.63000°N 69.60000°E / 21.63000; 69.60000
Country India
StateGujarat
RegionSaurashtra
HeadquartersPorbandar
Government
 • District CollectorMr. Mukesh A Pandya
Area
 • Total2,316 km2 (894 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total585,449
 • Density250/km2 (650/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialGujarati, Hindi, Sindhi
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registrationGJ-25
Websiteporbandar.gujarat.gov.in

As of 2011 it is the second least-populous district of Gujarat (out of 33), after Dang.[2]

History

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Porbandar is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Porbandar is also mentioned in the Mahabharata as the native place of Krishna's childhood friend Sudama. As per the mythological reference in Sudama Charitra of Skand Puran of Shrimad Bhagvad, the present Porbandar city was named after Goddess Porav, and was located along the river banks of Asmavati.

Administration

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Porbandar district has three talukas: Porbandar-Chhaya, Ranavav, and Kutiyana.

Economy

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Agriculture

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The major crops produced in Porbander district are cotton, groundnut, bajra, gram, wheat, tal and jowar.

Demographics

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901106,925—    
1911118,346+1.02%
1921127,697+0.76%
1931150,852+1.68%
1941190,429+2.36%
1951216,450+1.29%
1961270,634+2.26%
1971354,094+2.72%
1981425,899+1.86%
1991469,472+0.98%
2001536,835+1.35%
2011585,449+0.87%
source:[3]

According to the 2011 census Porbandar district has a population of 585,449,[2] roughly equal to the nation of Solomon Islands[4] or the US state of Wyoming.[5] This gives it a ranking of 529th in India (out of a total of 640).[2] The district has a population density of 255 inhabitants per square kilometre (660/sq mi).[2] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 9.17%.[2] Porbandar has a sex ratio of 947 females for every 1000 males,[2] and a literacy rate of 76.63%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 8.85% and 2.23% of the population respectively.[2]

Religions in Porbandar district (2011)[6]
Religion Percent
Hinduism
93.90%
Islam
5.73%
Other or not stated
0.37%

Hindus are 93.90% while Muslims are 5.73% of the population.[6]

Languages of Porbandar district (2011)[7]

  Gujarati (96.76%)
  Hindi (1.21%)
  Others (2.03%)

At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 96.76% of the population in the district spoke Gujarati and 1.21% Hindi as their first language.[7]

Politics

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District No. Constituency Name Party Remarks
Porbandar 83 Porbandar Arjun Modhwadia Indian National Congress Resigned on 4 March 2024[8]
Bharatiya Janata Party Elected on 04 June 2024
84 Kutiyana Kandhal Jadeja Samajwadi Party SP LP Leader

Transportation

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  • Airport: Porbandar airport serving the city Mumbai & Ahmedabad by direct daily flight.
  • Railway: Porbandar railway station connects Porbandar to whole country
  • Roads and highways:
  1. N.H.-8B connects Porbandar to Rajkot.
  2. GJ S.H. 06 connects Kutchh to Valsad via Porbandar.
  3. GJ S.H. 27 connects Jamnagar and Porbandar via Jamnagar-Lalpur-RanavavNH8BBhanvad.
  4. GJ S.H. 28 connects Jamnagar and Porbandar via Khambhalia-Advana-Porbandar.
  5. GJ S.H. 31A connects Rajkot, Porbandar via PorbandarRajkotBamanbore road passing Through Jetpur city limit.
  6. N.H. 51 and N.H. 27 also intersects at Porbandar.

Notable personalities

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Localities

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References

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  1. ^ Census India Map Archived 2010-01-11 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "District Census Hand Book – Porbandar" (PDF). Census of India. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
  3. ^ Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
  4. ^ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved 2011-10-01. Solomon Islands 571,890 July 2011 est.
  5. ^ "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-09-30. Wyoming 563,626
  6. ^ a b "Population by Religion - Gujarat". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Gujarat". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
  8. ^ "Arjun Modhwadia, Congress leader resigns from Gujarat Assembly, likely to join BJP". IndiaTV. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  9. ^ Fischer, Louis (1954). Gandhi:His life and message for the world. Mentor. ISBN 9781101665909.
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