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GOALPARA

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Originally appearing in Volume V12, Page 161 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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GOALPARA , a See also:

town and See also:district of See also:British See also:India, in the See also:Brahmaputra valley See also:division of eastern See also:Bengal and See also:Assam. The town (pop. 6287) overlooks the Brahmaputra. It was the frontier outpost of the See also:Mahommedan See also:power, and has See also:long been a flourishing seat of See also:river See also:trade. The See also:civil station is built on the See also:summit of a small See also:hill commanding a magnificent view of the valley of the Brahmaputra, bounded on the See also:north by the snowy ranges of the Himalayas and on the See also:south by the Garo hills. The native town is built on the western slope of the hill, and the See also:lower portion is subject to inundation from the marshy See also:land which extends in every direction. It has declined in importance since the district headquarters were removed to Dhubri in 1879, and it suffered severely from the See also:earthquake of the 12th of See also:June 1897. The DISTRICT comprises an See also:area of 3961 sq. m. It is situated along the Brahmaputra, at the corner where the river takes its southerly course from Assam into Bengal. The scenery is striking. Along the See also:banks of the river grow clumps of See also:cane and See also:reed; farther back stretch See also:fields of See also:rice cultivation, broken only by the See also:fruit trees surrounding the villages, and in the background rise the See also:forest-clad hills overtopped by the See also:white peaks of the Himalayas. The See also:soil of the hills is of a red ochreous See also:earth, with blocks of See also:granite and See also:sandstone interspersed; that of the plains is of alluvial formation.

Earthquakes are See also:

common and occasionally severe shocks have been experienced. The Brahmaputra annually inundates vast tracts of See also:country. Numerous extensive forests yield valuable See also:timber. See also:Wild animals of all kinds are found. In 1901 the See also:population was 462,083, showing an increase of 2% in the See also:decade. Rice forms the See also:staple See also:crop. See also:Mustard and jute are also largely grown. The manufactures consist of the making of See also:brass and See also:iron utensils and of See also:gold and See also:silver ornaments, See also:weaving of See also:silk See also:cloth, See also:basket-See also:work and pottery. The cultivation of See also:tea has been introduced but does not flourish anywhere in the district. See also:Local trade is in the hands of Marwari merchants, and is carried on at the bazars, weekly hats or markets and periodical fairs. The See also:chief exports are mustard-See also:seed, jute, See also:cotton, timber, See also:lac, silk cloth, india-See also:rubber and tea; the imports, Bengal rice, See also:European piece goods, See also:salt, hardware, oil and See also:tobacco. Dhubri (pop.

3737), the administrative headquarters of the district, stands on the Brahmaputra where that river takes its See also:

great See also:bend south. It is the termination of the See also:emigration road from North Bengal and of the river steamers that connect with the North Bengal railway. It is also served by the eastern Bengal See also:State railway.

End of Article: GOALPARA

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