Overview of the district

Vizianagaram is the main city of the Vizianagaram District of North Eastern Andhra Pradesh in Southern India. Vizianagaram district was formed on 1 June 1979, with some parts carved from the neighbouring districts of Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam. It is, at present, the largest municipality of Andhra Pradesh in terms of population. It is located about 18 km inland from the Bay of Bengal, and 52 km northeast of Visakhapatnam.

Demography

Hills

The district can be divided into two distinct natural physical divisions i.e., plain and hilly regions.

The hilly region is mostly covered with densely wooded forests and comes under Agency tract of the district. Since it is hilly tract its elevation is also uneven. The plain portion of the district is a well cultivated tract. The areas transferred from Visakhapatnam district are mostly hilly and pictures one, especially in the north. The Agency tract mostly consists of the hilly regions covered by the Eastern Ghats which run parallel to the Coast from the North-East to the South-West. The average height of these hills is over 914 metres although there are several peaks of even 1219 metres high. The highest peak is the Shankaram in Srugavarapukota mandal which is over 1615 metres. In the areas transferred from Srikakulam district, the hilly region consists, parts of the former Parvathipuram and Saluru taluks and they are known as Agency tracts.

The main hill ranges are Dumakonda, Antikonda, Palakonda, Kodagandi and Gamatikonda. All these individual ranges form part of the Eastern Ghats. These ranges with their detached hills show a distinct North-West-South-East trend. In the Parvathipuram division the hills are lower than elsewhere and consists of steep and rugged lines devoid of plateau and hedging in the too broad and almost parallel.

Climate

The climate of the District is Characterized by high humidity, all the year round with oppressive summer and good seasonal rainfall. The summer season is from March to the middle of June. This is followed by the South-West monsoon season, which lasts up to about the 2nd week of October. The period from Mid October to the end of November constitutes the post monsoon or retreating monsoon season. December to February is the season of generally fine weather. The Climate of the hill parts of the district is different from that of the plains. Since hilly regions receive heavier rainfall they are cooler than the plains. The maximum temperature will be recorded during May and the minimum temperature will be during December.

Marine Resources

There is a Coastal belt of 28 kms in the district with 8 main villages and 16 hamlets consisting of 6,993 fishermen population which are suitated in Poosapatirega and Bhogapuram Mandals . All the saline land available is put to use for Saltcultivation to an extent of 80.47 Acres. There is a scope to set up One or Two Iodised Salt units. The estimated Marine Fish catch is about 1834 M.Ts per annum.

Minerals

The important Minerals that occur in the district are Manganese of High quality in Cheepurupalli, Merakamudidam and Garividi Mandals, Kankar, Lime Stone Manganese and Lime Kankar occurs in Garividi and Merakamudidam Mandals, Quartz in Cheepurupalli Mandal and Granite (Column) in Parvathipuram and Makkuva Mandals.

To know more, visit https://vizianagaram.ap.gov.in/