Chakaria is an upazila of Cox's Bazar District in the Division of Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Geography

Chakoria is located at 21.7861°N, 92.0778°W. It has 88,391 households and a total area of 503.83 km2. Once there was a mangrove forest named Chakaria Sunderban here. But now it is no more.

Demographics

As of the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Chakaria upazila had 88,391 households and a population of 474,465. 134,516 (28.35%) were under 10 years of age. Chakaria had an average literacy rate of 47.61%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 984 females per 1000 males. 72,669 (15.32%) of the population lived in urban areas. Ethnic population is 2,783 (0.59%). According to the 1991 Bangladesh census, Chakaria had a population of 409, 346. Males constituted 51.87% of the population, and females 48.13%.

Chakaria Town

Chakaria Town has an area of 2.95 km2. It has a population of 50716; male 52.64%, female 47.36%. The literacy rate among town people is 34.5%. It has three dak bungalows.

Administration

Chakaria thana was constituted in 1793 and was turned into an upazila in 1983. Chakaria Upazila is divided into Chakaria Municipality and 18 union parishads: Badarkhali, Baraitali, Bheola Manikchar, Bamo Bilchari, Chiringa, Demusia, Dulahazara, Fashiakhali, Harbang, Kaiarbil, Kakhara, Khuntakhali, Konakhali, Lakhyarchar, Paschim Bara Bheola, Purba Bara Bheola, Saharbil, and Surajpur-Manikpur. The union parishads are subdivided into 48 mauzas and 212 villages. Chakaria Bazar Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 23 mahallas.

Archaeological heritage

Tomb of Shah Umar, Sat-gumbad Masjid of Fazl Quke at Manikpur (1873), Hasher Dighi, Bir Kamla Dighi, Dolhazara Safari Park, Chawarfari Mangrove Forest.

Historical events

During the war of liberation in 1971, the Pak army killed 13 villagers by gunshot and burnt more than one hundred houses and shops in different places of the upazila.

Marks of War of Liberation

Shaheed Abdul Hamid memorial monument.

Religious institutions

Mosque 500, temple 99, church 3, pagoda 16, mazar 6.

Old institutions

Educational institutions in the Upazila include:

Media

Weekly Chakori, fortnightly Mehdi.

Cultural organizations

52, literary organization 3, women's organization 22, theatre party 2, playground 50. Main Exports Shrimp, salt, tobacco, groundnut, mustard seed, flour, watermelon, timber, coastal Fish.