Ballia District lies in the easternmost part of
Uttar Pradesh covering an area of 2,981 sq km. The name is believed to be derived from the name of the
Sage Valmiki, the celebrated Hindu poet and author of the
Ramayana, who lived here. Another belief about the origin of the name is that it has reference to the sandy nature of the land of the place, locally known as 'ballua' (balu meaning sand). Ballia is bounded in the west by
Azamgarh District, in the north by
Deoria District, in the north-east and south-east by
Bihar and in the south-west by
Ghazipur District.
The Ganges and the Ghaghra are the two major rivers which flow across Ballia District separating it from Bihar in the south and Deoria and Bihar in the north and east respectively. The population is around two and a half million.
The economy depends on agriculture and industries. Wheat, barley, jowar, bajra, maize, gram, and potato are the important crops. Generally the climate of Ballia is moderate. The average annual rainfall exceeds 100 cm. August is the rainiest month.
