About
Visakhapatnam is acknowledged as one of the most advanced sea regions in Andhra Pradesh, being popularly known as Vizag ("Jewel of the East Coast" and "City of Destiny"). According to history, the region got its name from the 4th century AD when a ruling Andhra king changed his course to Benares in order to set up a sea temple. The temple was built in honor of his family god, Lord Visakha, who is the Hindu god of valor. Though the temple has since been submerged under the sea, the region has been named Vishakapatnam/Vizagapatam or simply Vizag. On his way to Benares, he took a detour through this coastal region and build a temple to his family God, Lord Visakha (the Hindu God of valor and war, also known as Kartikeya or Skanda) which subsequently got submerged under the sea. Since then, this region was known as Vishakapatnam, also referred to as Vizagapatam or Vizag. The district is situated in a very advantageous position in proximity to the Bay of Bengal and the Eastern Ghats mountain ranges. There have been major changes in the geographical boundary of this district since the creation of Telangana in April 2014. Telangana has become a newly established state in the territory of the old Andhra Pradesh state, where districts such as Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju were created from Vishakapatnam. Therefore, the district of Visakhapatnam has become urbanized and is the only state district in Andhra Pradesh with about 90% urban population. The district has its executive capital, an important command of the Indian Navy, besides being the center for India’s foreign trade, as it hosts one of the largest ports in the country. Thus, this coastal district is a meeting point of natural splendor and commercialization.
History & Culture
Visakhapatnam district has a rich history that dates back to the sixth century BC . This area was included in the kingdom of Kalinga and was conquered by Ashoka, the Mauryan emperor in 260 BC. This coast was a successful trade route with the Roman Empire and Mesopotamia and gained great strategic significance. It was also a center of Buddhism as many excavated stupas and rock-cut caves in Thotlakonda , Bavikonda, and PuvuralkondaIn the recent history of 1971, Visakhapatnam made an important contribution to the Indo-Pakistani war when India’s Eastern Naval Command stationed at Visakhapatnam conducted a surprise attack on the Pakistani submarine PNS Ghazi. The culture of Visakhapatnam is an amalgamation of Telugu culture and cosmopolitan culture due to the presence of the armed forces, laborers belonging to varied geographical areas, and port activities. The inhabitants of the region observe traditional festivals such as Ugadi, Sankranti, and Diwali with zeal and zest. The major cultural celebration which occurs in the region is Chandanotsavam or Chandana Yatra, which is observed at the banks of the river Godavari. It is a unique feature of this carnival and is celebrated at the temple of Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha at Simhachalam that the deities and goddesses in the temple are decorated with sandalwood paste and on this day for the first time in the year the darshan of their real form is performed, known as Nijaroopa Darshanam. Another major festival celebrated around the area is the tourism festival of the state of Andhra Pradesh, called the Visakha Utsav which is organized by the Government. The tourism potential of Visakhapatnam is its beaches, which provide various water sports and other adventurous sports facilities. It is a land of temples and hills, and also the backwaters. There is also the unique experience of exploring the submarine INS Kursura and the TU-142 aircraft museums.
Economy
The Visakhapatnam district is the economic powerhouse of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Its contribution to the state’s GDP is substantial. It has a significant share of heavy industries, foreign trade, and commerce. The district has a strong services sector that has grown phenomenally in the last two decades. The major sectors of the economy are listed below:
Government Sector
The district has several Government departments and public sector undertakings. There are also the railway divisions under East Coast Railway that will soon be reorganized into the South Coast Railway. The Customs and Excise departments and the Port Trust are also located in the district. The Government departments generate employment and revenue for the state.
Public Sector
The district is also known as the ‘industrial district’ as it has a large number of public sector undertakings. The major PSUs are, the first inshore integrated steel plant in the country, the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) or Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL). Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL): It is one of the country's largest petrochemical complex companies.
Services Sector
The services sector has grown tremendously over the last two decades. It has evolved as the major employer in the district. The Information Technology and FinTech industries are booming, as Vizag has emerged as a major Information Technology hub. The sector has attracted multinational corporations, and FinTech Valley Vizag has lured many entrepreneurs to set up their units in the Rushikonda IT Park. Apart from IT, the hospitality industry is also blooming as millions of visitors from domestic and international destinations visit this coastal city every year. The booming IT and Hospitality sectors have triggered a real estate boom in the state.
Tourism
The Visakhapatnam district has many numbers of tourism attractions. The beach is full of calm and clear waters and is the most loved by adventure sports lovers. The beach named Yarda which is surrounded by hills from three sides and by the Bay of Bengal from the other. It is one of the cleanest beaches in the district. The INS Kursura Submarine Museum, located at Rakishand Beach, is South Asia’s first submarine museum. The decommissioned submarine was hauled off on the beach for the visitors to explore and experience the inside mechanism of the ship. It is a treat for the Navy men and women to visit the museum as it also displays various underwater weapons, machinery, submarines, and other defense equipment. There is the TU-142 Aircraft museum also located opposite the submarine museum, which houses a former anti-submarine warfare aircraft, providing a peek into the life of the naval air personnel. A few miles away, the locals and the visitors gather at the Visakha Museum to explore Kalinga’s ancient artifacts and weapons. The Kailasagiri or the Lord Shiva Hill is another prominent attraction in the district .It is situated on the outskirts of the city and the entire coastline is clearly visible from the hills as well as from the Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati from the top of the statue.
Demographics
Visakhapatnam is a district in ANDHRA PRADESH of India. The exact population of the district as per the 2011 is 42,90,589, making it one of the most populated districts of the state. The total population is distributed as 21,38,910 males and 21,51,679 females. The district has a high level of economic and administrative value. Visakhapatnam has a higher sex ratio of 1006 as compared to the national average of 1040. Hence, we can say that the district’s gender ratio and socio-economic status are relatively good. The demographic scenario in the district significantly varies with time, which is analyzed by the census taken at regular intervals. The literacy rate of the district of Visakhapatnam is 59.86 percent, which shows the overall education level of the people of the district. There is a significant difference between the male literacy rate (74.56) and the female literacy rate (59.34). The district administration has accorded due significance to the educational aspect.
Administration
Visakhapatnam has a special administration for its larger-than-life district. The administrative control is primarily handled bt the district collector and Magistrate with a separate municipality . The district is divided into two Revenue Divisions:
1. Visakhapatnam Revenue Division
2. Bheemunipatnam Revenue Division
Mandals or Tehsil
Further, the revenue divisions are sub-divided into eleven (11) Mandals/Tehsils: Bheemunipatnam, Anandapuram, Padmanabham, Visakhapatnam Rural, Seethammadhara, Gajuwaka, Pedagantyada, Gopalapatnam, Mulagada, Maharanipeta, Pendurthi . As this administrative division changed from the previous configuration, the entire old set of villages were either merged within the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation or was under the District Revenue Division. The urbanization has further diluted the existence of Gram Panchayats within the municipal limits of Greater Vizag. Though the revenue villages have been merged within the GVMC limits in some mandals, the peripheral villages of Anandapuram, Padmanabham, and Bheemunipatnam still exist. Across all the eleven mandals, there are about a hundred and thirty to a hundred and fifty revenue/census villages exist that are still governed under the rural administrative setup within the GVMC jurisdiction.
| Official Name | Visakhapatnam |
| Location | Andhra Pradesh |
| Area | 11,161 sq. km |
| Population | 42,90,589 (2011 census) |
| Language | Telugu |
FAQs
Q1: How many villages are located within the Visakhapatnam district altogether?
There are 165 gram panchayats in the district.
Q2: What is the population of the district?
The population of the district is 42,90,589 (2011 census).
Q3: What is this district famous for?
This district is the main center of Andhra Pradesh’s foreign trade as it is one of the largest ports in the country. In addition, the district is famous for the Heavy Industries such as steel plants, shipyards, and petrochemical complexes.
Last Updated on : July 22, 2026
