Geography of Nalanda

Nalanda is one of the oldest city of Bihar and is famous for the ruins of ancient old Nalanda University. It has ruins of its rich past scattered all around. Sculptures, Stone inscriptions, Buddhist statues are still to be seen amongst the ruins. Good network of roads connect Nalanda to the other cities of the state making it accessible from all the parts of India. The city of Nalanda located at a distance of about 90 kms from Patna and is spread over an area of 2367 sq km². Nalanda is located at 25.1368° North latitude and 85.4438° East longitude. It is a part of Patna division. With its sight seeing locations it has emerged as one of the major tourist destination that attracts visitors from all over the world.

Climate of Nalanda

Nalanda has a hot climate during summers and is cool in the winters. It experiences moderate to heavy rainfall. The average annual rainfall is about 120 cm. Summer falls between months from May to mid July when temperatures soars to about 44°C. Hot winds locally known as loo blows in the region and is extremely harmful as may cause sunstroke. Minimum temperature in Summer may be around 17°C. Winter falls between November to February with minimum temperature as low as 4°C at times. However, the climate otherwise is very pleasant and is ideal for tourism.


Tourists are advised to carry a set of warm woolen clothes while visiting during this season. Monsoons arrives in the month of July and continue till September. Heavy rains at times can disrupt travel hence this season is not suitable for sight-seeing.The month of March ideal as spring settles in Nalanda during this month. The climate is favorable for sighting various attractions of the place. This month offers a lot of blue skies and plenty of sunshine. Thus a suitable time to visit Nalanda would be the period from October to March.

Topography of Nalanda

Located at an elevation of 67 metres above the sea level and occupying an area of about 2367 sq. kms, Nalanda shares its border with Gaya district and Jehanabad district to the West, Nawada district to the South, Patna district to the North, Sheikhpura district to the East. Nalanda has a rugged topography that sometimes proves unfavorable for agriculture, yet agriculture is the main occupation here. The Nalanda District is divided in two main parts:

Hills Land of Rajgir and Giriyak - The hills consist of two parallel ridges extending around 65 km.Between these two ridges lie a number of places of historical importance and are sacred in both Buddhism and Jainism.


Cultivated Agriculture Land – Paddy, potatoes, onions are mainly grown in the agricultural land. Uneconomic holdings, fragmentation of land are some of the problems faced.

The Phalgu river flowing through Nalanda is considered sacred for the Hindus. The other rivers in Nalanda include Mohane, Jirayan, Kumbhari.

Demography of Nalanda

Accordingto the 2011 census, the total population of Nalanda was approximately 23,68,327, of which 12,36,467 are males and 11,31,860 are females. The population density is 1006 per sq. km. The sex ratio is estimated to be 915 females per 1000 males.

Nalanda at a glance

Country: India
State: Bihar
District: Nalanda
Altitude: 67 metres
Area: 2367 sq. km2
Latitude: 25.1368° North
Longitude: 85.4438° East
Winter temperature: about 4°C (min) to 27°C (max)
Summer temperature: about 17°C (min) to 44°C (max)
Average Annual Rainfall: 120 cm
Best time to visit: October to March
Languages spoken: Hindi, Bhojpuri, Urdu, English
Main Occupation: Agriculture
Crops grown: Paddy, potatoes, onions etc.
Major Rivers: Phalgu, Mohane, Jirayan, Kumbhari