SHAHABAD, a district of British India, Bengal, lying between N. Lat. 24. 30. and 25. 46.; E. Long. 83. 20. and 84. 56.; bounded on the N. by the districts of Ghazepoor and Sarun, E. by that of Patna, S.E. and S. by that of Behar, and W. by those of Mirzapore and Benares. Length from N.E. to S.W. 106 miles; breadth 56; area, 4403 square miles. It is almost entirely inclosed by natural boundaries, formed by the Ganges on the N., the Carunnassa on the W., and the Sone on the S.E. and E. The last two rivers both fall into the Ganges, which, as well as the Sone, is navigable here. The south-western part of the district is occupied by a hilly country, rising to the height of about 700 feet above the sea, and about 500 above the low lands on the banks of the Ganges. This latter portion consists of an extensive plain, liable to annual inundations of the Ganges. Most of the land is arable; and the soil is either sandy or clayey, producing, without
irrigation, wheat, barley, and some other crops; while the northern portions of the country are rendered exceedingly rich by the overflowing of the river, and are planted chiefly with rice, which produces two crops a year. Maize, millet, lentils, beans, and various other plants are also grown. The chief commercial crops are sugar, cotton, opium, indigo, and tobacco. A large portion of the country is covered with wood and jungle; but the trees are generally stunted, and yield little good timber. Cotton cloth, silk, paper, spirits, oil, and sugar are manufactured. The chief exports are silk, paper, cotton, wheat, and other grains, pulse, bamboos, and opium; the imports include tobacco, sugar, iron, copper, lead, tin, zinc, salt, &c. Shahabad is traversed by the route from Calcutta to Allahabad, and also by that from Dinapore to Ghazepoor. The country at one time formed part of the great Magadha empire; but came into the power of the sultans of Lahore towards the close of the twelfth century. The southern part of the district was ceded to the British by the Emperor of Delhi in 1765, and the northern part by the Vizier of Oude in 1775. Pop. 1,600,000.