BENARES, a British district of Hindustan, situate on both sides of the river Ganges, in the territory denominated the North-West Provinces of Bengal. It lies between Lat. 25. 7. and 25. 32. Long. 82. 45. and 83. 38., and has an area of 994 square miles. The principal commercial products of the district are sugar, opium, and indigo. According to the census of 1848 the population amounts to 741,426, of whom 676,050 are Hindus, and 65,376 Mussulmans. The total number of towns has been returned at 1888; of these 1818 contain each less than 1000 inhabitants; 67 have each more than 1000 and less than 5000 inhabitants; two are stated each to have more than 5000 and less than 10,000; and one alone contains more than 50,000 inhabitants. The territory was ceded to the East India Company in 1775 by the vizier of Oude.