| Patuakhali | |
| Native Name: | পটুয়াখালী |
| Native Name Lang: | bn |
| Official Name: | Patuakhali District |
| Type: | District |
| Nickname: | সাগরকন্যা (Daughter of the Sea) |
| Map Caption1: | Expandable map of Patuakhali District |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Patuakhali in Bangladesh |
| Coordinates: | 22.3542°N 90.3181°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Bangladesh |
| Subdivision Type1: | Division |
| Subdivision Name1: | Barisal Division |
| Established Title: | Patuakhali |
| Established Date: | 1969 |
| Seat Type: | Headquarters |
| Seat: | Patuakhali |
| Leader Title: | Deputy Commissioner |
| Leader Name: | Mohammed Kamal Hosean [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 3221.31 |
| Population Total: | 1727254 |
| Population As Of: | 2022 census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone1: | BST |
| Utc Offset1: | +06:00 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 8600 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | HDI (2018) |
| Blank Info Sec1: | 0.586[2] · 16th of 21 |
Patuakhali is a district in south-central Bangladesh in the Barisal Division. This district is the main entrance for the beach of Kuakata.
It is adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. The area of the district is 3,221.31 km2.
Patuakhali city is surrounded on three sides by rivers. The two major rivers are Laukathi and Lohalia, which are directly connected with the Bay of Bengal. The city has an inland airport used for transport and private travel across the country.[3]
There are 8 upazilas in this district. They are:
Agriculture is the profession of most of the people. Fishing is also a prominent profession of this district. Thousands of boats go into the deep sea to fish and come back with tons of fish. Paddy, jute, and different types of vegetables are the main product of agriculture sector.Main sources of income Agriculture 57.05%, non-agricultural labourer 5.37%, industry 1.03%, commerce 13.79%, transport and communication 2.04%, service 9.22%, construction 2.13%, religious service 0.26%, rent and remittance 0.40% and others 8.71%.
Main Crops of Patuakhali district areas as follows:
The fruit trees indigenous to Patuakhali district areas as follows:[5]
In 2011, the literacy rate of Patuakhali was 54.1%; male 56.2% and female 52.0%. Educational institutions: university 1, agricultural and veterinary college 1, college 65, technical and vocational institutes 6, secondary school 288, primary school 1152, kindergarten 36, madrasa 506.[6]
According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Patuakhali District had 424,743 households and a population of 1,727,254. 327,724 (18.97%) were under 10 years of age. The population density was 536 people per km2. Patuakhali district had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 76.70%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 1048 females per 1000 males. 18.62% of the population lived in urban areas.[7]
| 446,108 | 82.93% | 1,617,121 | 93.62% | ||
| 82,991 | 15.43% | 107,551 | 6.23% | ||
| Others | 8,806 | 1.64% | 2,582 | 0.15% | |
| Total Population | 537,905 | 100% | 1,727,254 | 100% |
The district is overwhelmingly Muslim. Similar to other districts in the Barisal division, the minority Hindu and Christian populations have seen a decline in absolute numbers in the 2001-2011 period.[9] The district has 4765 mosques, 422 temples, and 13 churches.
See main article: article and Patuakhali. The city of Patuakhali is situated beside two local rivers: Laukathi River and Lohalia River. During high tides some of the regions of Patuakhali get flooded. The Bay of Bengal is not far from the region.
At the entrance of the city there is a bridge that connects Barisal (the divisional city) with Patuakhali and Kuakata Beach.
As Patuakhali is a coastal area, it is affected almost every year by natural disasters like cyclones, floods and tornadoes. To help the disaster-affected people, many NGO's are active in the area. They play a vital role in developing the life style of poor people.
Bura Ghuranga river view from the bank of Bura Ghuranga river in beside the Gazi Bhari, East Auliapur, Ronghopaldi, Arojbegi, Dhasmina.
See main article: article and Port of Payra. Port of Payra is planned to become the third sea port of Bangladesh (after Chittagong and Mongla).