Akola district is an administrative district in the Vidarbha region of the state of Maharashtra, India. The district headquarters is the city of Akola, which is also a major cotton trading and processing centre. Akola district forms part of the Amravati Division and lies in the Purna river basin on the Deccan Plateau.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| State | Maharashtra |
| Region | Vidarbha |
| Division | Amravati Division |
| Headquarters | Akola |
| Country | India |
| Official language | Marathi |
Akola district is situated in north-central Maharashtra. It is bordered by Amravati district to the north and east, Washim district to the south, and Buldhana district to the west. The district lies largely in the valley of the Purna river, a tributary of the Tapti, with the Satpura ranges to the north and the Ajanta hills to the south influencing its terrain. Black cotton soil (regur) dominates the cultivable area, supporting extensive cotton and pulse cultivation.
The district has a tropical climate marked by hot summers, a south-west monsoon between June and September, and mild winters. Akola is among the warmer districts of Maharashtra, with summer temperatures often exceeding 40 °C.
Akola district is divided into several tehsils for revenue administration, including Akola, Akot, Balapur, Telhara, Patur, Murtijapur and Barshitakli. The district is administered by a District Collector, while the Zilla Parishad handles rural local self-government. Urban areas are administered through the Akola Municipal Corporation and several municipal councils.
The region of present-day Akola has historically been part of Berar, an area that came under various powers including the Satavahanas, the Vakatakas, the Bahmani Sultanate, the Imad Shahi dynasty of Berar, the Mughals, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and finally the British. Under British rule it formed part of the Berar Province, later merged into the Central Provinces and Berar. After Indian independence and the reorganisation of states in 1956, Berar became part of Bombay State, and in 1960 it was incorporated into the newly formed state of Maharashtra. In 1998, the erstwhile Akola district was bifurcated, with the southern tehsils forming the new Washim district.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the district's economy. Akola is known as one of the principal cotton-producing districts of Maharashtra, and is sometimes referred to as the "Cotton City" of Vidarbha. Other major crops include jowar (sorghum), tur (pigeon pea), soybean, and other pulses and oilseeds. The district hosts cotton ginning and pressing mills, oil mills, and pulse-processing units. Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, an agricultural university serving the Vidarbha region, is located in Akola and contributes to agricultural research and extension.
Akola is a significant junction on the Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line of the Indian Railways and lies on National Highway 53 connecting Surat with Kolkata via Nagpur. Akola Airport serves the district, although scheduled commercial operations have been limited.
Marathi is the principal language of the district, with Hindi and Urdu also widely understood. The population is predominantly Hindu, with significant Muslim, Buddhist and Jain communities. The district contains both urban centres such as Akola city and Akot, and a large rural population engaged primarily in agriculture.
The district is home to several institutions of higher education, including Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Government Medical College Akola, and Sant Gadge Baba Amravati