Siwan district is an administrative district of the Indian state of Bihar, located in the Saran division in the western part of the state. The town of Siwan serves as the district headquarters. The district lies in the Indo-Gangetic plain and is drained by the Ghaghara river system, with the Daha and Jharahi being among the principal local rivers.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Bihar |
| Division | Saran |
| Headquarters | Siwan |
| Region | Bhojpur / western Bihar |
| Adjacent districts | Gopalganj, Saran, Chhapra, and parts of Uttar Pradesh |
| Common languages | Hindi, Bhojpuri, Urdu |
Siwan was historically part of Saran district before being carved out as a separate district. The area shares cultural and linguistic ties with the wider Bhojpuri-speaking region that extends into eastern Uttar Pradesh. Agriculture forms the backbone of the local economy, with paddy, wheat, sugarcane, and pulses cultivated across its fertile plains.
The district occupies a low-lying alluvial tract of the middle Ganga plain. Its western boundary runs along Uttar Pradesh, while it borders Gopalganj district to the north and Saran district to the south and east. The terrain is largely flat and intensively cultivated, with a network of small rivers, tributaries, and irrigation channels.
Siwan district is divided into administrative subdivisions and community development blocks for governance and rural development. It falls within the jurisdiction of the Saran commissionerate. The district administration is headed by a District Magistrate, with separate officers for police (Superintendent of Police) and development functions.
The population is predominantly rural and engaged in agriculture and allied activities. Bhojpuri is the dominant spoken language, while Hindi is used for official and educational purposes, and Urdu is also spoken by a section of the population. The district has a long tradition of migration, both within India and to West Asia, and remittances form an important component of household incomes in many villages.
Siwan is the birthplace of Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, who was born at Ziradei in the district. The town of Maharajganj within the district is also historically significant in the regional freedom-movement narrative.
The district is served by the Siwan Junction railway station, an important station on the routes connecting Bihar with eastern Uttar Pradesh and beyond. National and state highways link Siwan with Chhapra, Gopalganj, Gorakhpur, and other regional centres.