Share this Article on Facebook Twitter Submit this article to Reddit Give this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon

Ganges

Ganges

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

Ganges or Ganga , river, c.1,560 mi (2,510 km) long, rising in the Gangotri glacier in the Himalayas in Uttaranchal state, India, and flowing generally southeast through NE India across a vast plain to the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh; the most sacred river of Hindu India. The fertile Ganges plain is one of the world's most densely populated regions; rice, grains, oilseed, sugarcane, and cotton are the main crops. Because of its location near major population centers, however, the river is highly polluted.

The upper Ganges supplies water to extensive irrigation works. The river passes the holy bathing sites at Haridwar , Allahabad (where the Yamuna River enters the Ganges), and Varanasi . Below Allahabad the Ganges becomes a slow, meandering stream with shifting channels.

The lower Ganges is joined by the Brahmaputra River W of Dhaka, Bangladesh, to form the Padma, its main channel to the sea. The united rivers branch into many distributaries, forming the vast and fertile Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta, which stretches from the Hugli River on the west to the Meghna on the east. The delta region covers roughly 25% of India's total territory and supports upwards of 300 million people. The delta's southern fringe, a great wilderness of swamp, dense timber forest, small islands, and tidal creeks, is known as the Sundarbans ; it has been the site of land reclamation projects. This low-lying area has repeatedly suffered great devastation from cyclones and coastal flooding. Kolkata , India, and Chittagong , Bangladesh, are the delta's main seaports.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Ganges." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Ganges." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Ganges.html

"Ganges." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Ganges.html

Learn more about citation styles

Ganges

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Copyright

Ganges (Ganga) River of n India. It rises in the Himalayas, then flows se, and empties into the Bay of Bengal through the Brahmaputra-Ganges delta. The plains of the Ganges are extremely fertile and support the densely populated cities of Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, and Lucknow. In Hinduism, it is the earthly form of the Goddess Ganga and pilgrims purify themselves in its waters. Length: 2512km (1560mi).
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Ganges." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Ganges." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Ganges.html

"Ganges." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Ganges.html

Learn more about citation styles

Ganges

Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names | 2005 | | Copyright

Ganges (Gaṅgā), Bangladesh, India ‘River’ from the Sanskrit gangā. It is the holy river of the Hindus. It is also known as Gangāji, the suffix ‐ji indicating reverence. Within Bangladesh it is called the Padma.
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Ganges." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Ganges." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Ganges.html

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Ganges." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Ganges.html

Learn more about citation styles

Ganges

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | | Copyright

Ganges a river of northern India and Bangladesh, rising in the Himalayas and flowing south-east to the Bay of Bengal. The river is regarded by Hindus as sacred.
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Ganges." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Ganges." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Ganges.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Ganges." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Ganges.html

Learn more about citation styles

Ganges

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes | 2007 | Copyright

Ganges •Andes •Hades, Mercedes •Archimedes • Thucydides • aphides •Eumenides, Parmenides •Maimonides, Simonides •Euripides • cantharides • Hesperides •Hebrides •Aristides, bona fides •Culdees •Alcibiades, Hyades, Pleiades •Cyclades • antipodes • Sporades •Ganges • Apelles •tales, Thales •Achilles, Antilles •Los Angeles • Ramillies • Pericles •isosceles • Praxiteles • Hercules •Empedocles • Sophocles • Damocles •Androcles • Heracles • Themistocles •Hermes • Menes • testudines •Diogenes • Cleisthenes •Demosthenes •Aristophanes, Xenophanes •manganese • Holofernes • editiones principes • herpes •lares, primus inter pares •Antares, Ares, Aries, caries •antifreeze • Ceres • Buenos Aires

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Ganges." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Ganges." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Ganges.html

"Ganges." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Ganges.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

Ganges in need of cleansing.(World)(Briefing/Western Asia)
Newspaper article from: The Washington Times (Washington, DC); 4/25/1998
Climate change imperils Ganges River.(Q)
Newspaper article from: The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA); 7/27/2007
The river Ganges' long decline.
Magazine article from: World Watch; 7/1/1996

Facts and information from other sites

Ganges images
Ganges. (Image by BOMBMAN, CC)

Related topics