• District – Bhavnagar
• Headquarters – Bhavnagar
• State – Gujarat

• Total – 10034
• Rural – 9625.46
• Urban – 408.54

• Population – 2880365
• Rural – 1697964
• Urban – 1182401
• Male – 1490201
• Female – 1390164
• Sex Ratio (Females per 1000 males) – 933
• Density (Total, Persons per sq km) – 287

• Assembly – 9
• Loksabha – 1

• Official Website – http://bhavnagar.gujarat.gov.in

Tourist Places :

Palitana Temples :

  

The Palitana temples of Jainism are located on Shatrunjaya by the city of Palitana in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. The city of the same name, known previously as Padliptapur, has been nicknamed “City of Temples”. Along with Shikharji in the state of Jharkhand, the two sites are considered the holiest of all pilgrimage places by the Jain community. As the temple-city was built to be an abode for the divine, no one is allowed to stay overnight, including the priests. Every Jain believes that a visit to this group of temples is essential as a once in a life time chance to achieve nirvana or salvation.
This site on Shatrunjaya hill is considered sacred by Jains and have hundreds of temples. There are approximately 863 marble-carved temples on the hills. The main temple is reached by stepping up 3500 steps. It is said that 23 tirthankaras (a human being who helps in achieving liberation and enlightenment), except Neminatha (a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma), sanctified the hill by their visits. The main temple is dedicated to Rishabha, the first tirthankara; it is the holiest shrine for the Svetambara Murtipujaka sect. Digambara Jain have only one temple here.

Nilambagh Palace :

  

The German architect Mr. Simsom is the mastermind behind the Nilambagh Palace Hotel, elegant structure built in 1859. The house has been converted into a renowned heritage hotel in the state of Gujarat. The hotel is a heady mix of splendid royal charm and modern luxuries.

Blackbuck National Park, Velavdar :

  

Established in 1976 in the Bhal region of Saurashtra, the park is located around 42 km from the district headquarters city of Bhavnagar. Hugging the coasts of the Gulf of Khambhat on the south, it is spread over an area of 34.08 km², which was primarily a “vidi” (grassland) of the Maharaja of the princely state of Bhavnagar for hunting the blackbucks with his famous hunting cheetahs. On the northern side, it is surrounded by wastelands and agriculture fields. The National park has been classified as 4B Gujarat-Rajwada biotic province of semi-arid bio-geographical zone.
Flat land, dry grasses and herds of antelopes have always attracted visitors to this park which has a unique grassland ecosystem. A successful conservation program for the Blackbuck, the Wolf and the Lesser Florican (a bustard) among others is ongoing. Considered to be an exclusive Indian species, the Lesser Floricans, which were free dwellers throughout the country, have their numbers plummeting in the recent decades almost everywhere in India. Today, the largest population has been sustained in this park. Local wolf numbers are increasing, as are Striped Hyena, with sightings quite frequent during daylight in winter 2012-2013.

Barton Museum & Library :

  

The 19th century Barton Library is one of the oldest libraries of the city. The library standing in the central part of Bhavnagar is a hub of historical and cultural significance. The Barton library is frequented mainly by the elderly people, who read magazines, newspapers and dailies to pass their time. The library houses a number of books and manuscripts in different languages.