Siliguri is a city located in West Bengal with a total population of 5,13,264. It spans areas of the Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts in the Indian state of West Bengal. The city is located on the banks of the Mahananda River and the foothills of the Himalayas. Darjeeling district is bounded on the north by the State of Sikkim, on the South by Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal, on the East by Bhutan and on the West by Nepal. Thus being encircled by international boundary with the countries, this district has remained a place of immense strategic importance since last 200 years. The rivers Mechi, De Chu, Mahananda, Rangit, Teesta and Rangpo form the natural border of the district.
Administratively, district Darjiling is divided into four Sub-Divisions consisting of 12 Community Development Blocks, namely, (1)Darjeeling Pulbazar, (2)Rangli Rangliot, (3)Kalimpong –I, (4)Kalimpong – II, (5)Gorubathan, (6)Jorebunglow Sukiapokhri, (7)Mirik, (8)Kurseong, (9)Matigara, (10)Naxalbari, (11)Phansidewa and (12)Kharibari; five Urban Local Bodies (ULB) consisting of three Municipalities viz. Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, one Notified Area - Mirik and Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC).
The highest employment in the district is in the tea industry, agro based industry, leather industry, mineral based industry, plastic and plastic products industry. The district has 21% of the workforce employed in the Agricultural Sector, 77% in the Industrial Sector and the remaining 2% are Household workers.
Siliguri, gained municipal status in 1949 and grew into Municipal Corporation in 1994. It is one of the most rapidly developing and growing metropolis of the state and also of the country. Some of the oldest sites in Siliguri are, Hill Cart road, Siliguri Town railway station, Mahabirsthan market. Siliguri also known for its 4T: Tea, Timber, Tourism and Transport. Mahananda, Teesta, Mechi, Greater Rangil, Jaldhaka and Balasan are the major rivers draining the district that originate from the Himalayas and are perennial in nature, being fed by the melting snow of the glaciers.
