Gangavathi is a town, municipality and taluk in the Koppal district of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is one of the main commercial hubs in the entire Kalyana Karnataka region, it is also the largest city in terms of area and population when compared to any towns within Koppal district. It is called as Rice Bowlcity of Karnataka, as it hosts hundreds of Rice Mills and exports rice to tip and corner of the state/country
Geography
Gangavathi lies at an average elevation of, and is situated close to the Tungabhadra Dam. It is a taluka of Koppal, a district that was previously part of Raichur and recently Gangavathi taluk bifurcated into kanakagiri and karatagi, those are new taluks in koppal district. The major sub-districts of the town of Gangavathi are: Basavanna circle, Valmiki circle, Kumara Rama Badavane, Siddikeri, Pampanagar, Uppar Oni, Hirejantakal, Saibaba Nagar, Ram Mandhira, Karnool Saheb Darga, Farah Jamiya Masjid, Pathan wadi, Maheboob Nagar,Mujavar Nagara, Gandhi Chowk, Mahaveer Circle, Indira Nagar, Bannigidada Camp, CBS Colony, Prem Nivas, Gandhi nagar, sayi vijayanagara, saroja nagar, virupapur, killa area, gousiya colony, amar bhagat singh nagar, rana pratap circle, abdul kalam circle,Islampur, KBN circle,Jayanagar and KEB colony. Within the Gangavathi Taluka are thirty-eight gram panchayats, or self-governing villages.
Economy
Gangavathi is a commercial center and a major focal point for the Rice Milling industry, with its rural areas being important for Paddy cultivation - it is considered the "Rice Bowl" of Karnataka. Sugar production is prominent, with Gangavathi Sugar Limited, from Gangavathi, once the second biggest sugar plant in Asia.
Demographics
According to the 2011 India census, Gangavathi had a population of 1,05,529. Males constituted 51% of the population and females 49%. Gangavathi had an average literacy rate of 57%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy was 67%, and female literacy 48%. In Gangavathi 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Landmarks
Notable places of historic importance near Gangavathi are Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site south-west of the town, which includes the Virupaksha Temple, the villages of Kanakagiri and Anegundi, and gurus' tombs at Nava Brindavana. The village of Hemagudda is away - it is the site of the 14th-century safe-haven Hemagudda Fort, and Dasara celebrations within a restored temple. Hampi presents the famous Ugra Narasimha statue. The spectacular stone chariot is yet another must visit site. Tungabhadra dam is located close to the city and channels her water to many of the villages that come under Gangavathi. Within the town are the Kannika Parameshwari, Pampapathi, Muddaneshware and Neelakanteshwara temples.
