Background, Geographic Area and Location: Joypurhat zila was formerly a sub-division of Bogra district. It became a sub-division in 1980 and was upgraded to a zila in 1982. The name of the zila Joypurhat was probably given by the name of Joy Paul, a Paul king whose capital was at Paharpur, a few kilometres away from the zila headquarters. The zila is bounded on the north by Dinajpur zila, on the east by Gaibandha and Bogra zilas, on the south by Bogra and Naogaon zilas, on the west by Naogaon and India. It lies between 24º 51' and 25º 17' north latitudes and between 88º 55' and 88º 17' east longitudes. The total area of the zila is 1012.41 sq. km.
Annual Average Temperature: Maximum 34.6°C, minimum 11.9°C; annual rainfall is 1610 mm.
Main Rivers: LITTLE JAMUNA, Tulsi Ganga and Haramati.
Administration: Joypurhat was the only subdivision of the erstwhile Bogra district, and since 1984 it has been turned into a district. The area of the town is 18.53 km. The zila consists of 5 upazilas, 32 unions, 719 mauzas, 896 villages, 4 paurashavas, 32 wards and 77 mahallas. The upazilas are JOYPURHAT SADAR, AKKELPUR, KALAI, KHETLAL and PANCHBIBI.
Archaeological Heritage and Relics: Remains of the palace of Raja Jaygopal, the Garuda Pillar at Bhimer Panti, Dargah of Nimai Pir.
Historical Events: During the anti-British Swadeshi Movement there was an abortive bomb attack on a train under the leadership of Comrade Abdul Kader Chowdhury and Mihir Mukherjee, the former was later captured and deported to the Andaman.
Marks of the War of Liberation: Mass killing site 4, memorial 2 and mass grave 3.
Ethnic Nationals: Santal, Orao, Munda, Mahali, Koch, Pahan, Buna, Ho, Mahato, Rajbangshi and Koch are noted trible.
Main Crops: Paddy, potato, sugarcane, banana, jute, turmeric, mustard seed and vegetables. Extinct or nearly extinct crops Local varieties of Aus paddy, varieties of pulses, sweet potato, betel leaf, tobacco, nuts.
Main Fruits: Banana, mango, jackfruit, black berry, lichi, guava, papaya, olive, coconut, pineapple, sofeda, grape and orange.
Traditional Transport: Palanquin, horse carriage (tom tom). These means of transport are extinct or nearly extinct.
