BALLIA

town, eastern Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It lies along the Ganges River, 75 miles (120 km) northeast of Varanasi (Benares). An ancient settlement, the town has occasionally been moved northward because of changes in the river's course. Ballia is an administrative, trade, and business centre, with oil and flour mills. The town has two colleges and an annual cattle fair. Ballia is connected by rail with Varanasi and other northern Indian cities. Ballia is situated in an area that comprises the eastern tip of Uttar Pradesh, jutting into Bihar state. This area is a wedge of alluvial plain between the Ganges and Ghaghara rivers, at their confluence. The fertile land, frequently flooded by the rivers, supports rice, barley, chickpeas, millet, legumes, oilseeds, and sugarcane. Pop. (1991) 84,063.