GUNTUR

town, administrative headquarters of Guntur district, northeastern Andhra Pradesh state, southern India, in the Krishna River Delta. The town was founded in the mid-18th century by the French, but in 1788 it was ceded permanently to the British. It became a municipality in 1866. A railroad junction and trade centre, Guntur's economy is dominated by the growing of jute, tobacco, and rice. It is also the site of an agricultural research station. Andhra Christian College, a government college, a medical college, and several other colleges are affiliated with Andhra University. Nearby is a ruined 12th-century hill fortress. The district, 4,393 sq mi (11,377 sq km) in area, is bounded on the east and north by the Krishna River, from which radiate canals that irrigate the nearby fields of millet, chilies, peanuts (groundnuts), and tobacco. Vegetable oil and textile mills, tobacco factories, and a cement factory are located there. Of note are the ancient Buddhist monuments (dating from the 1st to 3rd century AD) at Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda. Pop. (1981) town, 367,699; district, 3,434,724.