SILIGURI

also spelled Shiliguri, city, northern West Bengal state, northeastern India. It lies just west of the Mahananda River. The terminus of the roads from Kalimpang (Kalimpong) and Sikkim and of road and rail connections with Darjiling (Darjeeling) and Jalpaiguri, Siliguri is the hub for trade among Darjiling, Sikkim, and Tibet. Sawmilling and jute milling are important industries; there are also tea plantations in the vicinity. Declared a municipality in 1931, it has several colleges affiliated with the University of North Bengal. After partition of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan in 1947 and the creation of Bangladesh in 1971, the city became a crowded refugee centre. It has grown in strategic importance because of its proximity to international borders. Pop. (1991) 216,950.