BENARES, a division, district, and city of British India, under the jurisdiction of the Lieutenant-Governor of the N.W. Provinces. BENARES DIVISION lies between 24' and 28° N. lat., and 82' and 85° E. long. It is bounded on the N. by Oudh, the Dual), and Bundelkhand ; on the E. by Nepal ; on the S. by Bengal ; and on the W. by Biwa. It comprises the districts of Mirzapur, Ghtizipur, Azimgarh, Basti, and Gorakhpur ; has an area of 18,314 square miles ; and a total population in 1872, of 8,178,147, of whom 7,286,415, or 89.1, were Hindus ; 889,335, or 10.9, Mahometans ; 1797 Christians and others.