Barkal Upazila (rangamati district) with an area of 760.88 sq km, is bounded by baghaichhari and langadu upazilas on the north, juraichhari and rangamati sadar upazilas on the south, Mizoram (India) on the east and Langadu and Rangamati Sadar upazilas on the west. Main river is Karnafuli; tributaries: Theka, Bara Horina and Choto Horina. Major part of the upazila consists of hills and hillocks. The kaptai lake is notable.

Barkal (Town) consists of one mouza. The area of the town is 12.95 sq km. The town has a population of 1709; male 73.72%, female 26.28%. Literacy rate among the town people is 65.6%. The town has one dakbungalow.

Administration Barkal thana was established in 1923 and was turned into an upazila in 1985. It consists of 5 union parisads, 28 mouzas and 156 villages.

Historical events During the early years of the British rule the atrocities of the Kukis increased in this region. The government established separate district administration to control the situation. An extensive operation was launched in 1872 from Tripura, Kachhar and chittagong hill tracts and the Kuki hide outs were destroyed in Lusai or Mizoram area. During 1891 and 1893 the final campaigns against the Kukis were executed.

Marks of the War of Liberation Memorial at Barkal.

Population 28839; male 57.09%, female 42.91%; Muslim 27.71%, Hindu 2.17%, Buddhist 69.4%, others 0.72%.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 30.4%; male 42.4%, female 13.4%; Educational institutions: high school 2, primary school 106.

Main occupations Agriculture 68.5%, agricultural labourer 10.25%, wage labourer 1.63%, commerce 3.56%, service 3.03%, forestry 4.75%, fishery 2.05%, others 6.23%.

Land use Forestry 599.84 sq km, cultivable and residential land 161.04 sq km.

Land control Absolute land ownership belongs to the state; but cultivable and residential land are distributed on the basis of possession.

Main crops Paddy, cotton, sesame, ginger, turmeric and vegetables.

Main fruits Jackfruit, banana, pineapple, watermelon.

Main hats and bazars Barkal and Choto Horina Bazar.

Main exports Banana, wood, bamboo, sesame, cotton.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1. [Atikur Rahman]