Gorakhpur, city, eastern Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It lies along the Rapti River, a tributary of the Ghaghara River, about 70 miles (110 km) east of Faizabad and some 40 miles (65 km) south of the Nepal border.
Gorakhpur was founded about 1400 and named for a Hindu saint. Under the Mughal ruler Akbar, it was an important Muslim garrison town and a division headquarters. The British East India Company acquired the city and surrounding territory in 1801. Gorakhpur subsequently served as the British army recruitment centre for the Gurkhas (ethnic Nepalese soldiers). It was damaged by an earthquake in 1934.
The present-day city is a centre of industry and trade in agricultural products. Industries include textile making, printing, sugar milling, and railroad maintenance. Gorakhpur is a transportation hub, located at the junction of several roads and rail lines. It also has a small regional airport for domestic flights. Embankments built along the river protect the city from flooding. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University (formerly Gorakhpur University; founded 1956) has affiliated colleges throughout the state and runs an archaeological museum in the city. Pop. (2001) 622,701; (2011) 673,446.