Rajahmundry, city in southern India, in eastern Andhra Pradesh, state located at the head of the Godavari River delta. Rajahmundry is a commercial center; rice, cashews, salt, and lumber are traded here. Manufacturing activities include the production of cotton textiles and paper. Bamboo is used as a raw material in the paper mills; it grows extensively in the Godavari Delta. Rajahmundry is also a transportation hub. It is served by a major rail line and is connected by national and state highways to Chennai (formerly Madras), Cuttack, Vijayawada, and Vishakhapatnam, where the nearest airport is located. The Central Tobacco Research Institute is located here, as are several colleges affiliated with Andhra University (founded in 1926). An Orissa-based Vengi king occupied the city in 1449. It was passed to the British in 1757. Population (1991) 324,851.
