Sylhet is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District. It was given metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is on the banks of the Surma Valley. It is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills. The city has almost 500,000 people. It is one of the largest cities in Bangladesh. The Sylhet region is well known for its tea gardens and tropical forests. Sylhet is one of the richest cities in Bangladesh.