Badaun district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, with its headquarters in the town of Badaun. The district is part of the Bareilly division, and covers an area of 4,234 km2 (1,635 sq mi). According to legend, Budaun was named after the Ahir prince Budh.

Budaun is a medieval city and headquarters of Budaun district, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located about a mile east of the Sot river, and 27 km north of the Ganges, in the Rohilkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. According to the 2011 census, it has a population of 159,221, which is projected at 161,555 at present. Budaun rose to historical importance as the capital of the Delhi Sultanate for four years from 1210 CE to 1214 CE during the reign of Sultan Iltutmish. It was the most important post of Northern Frontier during Mughal reign. Budaun is a big market, historically famous and religiously important city. Budaun is 230 km south-east of New Delhi and 245 km north-west of Lucknow, both taking about 6 hours by road.