Free convection from an isothermal elliptical cylinder in Bingham plastic fluids is studied numerically. This work spans a wide range of aspect ratios of the elliptical cylinder (0.1 ≤ E ≤ 10) to delineate the effect of shape on the flowfield close to the heated cylinder. The influence of the relevant parameters, namely, Rayleigh number (10 2 ≤ Ra ≤ 10 5 ), Prandtl number (10 ≤ Pr ≤ 100), and Bingham number (0.5 ≤ Bn ≤ 10 7 ), on the momentum and heat transfer characteristics is studied in terms of the yielded/unyielded regions, streamline, isotherm contours, and local Nusselt number for an elliptical cylinder of constant surface area in blunt (E > 1) and slender orientations (E < 1). The Nusselt number shows a positive dependence on the Rayleigh number, and it correlates negatively with Bingham and Prandtl numbers. The blunt orientations (E < 1) enhance heat transfer as compared to that for a circular cylinder (of equal surface area) while slender orientations (E > 1) impede it. Using the present numerical results, predictive correlations have been established in terms of the modified Rayleigh number (Ra ) and Prandtl number (Pr ), thereby enabling the prediction of Nusselt number in a new application. Nomenclature A = surface area of the cylinder, m 2 A p = projected area of the cylinder, m 2 a = semi-axis of the elliptical cylinder along the direction of flow, m Bn = τ o 2b∕μ B V c , Bingham number b = semi-axis of the elliptical cylinder normal to the direction of flow, m C = heat capacity of fluid, J∕kg ·of the outer boundary of the domain, m E = a∕b, aspect ratio of the elliptical cylinder e y = unit vector in y-direction F = total drag force per unit length of the cylinder, N∕m F DP = pressure component of drag force per unit length of the cylinder, N∕m GrGrashof number h = local heat transfer coefficient, W∕m 2 · K k = thermal conductivity of fluid, W∕m · K M = growth rate parameter in Papanastasiou model n s = unit vector normal to the surface of cylinder Nu = local Nusselt number Nu avg = average Nusselt number Nu c = Nusselt number in the conduction limit p = pressure p s = local pressure on the surface of cylinder, Pa p ∞ = reference pressure far away from the cylinder, Pa Pr = Cμ B ∕k, Prandtl number Pr = Pr1 Bn, modified Prandtl number Ra = ρ 2 ∞ CgβT w − T ∞ 2b 3 ∕μ B k, Rayleigh number Ra = Ra∕1 Bn, modified Rayleigh number T = temperature of fluid, K T w = constant wall temperature at the surface of the cylinder, K V = velocity vector V c = characteristic fluid velocity, m∕s β = −1∕ρ∂ρ∕∂Tj P , coefficient of volumetric expansion, 1∕K γ ij = components of the rate of deformation tensor δ = growth rate parameter in Bercovier and Engelman model η = effective fluid viscosity θ = position on the surface of cylinder (measured from the front stagnation point), deg μ B = Bingham plastic viscosity, Pa · s μ y = yielding viscosity, Pa · s ξ = T − T ∞ ∕T w − T ∞ , temperature of fluid ρ = fluid density, kg∕m 3 τ = extra stress tensor τ ij = components of the extra stress tensor τ 0 = Bingham yield stress, P...