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Northeast India

April 17, 2023

This article is about the North Eastern Region (NER) of India. For other uses, see Northeast (disambiguation).

Northeast India (officially the North Eastern Region (NER)) is the easternmost region of India representing both a geographic and political administrative division of the country.[16] It comprises eight states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura (commonly known as the "Seven Sisters"), and the "brother" state Sikkim.[17]

Northeast India
North Eastern Region (NER)
Coordinates: 26°N 91°E / 26°N 91°E / 26; 91Coordinates: 26°N 91°E / 26°N 91°E / 26; 91
Country India
States
Largest cityGuwahati
Major cities (2011 Census of India)[1]
Area
 • Total262,179 km2 (101,228 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total45,772,188
 • Estimate 
(2022)[2]
51,670,000
 • Density173/km2 (450/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (Indian Standard Time)
Scheduled languages
State/Regional official languages

The region shares an international border of 5,182 kilometres (3,220 mi) (about 99 percent of its total geographical boundary) with several neighbouring countries – 1,395 kilometres (867 mi) with Tibet in the north, 1,640 kilometres (1,020 mi) with Myanmar in the east, 1,596 kilometres (992 mi) with Bangladesh in the south-west, 97 kilometres (60 mi) with Nepal in the west, and 455 kilometres (283 mi) with Bhutan in the north-west.[18] It comprises an area of 262,230 square kilometres (101,250 sq mi), almost 8 percent of that of India. The Siliguri Corridor connects the region to the rest of mainland India.

The states of North Eastern Region are officially recognised under the North Eastern Council (NEC),[17] constituted in 1971 as the acting agency for the development of the north eastern states. Long after induction of NEC, Sikkim formed part of the North Eastern Region as the eighth state in 2002.[19][20] India's Look-East connectivity projects connect Northeast India to East Asia and ASEAN. Guwahati city in Assam is called the Gateway to the North East and is the largest metropolis in North East India.

History

Further information: History of Assam, History of Manipur, History of Tripura, and People of Assam
 
Assam annexation to British India in 1838.
 
Eastern Bengal and Assam in 1907

The earliest settlers may have been Austroasiatic speakers from Southeast Asia, followed by Tibeto-Burman speakers from China, and by 500 BCE Indo-Aryan speakers from the Gangetic Plains as well as Kra–Dai speakers from southern Yunnan and Shan State.[21] Due to the biodiversity and crop diversity of the region, archaeological researchers believe that early settlers of Northeast India had domesticated several important plants.[22] Writers believe that the 100 BCE writings of Chinese explorer Zhang Qian indicate an early trade route via Northeast India.[23] The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea mentions a people called Sêsatai in the region,[24] who produced malabathron, so prized in the old world.[25] Ptolemy's Geographia (2nd century CE) calls the region Kirrhadia, apparently after the Kirata population.[26]

In the early historical period (most of the first millennium CE), Kamarupa straddled most of present-day Northeast India, besides Bhutan and Sylhet in Bangladesh. Xuanzang, a travelling Chinese Buddhist monk, visited Kamarupa in the 7th century CE. He described the people as "short in stature and black-looking", whose speech differed a little from central India and who were of simple but violent disposition. He wrote that the people in Kamarupa knew of Sichuan, which lay to the kingdom's east beyond a treacherous mountain.[27]

The northeastern states were established during the British Raj of the 19th and early 20th centuries, when they became relatively isolated from traditional trading partners such as Bhutan and Myanmar.[28] Many of the peoples in present-day Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland converted to Christianity under the influence of British (Welsh) missionaries.[29]

Formation of North Eastern states

Further information: First Anglo-Burmese War, Bhutan War, Anglo-Khasi War, and Anglo-Manipur War

In the early 19th century, both the Ahom and the Manipur kingdoms fell to a Burmese invasion. The ensuing First Anglo-Burmese War resulted in the entire region coming under British control. In the colonial period (1826–1947), North East India was made a part of Bengal Province from 1839 to 1873, after which Colonial Assam became its own province,[30] but which included Sylhet.

After Indian Independence from British Rule in 1947, the Northeastern region of British India consisted of Assam and the princely states of Tripura Kingdom and Manipur Kingdom. Subsequently, Nagaland in 1963, Meghalaya in 1972, Arunachal Pradesh in 1975 (capital changed to Itanagar) (formed on 20 February 1987) and Mizoram in 1987 were formed out of the large territory of Assam.[31] Manipur and Tripura remained Union Territories of India from 1956 until 1972, when they attained fully-fledged statehood. Sikkim was integrated as the eighth North Eastern Council state in 2002.[19]

The city of Shillong served as the capital of the Assam province created during British Rule. It remained the capital of undivided Assam until the formation of the state of Meghalaya in 1972.[32] The capital of Assam was shifted to Dispur, a part of Guwahati, and Shillong was designated as the capital of Meghalaya.[citation needed]

State Historic Name Capital(s) Statehood
Arunachal Pradesh North-East Frontier Agency Itanagar 1987 (earlier a Union Territory of India, constituted in 1971)[33]
Assam Kamarupa Shillong (till 1969), Dispur 1947
Manipur Kangleipak[34] Imphal 1971 (earlier a Union Territory of India, constituted in 1956)[33]
Meghalaya Khasi hills, Jaintia hills and Garo hills Shillong 1971[33]
Tripura Tipperah[35] Agartala 1971 (earlier a Union Territory of India, constituted in 1956)[33]
Mizoram Lushai hills Aizawl 1987 (earlier a Union Territory of India, constituted in 1971)[33][36]
Nagaland Naga Hills District Kohima 1963
Sikkim Sukhim Gangtok 1975

World War II

Main articles: Battle of Kohima and Battle of Imphal

In 1944, the Japanese planned a daring attack on British India. Traveling through Burma, its forces were stopped at Kohima and Imphal by British and Indian troops. This marked the furthest western expansion of the Japanese Empire; its defeat in this area presaged Allied victory.[37]

Sino-Indian War (1962)

Main article: Sino-Indian War

Arunachal Pradesh, a state in the Northeastern tip of India, is claimed by China as South Tibet.[38] Sino-Indian relations degraded, resulting in the Sino-Indian War of 1962. The cause of the escalation into war is still disputed by both Chinese and Indian sources. During the war in 1962, the PRC (China) captured much of the NEFA (North-East Frontier Agency) created by India in 1954. But on 21 November 1962, China declared a unilateral ceasefire, and withdrew its troops 20 kilometres (12 mi) behind the McMahon Line. It returned Indian prisoners of war in 1963.[39]

Seven Sister States

The Seven Sister States is a popular term for the contiguous states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura prior to inclusion of the state of Sikkim into the North Eastern Region of India. The sobriquet 'Land of the Seven Sisters' was coined to coincide with the inauguration of the new states in January 1972 by Jyoti Prasad Saikia,[40] a journalist in Tripura, in the course of a radio talk show. He later compiled a book on the interdependence and commonness of the Seven Sister States. It has been primarily because of this publication that the nickname has caught on.[41]

Geography

 
Brahmaputra Valley and Eastern Himalaya in Northeast India

The Northeast region can be physiographically categorised into the Eastern Himalaya, the Patkai and the Brahmaputra and the Barak valley plains. Northeast India (at the confluence of Indo-Malayan, Indo-Chinese, and Indian biogeographical realms) has a predominantly humid sub-tropical climate with hot, humid summers, severe monsoons, and mild winters. Along with the west coast of India, this region has some of the Indian subcontinent's last remaining rainforests, which support diverse flora and fauna and several crop species. Reserves of petroleum and natural gas in the region are estimated to constitute a fifth of India's total potential.[citation needed]

The region is covered by the mighty Brahmaputra-Barak river systems and their tributaries. Geographically, apart from the Brahmaputra, Barak and Imphal valleys and some flatlands in between the hills of Meghalaya and Tripura, the remaining two-thirds of the area is hilly terrain interspersed with valleys and plains; the altitude varies from almost sea-level to over 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) above MSL. The region's high rainfall, averaging around 10,000 millimetres (390 in) and above creates problems of the ecosystem, high seismic activity, and floods. The states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have a montane climate with cold, snowy winters and mild summers.[citation needed]

Topography

Highest peaks

 
Mt. Kanchenjunga, Sikkim
Main article: List of Indian states and territories by highest point

Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain peak in the world rising to an altitude of 8,586 m (28,169 ft), lies in-between the state Sikkim and adjacent country Nepal.

Mountains and hills by state
Peak State Range/Region Height (m) Height (ft) Coordinates
Kangchenjunga (shared with Nepal) Sikkim Eastern Himalaya 8,586 28,169 27°42′11″N 88°08′53″E / 27.703°N 88.148°E / 27.703; 88.148
Kangto (shared with China) Arunachal Pradesh Eastern Himalaya 7,090 23,261 27°51′54″N 92°31′59″E / 27.865°N 92.533°E / 27.865; 92.533
Mount Saramati (shared with Myanmar) Nagaland Naga Hills section of the Purvanchal Range 3,841 12,602 25°44′31″N 95°01′59″E / 25.742°N 95.033°E / 25.742; 95.033
Mount Tempü (also known as Mount Iso) Manipur Naga Hills section of the Purvanchal Range 2,994 9,823 25°31′52″N 94°05′06″E / 25.531°N 94.085°E / 25.531; 94.085
Phawngpui Mizoram Lushai Hills section of the Purvanchal Range 2,165 7,103 22°37′55″N 93°02′20″E / 22.632°N 93.039°E / 22.632; 93.039
Shillong Peak Meghalaya Khasi Hills section of the Shillong Plateau 1,965 6,447 25°31′55″N 91°51′04″E / 25.532°N 91.851°E / 25.532; 91.851
Unnamed peak Assam Cachar Hills section of the Karbi Anglong Plateau 1,960 6,430 25°19′16″N 93°27′11″E / 25.321°N 93.453°E / 25.321; 93.453
Betlingchhip (also known as Sibrai-khung) Tripura Jampui Hills section of the Purvanchal Range 930 3,051 23°48′36″N 92°15′40″E / 23.810°N 92.261°E / 23.810; 92.261

Brahmaputra River Basin

 
Brahmaputra river basin
 
Teesta River, Sikkim
See also: Brahmaputra River, List of rivers by length, and List of rivers of Assam

Tributaries of the Brahmaputra River in Northeast India:

Climate

Northeast India has a subtropical climate that is influenced by its relief and influences from the southwest and northeast monsoons.[42][43] The Himalayas to the north, the Meghalaya plateau to the south and the hills of Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur to the east influences the climate.[44] Since monsoon winds originating from the Bay of Bengal move northeast, these mountains force the moist winds upwards, causing them to cool adiabatically and condense into clouds, releasing heavy precipitation on these slopes.[44] It is the rainiest region in the country, with many places receiving an average annual precipitation of 2,000 mm (79 in), which is mostly concentrated in summer during the monsoon season.[44] Cherrapunji, located on the Meghalaya plateau is one of the rainiest place in the world with an annual precipitation of 11,777 mm (463.7 in).[44] Temperatures are moderate in the Brahmaputra and Barak valley river plains which decreases with altitude in the hilly areas.[44] At the highest altitudes, there is permanent snow cover.[44] In general, the region has 3 seasons: Winter, Summer, and rainy season in which the rainy season coincides with the summer months much like the rest of India.[45] Winter is from early November until mid March while summer is from mid-April to mid-October.[44]

Under the Köppen climate classification, the region is divided into 3 broad types: A (tropical climates), C (warm temperate mesothermal climates), and D (snow microthermal climates).[46][47] The tropical climates are located in parts of Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, and the Cachar plains south of 25oN and are classified as tropical wet and dry (Aw).[46] Much of Assam, Nagaland, northern parts of Meghalaya and Manipur and parts of Arunachal Pradesh fall within the warm temperature mesothermal climates (type C) where the mean temperatures in coldest months range from −3 to 18 °C (27 to 64 °F).[47][48] The entire Brahmaputra valley has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa/Cwa) with hot summers.[47][48] At altitudes between 500 to 1,500 m (1,600 to 4,900 ft) located in the eastern hills of Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, a (Cfb/CWb) climate prevails with warm summers.[47][48] Locations above 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in Meghalaya, parts of Nagaland, and northern Arunachal Pradesh have a (Cfc/Cwc) climate with short and cool summers.[48] Finally, the extreme northern parts of Arunachal Pradesh are classified as humid continental climates with mean winter temperatures below −3 °C (27 °F).[47][49]

Temperature

Temperatures vary by altitude with the warmest places being in the Brahmaputra and Barak River plains and the coldest at the highest altitudes.[50] It is also influenced by proximity to the sea with the valleys and western areas being close to the sea, which moderates temperatures.[50] Generally, temperatures in the hilly and mountainous areas are lower than the plains which lie at a lower altitude.[51] Summer temperatures tend to be more uniform than winter temperatures due to high cloud cover and humidity.[52]

In the Brahmaputra and Barak valley river plains, mean winter temperatures vary between 16 and 17 °C (61 and 63 °F) while mean summer temperatures are around 28 °C (82 °F).[50] The highest summer temperatures occur in the West Tripura plain with Agartala, the capital of Tripura having mean maximum summer temperatures ranging between 33 and 35 °C (91 and 95 °F) in April.[53] The highest temperatures in summer occur before the arrival of monsoons and thus eastern areas have the highest temperatures in June and July where the monsoon arrives later than western areas.[53] In the Cachar Plain, located south of the Brahmaputra plain, temperatures are higher than the Brahmaputra plain although the temperature range is smaller owing to higher cloud cover and the monsoons that moderate night temperatures year round.[51][53]

In the mountainous areas of Arunachal Pradesh, the Himalayan ranges in the northern border with India and China experience the lowest temperatures with heavy snow during winter and temperatures that drop below freezing.[51] Areas with altitudes exceeding 2,000 metres (6,562 ft) receive snowfall during winters and have cool summers.[51] Below 2,000 metres (6,562 ft) above sea level, winter temperatures reach up to 15 °C (59 °F) during the day with nights dropping to zero while summers are cool, with a mean maximum of 25 °C (77 °F) and a mean minimum of 15 °C (59 °F).[51] In the hilly areas of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram, winters are cold while summers are cool.[52]

The plains in Manipur has colder winter minimums than what is warranted by its elevation owing to being surrounded by hills on all sides.[54] This is due to temperature inversions during winter nights when cold air descends from the hills into the valleys below and its geographic location which prevents winds that bring hot temperatures and humidity from coming into the Manipur plain.[54] For example in Imphal, winter daytime temperatures hover around 21 °C (70 °F) but nighttime temperatures drop to 3 °C (37 °F).[54]

Rainfall

No part of Northeast India receives less than 1,000 mm (39 in) of rainfall a year.[45] Areas in the Brahmputra valley receive 2,000 mm (79 in) of rainfall a year while mountainous areas receive 2,000 to 3,000 mm (79 to 118 in) a year.[45] The southwest monsoon is responsible for bringing 90% of the annual rainfall to the region.[55] April to late October are the months where most of the rainfall in Northeast India occurs with June and July being the rainiest months.[55] In most parts of the region, the average date of onset of the monsoons is 1 June.[56] Southern areas are the first to receive the monsoon (May or June) with the Brahmaputra valley and the mountainous north receiving later (later May or June).[55] In the hilly parts of Mizoram, the closer proximity to the Bay of Bengal causes it to experience early monsoons with June being the wettest season.[55]

High-risk seismic zone

See also: List of earthquakes in India
 
India Plate and other tectonic plates

The North Eastern Region of India is a mega-earthquake prone zone caused by active fault planes beneath formed by the convergence of three tectonic plates viz. India Plate, Eurasian Plate and Burma Plate. Historically the region has suffered from two great earthquakes (M > 8.0) – 1897 Assam earthquake and 1950 Assam-Tibet earthquake – and about 20 large earthquakes (8.0 > M > 7.0) since 1897.[57][58] The 1950 Assam-Tibet earthquake is still the largest earthquake in India.[citation needed]

Wildlife

Flora

WWF has identified the entire Eastern Himalayas as a priority Global 200 ecoregion. Conservation International has upscaled the Eastern Himalaya hotspot to include all the eight states of Northeast India, along with the neighbouring countries of Bhutan, southern China and Myanmar.

The region has been identified by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research as a center of rice germplasm. The National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), India, has highlighted the region as being rich in wild relatives of crop plants. It is the center of origin of citrus fruits. Two primitive variety of maize, Sikkim Primitive 1 and 2, have been reported from Sikkim (Dhawan, 1964). Although jhum cultivation, a traditional system of agriculture, is often cited as a reason for the loss of forest cover of the region, this primary agricultural economic activity practiced by local tribes supported the cultivation of 35 varieties of crops. The region is rich in medicinal plants and many other rare and endangered taxa. Its high endemism in both higher plants, vertebrates, and avian diversity has qualified it as a biodiversity hotspot.

The following figures highlight the biodiversity significance of the region:[59]

  • 51 forest types are found in the region, broadly classified into six major types – tropical moist deciduous forests, tropical semi-evergreen forests, tropical wet evergreen forests, subtropical forests, temperate forests, and alpine forests.
  • Out of the nine important vegetation types of India, six are found in the North Eastern Region.
  • These forests harbor 8,000 out of 15,000 species of flowering plants. In floral species richness, the highest diversity is reported from the states of Arunachal Pradesh (5000 species) and Sikkim (4500 species) amongst the North Eastern states.
  • According to the Indian Red Data Book, published by the Botanical Survey of India, 10 percent of the flowering plants in the country are endangered. Of the 1500 endangered floral species, 800 are reported from Northeast India.
  • Most of the North Eastern states have more than 60% of their area under forest cover, a minimum suggested coverage for the hill states in the country in order to protect from erosion.
  • Northeast India is a part of Indo-Burma hotspot. This hotspot is the second largest in the world, next only to the Mediterranean Basin, with an area 2,206,000 square kilometres (852,000 sq mi) among the 25 identified.[citation needed]

Fauna

See also: List of amphibians of Northeast India

The International Council for Bird Preservation, UK identified the Assam plains and the Eastern Himalaya as an Endemic Bird Area (EBA). The EBA has an area of 220,000 km2 following the Himalayan range in the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal, Myanmar and the Indian states of Sikkim, North Bengal, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram. Because of a southward occurrence of this mountain range in comparison to other Himalayan ranges, this region has a distinctly different climate, with warmer mean temperatures and fewer days with frost, and much higher rainfall. This has resulted in the occurrence of a rich array of restricted-range bird species. More than two critically endangered species, three endangered species, and 14 vulnerable species of birds are in this EBA. Stattersfield et al. (1998) identified 22 restricted range species, out of which 19 are confined to this region and the remaining three are present in other endemic and secondary areas. Eleven of the 22 restricted-range species found in this region are considered as threatened (Birdlife International 2001), a number greater than in any other EBA of India.[citation needed]

Northeast India is very rich in faunal diversity. There are as many as 15 species of non-human primates and most important of them are hoolock gibbon, stumptied macaque, pigtailed macaque, golden langur, hanuman langur and rhesus monkey. The most important and endangered species is one-horned rhinoceros. The forests of the region are also the habitats of elephant, royal Bengal tiger, leopard, golden cat, fishing cat, marbled cat, Bengal fox etc. the Gangetic dolphin in the Brahmaputra is also an endangered species. The other endangered species are otter, mugger crocodile, tortoise and some fishes.[60]

WWF has identified the following priority ecoregions in North-East India:

Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests
Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests
Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
Northeast India–Myanmar pine forests

National Parks

See also: Wildlife sanctuaries of India and List of national parks of India
National park Location State Area (km2) Importance Vegetation
Namdapha National Park Changlang district Arunachal Pradesh 1,985 Largest protected area in Eastern Himalaya Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, montane forests
Manas National Park Baksa district Assam 950 UNESCO World Heritage Site Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Kaziranga National Park Golaghat and Nagaon districts Assam [61] 882 UNESCO World Heritage Site Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests, Terai–Duar savanna and grasslands
Khangchendzonga National Park North Sikkim district Sikkim 850 UNESCO Mixed World Heritage Site and highest altitude wildlife protected area in India Sub-tropical to Alpine, Krummholz (stunted forest)[62]
Mouling National Park Upper Siang, West Siang and East Siang districts Arunachal Pradesh 483 Tropical to Temperate forests
Dibru-Saikhowa National Park Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts Assam 350 Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests
Balphakram National Park South Garo Hills district Meghalaya 220 Sub-tropical evergreen deciduous forests
Intangki National Park Peren district Nagaland 202 Temperate evergreen forests
Nameri National Park Sonitpur district Assam 200 Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests
Murlen National Park Champhai district Mizoram 100 Montane sub-tropical semi-evergreen forest[63]
Orang National Park Darrang and Sonitpur Assam 79 Eastern seasonal swamp forests, Eastern Himalayan moist mixed deciduous forests, eastern wet alluvial grasslands[64]
Phawngpui National Park Lawngtlai district Mizoram 50 Temperate forests[65]
Nokrek National Park West Garo Hills district Meghalaya 48 Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Sirohi National Park Ukhrul district Manipur 41 Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests
Keibul Lamjao National Park Bishnupur district Manipur 40 World's only floating National park Phumdi (floating marshes)
Bison (Rajbari) National Park South Tripura district Tripura 32 Tropical semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests
Clouded Leopard National Park Sepahijala district Tripura 5 Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests

State Symbols

Main article: List of symbols of Indian states and territories
Arunachal Pradesh Assam Manipur Meghalaya
Animal Mithun (Bos frontalis)   Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)   Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii)   Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)  
Bird Hornbill (Buceros bicornis)   White-winged duck (Asarcornis scutulata)   Mrs. Hume's pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae)   Hill myna (Gracula religiosa)  
Flower Foxtail orchid (Rhynchostylis retusa)   Foxtail orchid (Rhynchostylis retusa)   Siroi lily (Lilium mackliniae)   Lady's Slipper Orchid (Paphiopedilum insigne)  
Tree Hollong (Dipterocarpus macrocarpus)   Hollong (Dipterocarpus macrocarpus)   Uningthou (Phoebe hainesiana)   Gamhar (Gmelina arborea)  
Mizoram Nagaland Sikkim Tripura
Animal Himalayan serow (Capricornis thar)   Mithun (Bos frontalis)   Red panda (Ailurus fulgens)   Phayre's leaf monkey (Trachypithecus phayrei)  
Bird Mrs. Hume's pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae)   Blyth's tragopan (Tragopan blythii)   Blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus)   Green imperial pigeon (Ducula aenea)  
Flower Red Vanda (Renanthera imschootiana)   Tree rhododendron (Rhododendron arboreum)   Noble dendrobium (Dendrobium nobile)   Indian rose chestnut (Mesua ferrea)  
Tree Indian rose chestnut (Mesua ferrea)   Alder (Alnus nepalensis)   Rhododendron (Rhododendron niveum)   Agarwood (Aquilaria agallocha)

Demographics

Main article: 2011 Census of India
Further information: Assamese people, Bengali people, Meitei people, and Mizo people

The total population of Northeast India is 46 million with 68 percent of that living in Assam alone. Assam also has a higher population density of 397 persons per km2 than the national average of 382 persons per km2. The literacy rates in the states of the Northeastern region, except those in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, are higher than the national average of 74 percent. As per 2011 census, Meghalaya recorded the highest population growth of 27.8 percent among all the states of the region, higher than the national average at 17.64 percent; while Nagaland recorded the lowest in the entire country with a negative 0.5 percent.[66]

State Population Males Females Sex Ratio Literacy % Rural Population Urban Population Area (km2) Density (/km2)
Arunachal Pradesh 1,383,727 713,912 669,815 938 65.38 870,087 227,881 83,743 17
Assam 31,205,576 15,939,443 15,266,133 958 72.19 23,216,288 3,439,240 78,438 397
Manipur 2,570,390 1,290,171 1,280,219 992 79.21 1,590,820 575,968 22,327 122
Meghalaya 2,966,889 1,491,832 1,475,057 989 74.43 1,864,711 454,111 22,429 132
Mizoram 1,097,206 555,339 541,867 976 91.33 447,567 441,006 21,081 52
Nagaland 1,978,502 1,024,649 953,853 931 79.55 1,647,249 342,787 16,579 119
Sikkim 610,577 323,070 287,507 890 81.42 480,981 59,870 7,096 86
Tripura 3,673,917 2,087,059 2,086,858 960 91.58 2,639,134 1,534,783 10,486 350

Largest cities by population

Main articles: List of cities in India by population and List of cities in Assam by population

According to 2011 Census of India, the largest cities in Northeast India are

Rank City Type State Population Rank City Type State Population
1 Guwahati City Assam 968,549 9 Jorhat UA Assam 153,889
2 Agartala City Tripura 622,613 10 Nagaon UA Assam 147,496
3 Imphal UA Manipur 414,288 11 Bongaigaon UA Assam 139,650
4 Dimapur City Nagaland 379,769 12 Tinsukia UA Assam 126,389
5 Shillong UA Meghalaya 354,325 13 Tezpur UA Assam 102,505
6 Aizawl City Mizoram 291,822 14 Kohima UA Nagaland 100,000
7 Silchar UA Assam 229,136 15 Gangtok City Sikkim 98,658
8 Dibrugarh UA Assam 154,296 16 Itanagar City Arunachal Pradesh 95,650

UA: Urban Agglomeration[67]

Languages

 
The official languages of the Indian Republic recognised by the Constitution of India which are indigenous to Northeast India written in their respective official scripts

Northeast India constitutes a single linguistic region within the Indian national context, with about 220 languages in multiple language families (Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan, Kra–Dai, Austroasiatic, as well as some creole languages) that share a number of features that set them apart from most other areas of the Indian subcontinent (such as alveolar consonants rather than the more typical dental/retroflex distinction).[68][69] Assamese, an Indo-Aryan language spoken mostly in the Brahmaputra Valley, developed as a lingua franca for many speech communities. Assamese-based pidgin/creoles have developed in Nagaland (Nagamese) and Arunachal (Nefamese),[70] though Nefamese has been replaced by Hindi in recent times. The Austro-Asiatic family is represented by the Khasi, Jaintia and War languages of Meghalaya. A small number of Tai–Kadai languages (Ahom, Tai Phake, Khamti, etc.) are also spoken. Sino-Tibetan is represented by a number of languages that differ significantly from each other,[71] some of which are: Boro, Rabha, Karbi, Mising, Tiwa, Deori, Biate etc. (Assam); Garo, Hajong, Biate (Meghalaya) Ao, Angami, Sema, Lotha, Konyak etc. (Nagaland); Mizo, Hmar, Paite, etc. (Mizoram); Hrusso, Tanee, Nisi, Adi, Abor, Nocte, Apatani, Misimi etc. (Arunachal). Meitei is the official language in Manipur, the dominant language of the Imphal Valley; while "Naga" languages such as Poumai, Mao, Maram, Rongmei (Kabui) and Tangkul, and Kuki-Chin languages such as Thadou-Kuki, Mizo, Paite, Simte and Hmar predominate in individual hill areas of the state.[72]

Main languages of North East India[73][74]

  Assamese (33.24%)
  Bengali (26.20%)
  Hindi (5.45%)
  Manipuri (3.79%)
  Bodo (3.14%)
  Khasi (3.12%)
  Nepali (2.73%)
  Garo (2.49%)
  Kokborok (2.21%)
  Mizo (1.80%)
  Mishing (1.38%)
  Karbi (1.15%)
  Others (13.30%)

Among other Indo-Aryan languages, Bengali language is spoken in South Assam in the Barak Valley, where Bengali is an official language. Chakma is also an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Mizoram. Besides the Sino-Tibetan Tripuri language, Bengali is a majority language in Tripura. Nepali, an Indo-Aryan language, is dominant in Sikkim, besides the Sino-Tibetan languages Limbu, Bhutia, Lepcha, Rai, Tamang, Sherpa, etc. Bengali was made the official language of Colonial Assam from 1836 to 1873.[75]

Official languages

See also: Languages with official status in India

Etymology of state names

See also: Nomenclature of States in North East India and List of Indian state and union territory name etymologies
Name of state Origin Literal meaning
Arunachal Pradesh Sanskrit Land of the dawn-lit mountains
Assam Native word or

Sanskrit

Assam's name may come from Sanskrit "Asama" meaning uneven (terrain), or from the Ahom dynasty who migrated from Myanmar, and anglicized to "Assam" during British rule. [79]
Manipur Sanskrit Land abundant with jewels, adopted in the 18th century
Meghalaya Sanskrit Abode of the clouds, coined by Shiba P. Chatterjee
Mizoram Mizo language Land of the Mizo people; Ram – means land
Nagaland English Land of the Naga people
Sikkim Limbu language New House – Derived from the word "Sukhim", "Su" meaning new and "Khim" meaning house
Tripura Kokborok Sanskrit version of native names: Tipra, Tuipura, Twipra etc. It literally means Land near the Water – Derived from the word "TWIPRA", "Twi" meaning water and "Bupra" meaning near. As Tripura is slightly near the Bay of Bengal

Religions

Religion in Northeast India (2011)

  Hinduism (54.02%)
  Islam (25.05%)
  Christianity (17.24%)
  Buddhism (1.37%)
  Jainism (0.07%)
  Sikhism (0.07%)
  Other (1.97%)
  No religion (0.21%)

Hinduism is the majority religion in the North Eastern states of Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Sikkim and plurality at Arunachal Pradesh while Christianity is the majority religion in Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and plurality at Manipur. Islam has a significant presence in Assam and about 93% of all North East Muslim population are concentrated in that state alone. A bulk of Christian population in India resides in North East, as about 30% of India's Christian population are being concentrated in North Eastern region alone. There is a significant presence of Buddhism in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.[80]

Religious population in North Eastern Region, according to 2011 Census of India[81]
State Hinduism Islam Christianity Buddhism Jainism Sikhism Other Religions Religion Not Stated
Arunachal Pradesh 401,876 27,045 418,732 162,815 771 3,287 362,553 6,648
Assam 19,180,759 10,679,345 1,165,867 54,993 25,949 20,672 27,118 50,873
Manipur 1,181,876 239,836 1,179,043 7,084 1,692 1,527 233,767 10,969
Meghalaya 342,078 130,399 2,213,027 9,864 627 3,045 258,271 9,578
Mizoram 30,136 14,832 956,331 93,411 376 286 808 1,026
Nagaland 173,054 48,963 1,739,651 6,759 2,655 1,890 3,214 2,316
Sikkim 352,662 9,867 60,522 167,216 314 1,868 16,300 1,828
Tripura 3,063,903 316,042 159,882 125,385 860 1,070 1,514 5,261
Total 24,726,344 11,466,329 7,893,055 627,527 33,244 33,645 903,545 88,499

Ethnic groups

Northeast India has over 220 ethnic groups and an equal number of dialects in which Bodo form the largest indigenous ethnic group.[82] The hills states in the region like Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland are predominantly inhabited by tribal people with a degree of diversity even within the tribal groups. The region's population results from ancient and continuous flows of migrations from Tibet, Indo-Gangetic India, the Himalayas, present Bangladesh, and Myanmar.[83]

Majority communities

These ethnic groups form significant majorities in the states/regions of Northeast India:

Minority communities

These ethnic groups form minorities in the states of Northeast India:


  •  
    British India map of Northeast India by ethnicity, 1891
  •  
    A Naga warrior in 1960
  •  

    An Ao Naga girl in her traditional attire in Nagaland

  •  
    Shad suk Mynsiem, a Khasi festival
  •  
    Traditional Hajong Clothing
  •  
    Aka tribe, Arunachal Pradesh
  •  
    Mizo school girls
  •  
    Women selling fruits in Senapati, Manipur
  •  
    Princess of Sikkim in traditional royal dress
  •  
    Tripuri woman in traditional attire
  •  

    Asamiya youth in Bihu attire.

 
Mizo girls in Mizo traditional dress
 
Lahoo Dance of Meghalaya

Culture

Cuisines

Main article: Indian cuisine
State Staple diet Popular dishes Related article
Arunachal Pradesh Rice, fish, meat, leaf vegetables Thukpa, momo, apong (rice beer) Cuisine of Arunachal Pradesh
Assam Rice, fish, meat, leaf vegetable Assam tea, Pitha (rice cakes), Khar (alkali), Khar-Matidail, Ou-tenga-Maasor-Jul, Pura-Maas, Alu-Pitika, Pani-Tenga, Kharoli, Khorisa (bamboo shoot), Xukan Maasor Xukoti, Pointa-Bhaat, Tupula-Bhaat, Sunga-Sawul (rice cooked in bamboo), Kharikat Diya Maas, Kharikat Dia-Mangxo, Pati-Hanhor-Mangxo-Jul (duck stew), Lai-Xak-Gahori-Mangxo (pork with mustard greens), Kumol Sawul-Doi Jolpaan, Tamul (betel nut) – paan, rice beer (Judima, Rohi, Xaj Pani, Apong etc.) Assamese cuisine
Manipur Rice, fish, local vegetables Eromba, u-morok, singju, ngari (fermented fish), kangshoi Cuisine of Manipur
Meghalaya Rice, spiced meat, fish Khasi dishes – Thungtap, Dohjem, Thungrumbai, Jadoh, ki kpu, Garo dishes – kappa, brenga, so•tepa, wa•tepa, pura, minil, na•kam (dried fish), bamboo shoot Cuisine of Meghalaya
Mizoram Rice, fish, meat Bai, bekang (fermented soya beans), sa-um (fermented pork), sawhchiar
Nagaland Rice, meat, stewed or steamed vegetables fermented bamboo shoot, smoked pork and beef, axone, galho, bhut jolokia Naga cuisine
Sikkim Rice, meat, dairy products Thukpa, momo, sha Phaley, gundruk, sinki, sel roti Sikkimese cuisine
Tripura Mai (rice), Aa (fish), Muihan/Kakai (meat), Sikamuk/Kakamuk (edible snails), Sindai (oysters), local vegetables Maidul (rice ball), Awang bangwi, Awang sokrang, Chakhūi, Gudok, Mosodeng, Awandru, Mūkhūi, Hangjak, Yikjak, Wahan mosodeng, Muiya (bamboo shoot), Berma Bwtwi (fermented fish) Tripuri cuisine

Arts

The Manipuri Raas Leela dance (from Manipur) and the Sattriya (from Assam) have been included in the elite category of the "Classical Dances of India", as officially recognised by both the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Ministry of Culture (India). Besides these, all tribes in Northeast India have their own folk dances associated with their religion and festivals. The tribal heritage in the region is rich with the practice of hunting, land cultivation and indigenous crafts. The rich culture is vibrant and visible with the traditional attires of each community.[citation needed]

All states in Northeast India share the handicrafts of bamboo and cane, wood carving, making traditional weapons and musical instruments, pottery and handloom weaving. Traditional tribal attires are made of thick fabrics primarily with cotton.[84] Assam silk is a famous industry in the region.

State Traditional Performing Arts Traditional Visual Arts Traditional Crafts
Arunachal Pradesh Wancho dances, Idu Mishmi dance, Digaru Mishmi Buiya dance, Khampti dance, Ponung dance, Sadinuktso[85] Cane and bamboo, cotton and wool weaving, wood carving, blacksmithy (hand tools, weapons, ornaments, dishes, sacred bells and smoking pipes)[85][86]
Assam Sattriya, Bagurumba, Bihu dance, Bhaona (For more see Music of Assam) Hastividyarnava (For more see Fine Arts of Assam) Cane and bamboo, bell metal and brass, silk, toy and mask making, pottery and terracotta, jewellery, musical instruments making, boat making, paints
Manipur Manipuri dance (Ras Lila), Kartal Cholom, Manjira Cholom, Khubak Eshei, Pung Cholom, Lai-Haraoba Cotton textile, bamboo crafts (hats, baskets), pottery[86][84]
Meghalaya Nongkrem, Shad suk, Behdienkhlam, Wangala, Lahoo dance[87][86] (For more see Music of Meghalaya) Making hand tools and weapons, musical instruments (drums), cane and bamboo work, weaving traditional attires, jewellery making (gold, coral, glass), wall engravings, wood carving[86][88]
Mizoram Cheraw, Khuallam, Chheih-Lam, Chai, Rallu-Lam, Sawlakia, Sarlamkai, Par-lam, Sakei Lu Lam[89] (For more see Music of Mizoram),Bizhu Dance Traditional hand tools, weapons and textile work, bamboo and cane handicrafts[90][86]
Nagaland Zeliang dance, war dance, Nruirolians (cock dance) (For more see Music of Nagaland) Cane and bamboo crafts, traditional hand tools, weapons and textile work, wood carving, pottery, ornaments for traditional attire, musical instruments (drum and trumpet)[86]
Sikkim Chu Faat dance, Lu Khangthamo, Gha To Kito, Rechungma, Maruni, Tamang Selo, Singhi Chaam, Yak Chaam, Khukuri dance, Rumtek Chaam (mask dance)[91][92][93] (See also Music of Sikkim) Thangka (showcasing Buddhist teachings on cotton canvas using vegetable dyes)[92] Handmade paper, carpet making, woollen textile, wood carving[92]
Tripura Tripuri dances, Mamita dance, Goria dance, Lebang dance, Mosak sulmani dance, Hojagiri dance, Bizhu dance, Wangala, Hai-hak dance, Sangrai dance, Owa dance Rock curbings of different gods and goddesses Cane and bamboo, Traditional cotton textiles, weaving and handloom, moluwa /sitalpati(mat making), wood carving,[86] string and wind musical instruments

Music

Further information: Moirang Sai, Shakuhachi meets Pena, and Nura Pakhang (Eu e Tu)

Northeast is a hub of different genres of music. Each community has its own rich heritage of folk music. Talented musicians and singers are plentifully found in this part of the country. The Assamese singer-composer Bhupen Hazarika achieved national and international fame with his remarkable creations. Another famous singer from Assam, Pratima Barua Pandey is a well-known folk singer. Zubeen Garg, Papon, Anurag Saikia are some other notable singers, musicians from the state of Assam. Tangkhul Naga folk blue singer like Rewben Mashangva, who comes from Ukhrul, is an acclaimed Folk singer whose music is inspired by the like of Bob Dylan and Bob Marley. Another famous folk singing band from Nagaland popularly known as Tetseo Sisters is one to be noted for their original music genre. However, younger generation has started pursuing western music more and more nowadays. The northeast region has seen a significant increase in musical innovation in the 21st century.[94]

Literature

Further information: Meitei Mahabharata, Epic cycles of incarnations, and Khamba Thoibi Sheireng

Many of the Northeast Indian indigenous communities have an ancient heritage of folktales which tell the tale of their origin, rituals, beliefs and so on. These tales are transmitted from one generation to another in oral form. They are remarkable instances of tribal wisdom and imagination. However, Assam, Tripura and Manipur have some ancient written texts. These states were mentioned in the great Hindu epic Mahabharata. The Saptakanda Ramayana in Assamese by Madhava Kandali is considered the first translation of the Sanskrit Ramayana into a modern Indo-Aryan Language. Karbi Ramayana bears witness to the old heritage of written literature in Assam. Two writers from the Northeast, viz., Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya and Mamoni Raisom Goswami, have been awarded Jnanpith, the highest literary award in India.[95] Hence, Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya was the first Assamese writer and from the Northeast India to receive Jnanpith Award for his Assamese novel Mrityunjay(1979).[96] Mamoni Raisom Goswami was awarded the Jnanpith Award in the year 2000.[95] Nagen Saikia is the first writer from Assam and the Northeast India, to have been conferred the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship by the Sahitya Akademi.[97][98] The last quarter of the 20th century saw the rise of modern literature in the Northeast. Most of the writers, especially the tribal writers, are bilingual, that is, they write both in their mother-tongue and English. Some of the general features of this literature are—retrieval of folklore, celebration of folk culture, identity politics, reaction to the insurgency and counter-insurgency operations, depiction of natural beauty, changes meted out by time, etc. The major writers of Northeast Literature are--(from Assam) Lakshminath Bezbaroa, Homen Borgohain, Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya, Harekrishna Deka, Rongbong Terang, Nilmani Phukan, Indira Goswami, Hiren Bhattacharyya, Mitra Phukan, Jahnavi Barua, Dhruba Hazarika, Rita Chowdhury, D N Bezbarua, Nilim Kumar, Anupama Basumatary, Uddipana Goswami, Aruni Kashyap; (from Arunachal Pradesh) Mamang Dai; (from Manipur) Robin S Ngangom, Ratan Thiyam, Thangjam Ibopishak, Gambhini Devi, T Bijoykumar Singh; (from Meghalaya) Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, Esther Syiem, Desmond Kharmawphlang, Paul Lyngdoh, Anjum Hassan; (from Mizoram) Mona Zote; (from Nagaland) Temsula Ao, Cherrie Chhangte, Easterine Kire; (from Sikkim) Sudha M Rai, Rajendra Bhandari (from Tripura) Chandrakanta Murasingh. Temsula Ao is the first writer from Northeast India to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award (2013) in the Indian English Literature category for her collection of short stories, Laburnum for My Head, and Padmashree (2007). Easterine Kire is the first English novelist hailed from Nagaland. She received The Hindu Literary Prize (2015) for her novel When the River Sleeps. Indira Goswami, alias Mamoni Roisom Goswami, is an acclaimed Assamese writer whose novels include Moth-Eaten Howda of the Tusker, Pages Stained with Blood, The Shadow of Kamakhya and The Blue-Necked God. Mamang Dai won the Sahitya Akademi Award (2017) for her novel The Black Hill.[99]

Festivals

See also: Sangai festival and Emoinu Fish Fest

Indigenous festivals in the northeast include the Ojiale festival of the Wancho people, Chhekar festival of the Sherdukpen people, Longte Yullo festival of Nishis, Solung festival of Adis, Losar festival of Monpas, Reh festival of Idu Mishmis and Dree festival of Apatani. Mamita Tripurabda(Tring festival), Buisu, Hangrai, Hojagiri, Kharchi and Garia festivals of Tripura, [100] In Manipur popular festivals include Ningol Chakouba and the Manipur boat racing festival or the Heikru Hidongba.

Administration and political disputes

International borders management

Pan-states development authorities

States and sub-divisions

Main articles: Administrative divisions of India and List of districts in India
State Code Capital Districts Sub-division Type Number of Subdivisions
Arunachal Pradesh IN-AR Itanagar 20 Circle 149
Assam IN-AS Dispur 35 Sub-division 78
Manipur IN-MN Imphal 16 Sub-division 38
Meghalaya IN-ML Shillong 12 Community Development Block 39
Mizoram IN-MZ Aizawl 11 Community Development Block 22
Nagaland IN-NL Kohima 16 Circle 33
Sikkim IN-SK Gangtok 6 Sub-division 9
Tripura IN-TR Agartala 8 Sub-division 23
Autonomous Administrative Divisions in North Eastern States
State Autonomous Division Establishment
Assam Bodoland Territorial Area Districts February 2003
Dima Hasao district February 1970
Karbi Anglong district February 1970
Mising Autonomous Council 1995
Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council 1995
Manipur[101][102] Churachandpur Autonomous District Council 1971
Chandel Autonomous District Council 1971
Senapati Autonomous District Council 1971
Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council 1971
Tamenglong Autonomous District Council 1971
Ukhrul Autonomous District Council 1971
Meghalaya Garo Hills Autonomous District Council
Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council July 2012
Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council
Mizoram Chakma Autonomous District Council April 1972
Lai Autonomous District Council April 1972
Mara Autonomous District Council May 1971
Tripura Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council January 1982
Main article: Autonomous administrative divisions of India

Government

The northeastern states, having 3.8% of India's total population, are allotted 25 out of a total of 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. This is 4.6% of the total number of seats.[citation needed]

State Chief Minister[103] Governor[104] High Court Chief Justice
Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu B. D. Mishra Guwahati High Court (Itanagar Bench) Ajai Lamba, Chief Justice
Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma Jagdish Mukhi Guwahati High Court Ajai Lamba, Chief Justice
Manipur Nongthombam Biren Singh La. Ganesan Manipur High Court Justice N. Kotiswar Singh
Meghalaya Conrad Sangma B. D. Mishra Meghalaya High Court Justice Dinesh Maheshwari
Mizoram Zoramthanga Kambhampati Hari Babu Guwahati High Court (Aizawl Bench) Shri Ajai Lamba, Chief Justice
Nagaland Neiphiu Rio Jagdish Mukhi Guwahati High Court (Kohima Bench) Ajai Lamba, Chief Justice
Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang Ganga Prasad Sikkim High Court Justice Satish K. Agnihotri
Tripura Manik Saha Satyadev Narayan Arya Tripura High Court Justice Tinlianthang Vaiphei

20th century separatist unrest

Main article: Insurgency in Northeast India

In 1947 Indian independence and partition resulted in the North East becoming a landlocked region. This exacerbated the isolation that has been recognized, but not studied. East Pakistan controlled access to the Indian Ocean.[105] The mountainous terrain has hampered the construction of road and railways connections in the region.[citation needed]

Several militant groups have formed an alliance to fight against the governments of India, Bhutan, and Myanmar, and now use the term "Western Southeast Asia" (WESEA) to refer to the region.[106] The separatist groups include the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak-Pro (PREPAK-Pro), Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) and United National Liberation Front (UNLF) of Manipur, Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) of Meghalaya, Kamatapur Liberation Organization (KLO), which operates in Assam and North Bengal, National Democratic Front of Bodoland and ULFA of Assam, and the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT).[107]

Economy

The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) is the deciding body under Government of India for socio-economic development in the region. The North Eastern Council under MDoNER serves as the regional governing body for Northeast India. The North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) is a Public Limited Company providing assistance to micro, small, medium and large enterprises within the northeastern region (NER). Other organizations under MDoNER include North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC), Sikkim Mining Corporation Limited (SMC) and North Eastern Handlooms and Handicrafts Development Corporation (NEHHDC).

Industries

Agriculture

See also: Central Agricultural University

The economy is agrarian. Little land is available for settled agriculture. Along with settled agriculture, jhum (slash-and-burn) cultivation is still practised by a few indigenous groups of people. The inaccessible terrain and internal disturbances has made rapid industrialisation difficult in the region.[citation needed]

Tourism

See also: Tourism in North East India and Tourism in India by state

Living Root Bridges

Northeast India is also the home of many living root bridges. In Meghalaya, these can be found in the southern Khasi and Jaintia Hills.[108][109][110] They are still widespread in the region, though as a practice they are fading out, with many examples having been destroyed in floods or replaced by more standard structures in recent years.[111] Living root bridges have also been observed in the state of Nagaland, near the Indo-Myanmar border.[112]

Newspapers and Magazines

See also: Meitei language newspapers

Northeast India has several newspapers in both English and regional languages. The largest circulated English daily in Assam is The Assam Tribune. In Meghalaya, The Shillong Times is the highest circulated newspaper. In Nagaland, Nagaland Post has the highest number of readers. G Plus is the only print and digital English weekly tabloid published from Guwahati. In Manipur, Imphal Free Press is a highly respected newspaper. In Arunachal Pradesh, The Arunachal Times is the highest circulated newspaper in Arunachal Pradesh.[citation needed]

Transportation

Air

 
Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Agartala airport (Tripura)
Main article: List of airports in India

States in the North Eastern Region are well connected by air-transport conducting regular flights to all major cities in the country. The states also own several small airstrips for military and private purposes which may be accessed using Pawan Hans helicopter services. The region currently has two international airports viz. Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Bir Tikendrajit International Airport Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport conducting flights to Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan. While the airport in Sikkim is under-construction, Bagdogra Airport (IATA: IXB, ICAO: VEBD) remains the closest domestic airport to the state.

Railway

Main article: Northeast Frontier Railway zone

Railway in Northeast India is delineated as Northeast Frontier Railway zone of Indian Railways. The regional network is underdeveloped. States of Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Sikkim will remain almost disconnected till March 2023 when the capital cities of Manipur Mizoram and-Nagaland are expected to get the rail links once the under construction rail projects are completed.[113]

Look East Policy

 
The India–Myanmar–Thailand road connectivity will make Moreh and Imphal of Northeast India the important commercial centres in the international trilateral connectivity.
 
The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project will provide sea access to Northeastern states of India through Myanmar

In the 21st century, there has been recognition among policymakers and economists of the region that the main stumbling block for economic development of the Northeastern region is the disadvantageous geographical location.[114] It was argued that globalisation propagates deterritorialisation and a borderless world which is often associated with economic integration. With 98 percent of its borders with China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal, Northeast India appears to have a better scope for development in the era of globalisation.[115] As a result, a new policy developed among intellectuals and politicians that one direction the Northeastern region must be looking to as a new way of development lies with political integration with the rest of India and economic integration with the rest of Asia and Oceania, with North, East and Southeast Asia, Micronesia and Polynesia in particular, as the policy of economic integration with the rest of India did not yield much dividends. With the development of this new policy, the Government of India directed its Look East policy towards developing the Northeastern region. This policy is reflected in the Year End Review 2004 of the Ministry of External Affairs, which stated that: "India’s Look East Policy has now been given a new dimension by the UPA Government. India is now looking towards a partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN countries, both within BIMSTEC and the India-ASEAN Summit dialogue as integrally linked to economic and security interests, particularly for India’s East and North East region."[116]

Development and connectivity projects

The north-east (NE) region of India lags behind the rest of the country in several development indicators. Although infrastructure has developed over the years, the region has to go a long way to level up the national standard. The total road network of about 377 thousand km of NE contributes about 9.94 per cent of the total roads in the country. Road density in terms of road length per thousand square kilometers. area is very poor in hilly state of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Sikkim, while it is significantly high in Tripura and Assam. The road length per 100 km2 area in NE districts varies from as less as below 10 km (in Arunachal Pradesh) to more than 200 km (in Tripura). Other means of transport such as rail, air and water is insignificant in NE (except Assam); however, a few cities of these states having direct air connectivity in the region. The total railway network in the NE is 2,602 km (as on 2011), which is only about 4 per cent of the total rail network of the country. Constructions of roads build the road map for development and road is the only means of mass transport for the entire NE of India. Due to hilly terrain and varied altitudes, rail transport is mainly confined to Assam and water transport is almost non-existent.

India's road network has benefited greatly from the articulation of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP). The Ministry has formulated the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East (SARDP-NE) for the development/improvement of more than 10,000 km roads in the NE states. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has been paying special attention to the development of national highways in the region and has assigned 10 per cent of the total allocation of fund for the NE region.

Another major constraint of surface infrastructure projects in the NE states has to be linked up with parallel developments in the neighboring countries, particularly with Bangladesh. The restoration and extension of pre-partition land and river transit routes through Bangladesh is vital for transport infrastructure in NE states. Other international cooperation, such as, revival of Ledo road (Stilwell road) connecting Ledo in Assam to northern Myanmar and extended up to Kunming in south-eastern China, Kaladan Multimodal Transit Project and Trans-Asian Railways, could open up an eastern window for the land-locked NE states of India. Various regional initiatives, such as, the Bangladesh–China–India–Myanmar (BCIM) and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway (IMTTH) project to link the markets of South and Southeast Asia, are in very initial stages.[117]

See also

References

Citations

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External links

 
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April 17, 2023
northeast, india, this, article, about, north, eastern, region, india, other, uses, northeast, disambiguation, officially, north, eastern, region, easternmost, region, india, representing, both, geographic, political, administrative, division, country, compris. This article is about the North Eastern Region NER of India For other uses see Northeast disambiguation Northeast India officially the North Eastern Region NER is the easternmost region of India representing both a geographic and political administrative division of the country 16 It comprises eight states Arunachal Pradesh Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland and Tripura commonly known as the Seven Sisters and the brother state Sikkim 17 Northeast IndiaNorth Eastern Region NER Coordinates 26 N 91 E 26 N 91 E 26 91 Coordinates 26 N 91 E 26 N 91 E 26 91Country IndiaStatesArunachal Pradesh Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Tripura SikkimLargest cityGuwahatiMajor cities 2011 Census of India 1 Agartala Aizawl Imphal Itanagar Silchar Shillong Dibrugarh Dimapur KohimaArea Total262 179 km2 101 228 sq mi Population 2011 Total45 772 188 Estimate 2022 2 51 670 000 Density173 km2 450 sq mi Time zoneUTC 5 30 Indian Standard Time Scheduled languagesAssamese 3 Bengali 3 Bodo 3 Meitei Manipuri 3 4 Nepali 3 State Regional official languagesAssamese of Assam 5 6 Bengali of Tripura 5 7 8 and Barak Valley 5 9 Bodo of Bodoland 5 10 11 Kokborok Tripuri of Tripura 5 7 8 Mizo of Mizoram 5 12 Meitei Manipuri of Manipur 5 12 13 14 Nepali of Sikkim 15 English of Arunachal Pradesh Meghalaya and Nagaland 5 Sikkimese of Sikkim 15 The region shares an international border of 5 182 kilometres 3 220 mi about 99 percent of its total geographical boundary with several neighbouring countries 1 395 kilometres 867 mi with Tibet in the north 1 640 kilometres 1 020 mi with Myanmar in the east 1 596 kilometres 992 mi with Bangladesh in the south west 97 kilometres 60 mi with Nepal in the west and 455 kilometres 283 mi with Bhutan in the north west 18 It comprises an area of 262 230 square kilometres 101 250 sq mi almost 8 percent of that of India The Siliguri Corridor connects the region to the rest of mainland India The states of North Eastern Region are officially recognised under the North Eastern Council NEC 17 constituted in 1971 as the acting agency for the development of the north eastern states Long after induction of NEC Sikkim formed part of the North Eastern Region as the eighth state in 2002 19 20 India s Look East connectivity projects connect Northeast India to East Asia and ASEAN Guwahati city in Assam is called the Gateway to the North East and is the largest metropolis in North East India Contents 1 History 1 1 Formation of North Eastern states 1 2 World War II 1 3 Sino Indian War 1962 1 4 Seven Sister States 2 Geography 2 1 Topography 2 1 1 Highest peaks 2 1 2 Brahmaputra River Basin 2 2 Climate 2 3 High risk seismic zone 3 Wildlife 3 1 Flora 3 2 Fauna 3 3 National Parks 3 4 State Symbols 4 Demographics 4 1 Largest cities by population 4 2 Languages 4 2 1 Official languages 4 2 2 Etymology of state names 4 3 Religions 4 4 Ethnic groups 4 4 1 Majority communities 4 4 2 Minority communities 5 Culture 5 1 Cuisines 5 2 Arts 5 3 Music 5 4 Literature 5 5 Festivals 6 Administration and political disputes 6 1 International borders management 6 2 Pan states development authorities 6 3 States and sub divisions 6 4 Government 6 5 20th century separatist unrest 7 Economy 7 1 Industries 7 1 1 Agriculture 7 1 2 Tourism 7 1 3 Newspapers and Magazines 7 2 Transportation 7 2 1 Air 7 2 2 Railway 7 3 Look East Policy 7 4 Development and connectivity projects 8 See also 9 References 9 1 Citations 9 2 Sources cited 10 External linksHistory EditFurther information History of Assam History of Manipur History of Tripura and People of Assam Assam annexation to British India in 1838 Eastern Bengal and Assam in 1907 The earliest settlers may have been Austroasiatic speakers from Southeast Asia followed by Tibeto Burman speakers from China and by 500 BCE Indo Aryan speakers from the Gangetic Plains as well as Kra Dai speakers from southern Yunnan and Shan State 21 Due to the biodiversity and crop diversity of the region archaeological researchers believe that early settlers of Northeast India had domesticated several important plants 22 Writers believe that the 100 BCE writings of Chinese explorer Zhang Qian indicate an early trade route via Northeast India 23 The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea mentions a people called Sesatai in the region 24 who produced malabathron so prized in the old world 25 Ptolemy s Geographia 2nd century CE calls the region Kirrhadia apparently after the Kirata population 26 In the early historical period most of the first millennium CE Kamarupa straddled most of present day Northeast India besides Bhutan and Sylhet in Bangladesh Xuanzang a travelling Chinese Buddhist monk visited Kamarupa in the 7th century CE He described the people as short in stature and black looking whose speech differed a little from central India and who were of simple but violent disposition He wrote that the people in Kamarupa knew of Sichuan which lay to the kingdom s east beyond a treacherous mountain 27 The northeastern states were established during the British Raj of the 19th and early 20th centuries when they became relatively isolated from traditional trading partners such as Bhutan and Myanmar 28 Many of the peoples in present day Mizoram Meghalaya and Nagaland converted to Christianity under the influence of British Welsh missionaries 29 Formation of North Eastern states Edit Further information First Anglo Burmese War Bhutan War Anglo Khasi War and Anglo Manipur War In the early 19th century both the Ahom and the Manipur kingdoms fell to a Burmese invasion The ensuing First Anglo Burmese War resulted in the entire region coming under British control In the colonial period 1826 1947 North East India was made a part of Bengal Province from 1839 to 1873 after which Colonial Assam became its own province 30 but which included Sylhet After Indian Independence from British Rule in 1947 the Northeastern region of British India consisted of Assam and the princely states of Tripura Kingdom and Manipur Kingdom Subsequently Nagaland in 1963 Meghalaya in 1972 Arunachal Pradesh in 1975 capital changed to Itanagar formed on 20 February 1987 and Mizoram in 1987 were formed out of the large territory of Assam 31 Manipur and Tripura remained Union Territories of India from 1956 until 1972 when they attained fully fledged statehood Sikkim was integrated as the eighth North Eastern Council state in 2002 19 The city of Shillong served as the capital of the Assam province created during British Rule It remained the capital of undivided Assam until the formation of the state of Meghalaya in 1972 32 The capital of Assam was shifted to Dispur a part of Guwahati and Shillong was designated as the capital of Meghalaya citation needed State Historic Name Capital s StatehoodArunachal Pradesh North East Frontier Agency Itanagar 1987 earlier a Union Territory of India constituted in 1971 33 Assam Kamarupa Shillong till 1969 Dispur 1947Manipur Kangleipak 34 Imphal 1971 earlier a Union Territory of India constituted in 1956 33 Meghalaya Khasi hills Jaintia hills and Garo hills Shillong 1971 33 Tripura Tipperah 35 Agartala 1971 earlier a Union Territory of India constituted in 1956 33 Mizoram Lushai hills Aizawl 1987 earlier a Union Territory of India constituted in 1971 33 36 Nagaland Naga Hills District Kohima 1963Sikkim Sukhim Gangtok 1975World War II Edit Main articles Battle of Kohima and Battle of Imphal In 1944 the Japanese planned a daring attack on British India Traveling through Burma its forces were stopped at Kohima and Imphal by British and Indian troops This marked the furthest western expansion of the Japanese Empire its defeat in this area presaged Allied victory 37 Sino Indian War 1962 Edit Main article Sino Indian War Seven Sister States Arunachal Pradesh a state in the Northeastern tip of India is claimed by China as South Tibet 38 Sino Indian relations degraded resulting in the Sino Indian War of 1962 The cause of the escalation into war is still disputed by both Chinese and Indian sources During the war in 1962 the PRC China captured much of the NEFA North East Frontier Agency created by India in 1954 But on 21 November 1962 China declared a unilateral ceasefire and withdrew its troops 20 kilometres 12 mi behind the McMahon Line It returned Indian prisoners of war in 1963 39 Seven Sister States Edit The Seven Sister States is a popular term for the contiguous states of Arunachal Pradesh Assam Meghalaya Manipur Mizoram Nagaland and Tripura prior to inclusion of the state of Sikkim into the North Eastern Region of India The sobriquet Land of the Seven Sisters was coined to coincide with the inauguration of the new states in January 1972 by Jyoti Prasad Saikia 40 a journalist in Tripura in the course of a radio talk show He later compiled a book on the interdependence and commonness of the Seven Sister States It has been primarily because of this publication that the nickname has caught on 41 Geography Edit Brahmaputra Valley and Eastern Himalaya in Northeast India The Northeast region can be physiographically categorised into the Eastern Himalaya the Patkai and the Brahmaputra and the Barak valley plains Northeast India at the confluence of Indo Malayan Indo Chinese and Indian biogeographical realms has a predominantly humid sub tropical climate with hot humid summers severe monsoons and mild winters Along with the west coast of India this region has some of the Indian subcontinent s last remaining rainforests which support diverse flora and fauna and several crop species Reserves of petroleum and natural gas in the region are estimated to constitute a fifth of India s total potential citation needed The region is covered by the mighty Brahmaputra Barak river systems and their tributaries Geographically apart from the Brahmaputra Barak and Imphal valleys and some flatlands in between the hills of Meghalaya and Tripura the remaining two thirds of the area is hilly terrain interspersed with valleys and plains the altitude varies from almost sea level to over 7 000 metres 23 000 ft above MSL The region s high rainfall averaging around 10 000 millimetres 390 in and above creates problems of the ecosystem high seismic activity and floods The states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have a montane climate with cold snowy winters and mild summers citation needed Ropeway Gangtok Aizawl Mizoram Aerial view of Shillong Neer Mahal of Tripura Dzuko Valley Borders of Nagaland and Manipur Sela Pass Tawang Arunachal Pradesh Bhalukpong Arunachal Pradesh Loktak lake Manipur Majuli Island Assam Nohkalikai Falls Cherrapunji MeghalayaTopography Edit Highest peaks Edit Mt Kanchenjunga Sikkim Main article List of Indian states and territories by highest point Kangchenjunga the third highest mountain peak in the world rising to an altitude of 8 586 m 28 169 ft lies in between the state Sikkim and adjacent country Nepal Mountains and hills by state Peak State Range Region Height m Height ft CoordinatesKangchenjunga shared with Nepal Sikkim Eastern Himalaya 8 586 28 169 27 42 11 N 88 08 53 E 27 703 N 88 148 E 27 703 88 148Kangto shared with China Arunachal Pradesh Eastern Himalaya 7 090 23 261 27 51 54 N 92 31 59 E 27 865 N 92 533 E 27 865 92 533Mount Saramati shared with Myanmar Nagaland Naga Hills section of the Purvanchal Range 3 841 12 602 25 44 31 N 95 01 59 E 25 742 N 95 033 E 25 742 95 033Mount Tempu also known as Mount Iso Manipur Naga Hills section of the Purvanchal Range 2 994 9 823 25 31 52 N 94 05 06 E 25 531 N 94 085 E 25 531 94 085Phawngpui Mizoram Lushai Hills section of the Purvanchal Range 2 165 7 103 22 37 55 N 93 02 20 E 22 632 N 93 039 E 22 632 93 039Shillong Peak Meghalaya Khasi Hills section of the Shillong Plateau 1 965 6 447 25 31 55 N 91 51 04 E 25 532 N 91 851 E 25 532 91 851Unnamed peak Assam Cachar Hills section of the Karbi Anglong Plateau 1 960 6 430 25 19 16 N 93 27 11 E 25 321 N 93 453 E 25 321 93 453Betlingchhip also known as Sibrai khung Tripura Jampui Hills section of the Purvanchal Range 930 3 051 23 48 36 N 92 15 40 E 23 810 N 92 261 E 23 810 92 261Brahmaputra River Basin Edit Brahmaputra river basin Teesta River Sikkim See also Brahmaputra River List of rivers by length and List of rivers of Assam Tributaries of the Brahmaputra River in Northeast India Beki River Bhogdoi River Dhansiri River Dibang River Dihing River Kameng River Kolong Kopili River Lohit River Manas River Sankosh River Subansiri River Teesta River Climate Edit Indian map of Koppen climate classification Northeast India has a subtropical climate that is influenced by its relief and influences from the southwest and northeast monsoons 42 43 The Himalayas to the north the Meghalaya plateau to the south and the hills of Nagaland Mizoram and Manipur to the east influences the climate 44 Since monsoon winds originating from the Bay of Bengal move northeast these mountains force the moist winds upwards causing them to cool adiabatically and condense into clouds releasing heavy precipitation on these slopes 44 It is the rainiest region in the country with many places receiving an average annual precipitation of 2 000 mm 79 in which is mostly concentrated in summer during the monsoon season 44 Cherrapunji located on the Meghalaya plateau is one of the rainiest place in the world with an annual precipitation of 11 777 mm 463 7 in 44 Temperatures are moderate in the Brahmaputra and Barak valley river plains which decreases with altitude in the hilly areas 44 At the highest altitudes there is permanent snow cover 44 In general the region has 3 seasons Winter Summer and rainy season in which the rainy season coincides with the summer months much like the rest of India 45 Winter is from early November until mid March while summer is from mid April to mid October 44 Under the Koppen climate classification the region is divided into 3 broad types A tropical climates C warm temperate mesothermal climates and D snow microthermal climates 46 47 The tropical climates are located in parts of Manipur Tripura Mizoram and the Cachar plains south of 25oN and are classified as tropical wet and dry Aw 46 Much of Assam Nagaland northern parts of Meghalaya and Manipur and parts of Arunachal Pradesh fall within the warm temperature mesothermal climates type C where the mean temperatures in coldest months range from 3 to 18 C 27 to 64 F 47 48 The entire Brahmaputra valley has a humid subtropical climate Cfa Cwa with hot summers 47 48 At altitudes between 500 to 1 500 m 1 600 to 4 900 ft located in the eastern hills of Nagaland Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh a Cfb CWb climate prevails with warm summers 47 48 Locations above 1 500 m 4 900 ft in Meghalaya parts of Nagaland and northern Arunachal Pradesh have a Cfc Cwc climate with short and cool summers 48 Finally the extreme northern parts of Arunachal Pradesh are classified as humid continental climates with mean winter temperatures below 3 C 27 F 47 49 TemperatureTemperatures vary by altitude with the warmest places being in the Brahmaputra and Barak River plains and the coldest at the highest altitudes 50 It is also influenced by proximity to the sea with the valleys and western areas being close to the sea which moderates temperatures 50 Generally temperatures in the hilly and mountainous areas are lower than the plains which lie at a lower altitude 51 Summer temperatures tend to be more uniform than winter temperatures due to high cloud cover and humidity 52 In the Brahmaputra and Barak valley river plains mean winter temperatures vary between 16 and 17 C 61 and 63 F while mean summer temperatures are around 28 C 82 F 50 The highest summer temperatures occur in the West Tripura plain with Agartala the capital of Tripura having mean maximum summer temperatures ranging between 33 and 35 C 91 and 95 F in April 53 The highest temperatures in summer occur before the arrival of monsoons and thus eastern areas have the highest temperatures in June and July where the monsoon arrives later than western areas 53 In the Cachar Plain located south of the Brahmaputra plain temperatures are higher than the Brahmaputra plain although the temperature range is smaller owing to higher cloud cover and the monsoons that moderate night temperatures year round 51 53 In the mountainous areas of Arunachal Pradesh the Himalayan ranges in the northern border with India and China experience the lowest temperatures with heavy snow during winter and temperatures that drop below freezing 51 Areas with altitudes exceeding 2 000 metres 6 562 ft receive snowfall during winters and have cool summers 51 Below 2 000 metres 6 562 ft above sea level winter temperatures reach up to 15 C 59 F during the day with nights dropping to zero while summers are cool with a mean maximum of 25 C 77 F and a mean minimum of 15 C 59 F 51 In the hilly areas of Meghalaya Nagaland Manipur and Mizoram winters are cold while summers are cool 52 The plains in Manipur has colder winter minimums than what is warranted by its elevation owing to being surrounded by hills on all sides 54 This is due to temperature inversions during winter nights when cold air descends from the hills into the valleys below and its geographic location which prevents winds that bring hot temperatures and humidity from coming into the Manipur plain 54 For example in Imphal winter daytime temperatures hover around 21 C 70 F but nighttime temperatures drop to 3 C 37 F 54 RainfallNo part of Northeast India receives less than 1 000 mm 39 in of rainfall a year 45 Areas in the Brahmputra valley receive 2 000 mm 79 in of rainfall a year while mountainous areas receive 2 000 to 3 000 mm 79 to 118 in a year 45 The southwest monsoon is responsible for bringing 90 of the annual rainfall to the region 55 April to late October are the months where most of the rainfall in Northeast India occurs with June and July being the rainiest months 55 In most parts of the region the average date of onset of the monsoons is 1 June 56 Southern areas are the first to receive the monsoon May or June with the Brahmaputra valley and the mountainous north receiving later later May or June 55 In the hilly parts of Mizoram the closer proximity to the Bay of Bengal causes it to experience early monsoons with June being the wettest season 55 High risk seismic zone Edit See also List of earthquakes in India India Plate and other tectonic plates The North Eastern Region of India is a mega earthquake prone zone caused by active fault planes beneath formed by the convergence of three tectonic plates viz India Plate Eurasian Plate and Burma Plate Historically the region has suffered from two great earthquakes M gt 8 0 1897 Assam earthquake and 1950 Assam Tibet earthquake and about 20 large earthquakes 8 0 gt M gt 7 0 since 1897 57 58 The 1950 Assam Tibet earthquake is still the largest earthquake in India citation needed Wildlife EditFlora Edit Khangchendzonga National Park WWF has identified the entire Eastern Himalayas as a priority Global 200 ecoregion Conservation International has upscaled the Eastern Himalaya hotspot to include all the eight states of Northeast India along with the neighbouring countries of Bhutan southern China and Myanmar The region has been identified by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research as a center of rice germplasm The National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources NBPGR India has highlighted the region as being rich in wild relatives of crop plants It is the center of origin of citrus fruits Two primitive variety of maize Sikkim Primitive 1 and 2 have been reported from Sikkim Dhawan 1964 Although jhum cultivation a traditional system of agriculture is often cited as a reason for the loss of forest cover of the region this primary agricultural economic activity practiced by local tribes supported the cultivation of 35 varieties of crops The region is rich in medicinal plants and many other rare and endangered taxa Its high endemism in both higher plants vertebrates and avian diversity has qualified it as a biodiversity hotspot The following figures highlight the biodiversity significance of the region 59 51 forest types are found in the region broadly classified into six major types tropical moist deciduous forests tropical semi evergreen forests tropical wet evergreen forests subtropical forests temperate forests and alpine forests Out of the nine important vegetation types of India six are found in the North Eastern Region These forests harbor 8 000 out of 15 000 species of flowering plants In floral species richness the highest diversity is reported from the states of Arunachal Pradesh 5000 species and Sikkim 4500 species amongst the North Eastern states According to the Indian Red Data Book published by the Botanical Survey of India 10 percent of the flowering plants in the country are endangered Of the 1500 endangered floral species 800 are reported from Northeast India Most of the North Eastern states have more than 60 of their area under forest cover a minimum suggested coverage for the hill states in the country in order to protect from erosion Northeast India is a part of Indo Burma hotspot This hotspot is the second largest in the world next only to the Mediterranean Basin with an area 2 206 000 square kilometres 852 000 sq mi among the 25 identified citation needed Fauna Edit Asiatic Buffalo at Kaziranga National Park One horned rhinoceros at Kaziranga National Park See also List of amphibians of Northeast India The International Council for Bird Preservation UK identified the Assam plains and the Eastern Himalaya as an Endemic Bird Area EBA The EBA has an area of 220 000 km2 following the Himalayan range in the countries of Bangladesh Bhutan China Nepal Myanmar and the Indian states of Sikkim North Bengal Assam Nagaland Manipur Meghalaya and Mizoram Because of a southward occurrence of this mountain range in comparison to other Himalayan ranges this region has a distinctly different climate with warmer mean temperatures and fewer days with frost and much higher rainfall This has resulted in the occurrence of a rich array of restricted range bird species More than two critically endangered species three endangered species and 14 vulnerable species of birds are in this EBA Stattersfield et al 1998 identified 22 restricted range species out of which 19 are confined to this region and the remaining three are present in other endemic and secondary areas Eleven of the 22 restricted range species found in this region are considered as threatened Birdlife International 2001 a number greater than in any other EBA of India citation needed Northeast India is very rich in faunal diversity There are as many as 15 species of non human primates and most important of them are hoolock gibbon stumptied macaque pigtailed macaque golden langur hanuman langur and rhesus monkey The most important and endangered species is one horned rhinoceros The forests of the region are also the habitats of elephant royal Bengal tiger leopard golden cat fishing cat marbled cat Bengal fox etc the Gangetic dolphin in the Brahmaputra is also an endangered species The other endangered species are otter mugger crocodile tortoise and some fishes 60 WWF has identified the following priority ecoregions in North East India Brahmaputra Valley semi evergreen forests Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests Northeast India Myanmar pine forestsNational Parks Edit See also Wildlife sanctuaries of India and List of national parks of India National park Location State Area km2 Importance VegetationNamdapha National Park Changlang district Arunachal Pradesh 1 985 Largest protected area in Eastern Himalaya Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests montane forestsManas National Park Baksa district Assam 950 UNESCO World Heritage Site Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forestsKaziranga National Park Golaghat and Nagaon districts Assam 61 882 UNESCO World Heritage Site Brahmaputra Valley semi evergreen forests Terai Duar savanna and grasslandsKhangchendzonga National Park North Sikkim district Sikkim 850 UNESCO Mixed World Heritage Site and highest altitude wildlife protected area in India Sub tropical to Alpine Krummholz stunted forest 62 Mouling National Park Upper Siang West Siang and East Siang districts Arunachal Pradesh 483 Tropical to Temperate forestsDibru Saikhowa National Park Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts Assam 350 Brahmaputra Valley semi evergreen forestsBalphakram National Park South Garo Hills district Meghalaya 220 Sub tropical evergreen deciduous forestsIntangki National Park Peren district Nagaland 202 Temperate evergreen forestsNameri National Park Sonitpur district Assam 200 Brahmaputra Valley semi evergreen forestsMurlen National Park Champhai district Mizoram 100 Montane sub tropical semi evergreen forest 63 Orang National Park Darrang and Sonitpur Assam 79 Eastern seasonal swamp forests Eastern Himalayan moist mixed deciduous forests eastern wet alluvial grasslands 64 Phawngpui National Park Lawngtlai district Mizoram 50 Temperate forests 65 Nokrek National Park West Garo Hills district Meghalaya 48 Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forestsSirohi National Park Ukhrul district Manipur 41 Mizoram Manipur Kachin rain forestsKeibul Lamjao National Park Bishnupur district Manipur 40 World s only floating National park Phumdi floating marshes Bison Rajbari National Park South Tripura district Tripura 32 Tropical semi evergreen and moist deciduous forestsClouded Leopard National Park Sepahijala district Tripura 5 Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forestsState Symbols Edit Main article List of symbols of Indian states and territories Arunachal Pradesh Assam Manipur MeghalayaAnimal Mithun Bos frontalis Indian rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis Sangai Rucervus eldii eldii Clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa Bird Hornbill Buceros bicornis White winged duck Asarcornis scutulata Mrs Hume s pheasant Syrmaticus humiae Hill myna Gracula religiosa Flower Foxtail orchid Rhynchostylis retusa Foxtail orchid Rhynchostylis retusa Siroi lily Lilium mackliniae Lady s Slipper Orchid Paphiopedilum insigne Tree Hollong Dipterocarpus macrocarpus Hollong Dipterocarpus macrocarpus Uningthou Phoebe hainesiana Gamhar Gmelina arborea Mizoram Nagaland Sikkim TripuraAnimal Himalayan serow Capricornis thar Mithun Bos frontalis Red panda Ailurus fulgens Phayre s leaf monkey Trachypithecus phayrei Bird Mrs Hume s pheasant Syrmaticus humiae Blyth s tragopan Tragopan blythii Blood pheasant Ithaginis cruentus Green imperial pigeon Ducula aenea Flower Red Vanda Renanthera imschootiana Tree rhododendron Rhododendron arboreum Noble dendrobium Dendrobium nobile Indian rose chestnut Mesua ferrea Tree Indian rose chestnut Mesua ferrea Alder Alnus nepalensis Rhododendron Rhododendron niveum Agarwood Aquilaria agallocha Demographics EditMain article 2011 Census of India Further information Assamese people Bengali people Meitei people and Mizo people The total population of Northeast India is 46 million with 68 percent of that living in Assam alone Assam also has a higher population density of 397 persons per km2 than the national average of 382 persons per km2 The literacy rates in the states of the Northeastern region except those in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam are higher than the national average of 74 percent As per 2011 census Meghalaya recorded the highest population growth of 27 8 percent among all the states of the region higher than the national average at 17 64 percent while Nagaland recorded the lowest in the entire country with a negative 0 5 percent 66 State Population Males Females Sex Ratio Literacy Rural Population Urban Population Area km2 Density km2 Arunachal Pradesh 1 383 727 713 912 669 815 938 65 38 870 087 227 881 83 743 17Assam 31 205 576 15 939 443 15 266 133 958 72 19 23 216 288 3 439 240 78 438 397Manipur 2 570 390 1 290 171 1 280 219 992 79 21 1 590 820 575 968 22 327 122Meghalaya 2 966 889 1 491 832 1 475 057 989 74 43 1 864 711 454 111 22 429 132Mizoram 1 097 206 555 339 541 867 976 91 33 447 567 441 006 21 081 52Nagaland 1 978 502 1 024 649 953 853 931 79 55 1 647 249 342 787 16 579 119Sikkim 610 577 323 070 287 507 890 81 42 480 981 59 870 7 096 86Tripura 3 673 917 2 087 059 2 086 858 960 91 58 2 639 134 1 534 783 10 486 350Largest cities by population Edit Main articles List of cities in India by population and List of cities in Assam by population According to 2011 Census of India the largest cities in Northeast India are Rank City Type State Population Rank City Type State Population1 Guwahati City Assam 968 549 9 Jorhat UA Assam 153 8892 Agartala City Tripura 622 613 10 Nagaon UA Assam 147 4963 Imphal UA Manipur 414 288 11 Bongaigaon UA Assam 139 6504 Dimapur City Nagaland 379 769 12 Tinsukia UA Assam 126 3895 Shillong UA Meghalaya 354 325 13 Tezpur UA Assam 102 5056 Aizawl City Mizoram 291 822 14 Kohima UA Nagaland 100 0007 Silchar UA Assam 229 136 15 Gangtok City Sikkim 98 6588 Dibrugarh UA Assam 154 296 16 Itanagar City Arunachal Pradesh 95 650UA Urban Agglomeration 67 Languages Edit The official languages of the Indian Republic recognised by the Constitution of India which are indigenous to Northeast India written in their respective official scripts Northeast India constitutes a single linguistic region within the Indian national context with about 220 languages in multiple language families Indo European Sino Tibetan Kra Dai Austroasiatic as well as some creole languages that share a number of features that set them apart from most other areas of the Indian subcontinent such as alveolar consonants rather than the more typical dental retroflex distinction 68 69 Assamese an Indo Aryan language spoken mostly in the Brahmaputra Valley developed as a lingua franca for many speech communities Assamese based pidgin creoles have developed in Nagaland Nagamese and Arunachal Nefamese 70 though Nefamese has been replaced by Hindi in recent times The Austro Asiatic family is represented by the Khasi Jaintia and War languages of Meghalaya A small number of Tai Kadai languages Ahom Tai Phake Khamti etc are also spoken Sino Tibetan is represented by a number of languages that differ significantly from each other 71 some of which are Boro Rabha Karbi Mising Tiwa Deori Biate etc Assam Garo Hajong Biate Meghalaya Ao Angami Sema Lotha Konyak etc Nagaland Mizo Hmar Paite etc Mizoram Hrusso Tanee Nisi Adi Abor Nocte Apatani Misimi etc Arunachal Meitei is the official language in Manipur the dominant language of the Imphal Valley while Naga languages such as Poumai Mao Maram Rongmei Kabui and Tangkul and Kuki Chin languages such as Thadou Kuki Mizo Paite Simte and Hmar predominate in individual hill areas of the state 72 Main languages of North East India 73 74 Assamese 33 24 Bengali 26 20 Hindi 5 45 Manipuri 3 79 Bodo 3 14 Khasi 3 12 Nepali 2 73 Garo 2 49 Kokborok 2 21 Mizo 1 80 Mishing 1 38 Karbi 1 15 Others 13 30 Among other Indo Aryan languages Bengali language is spoken in South Assam in the Barak Valley where Bengali is an official language Chakma is also an Indo Aryan language spoken in Mizoram Besides the Sino Tibetan Tripuri language Bengali is a majority language in Tripura Nepali an Indo Aryan language is dominant in Sikkim besides the Sino Tibetan languages Limbu Bhutia Lepcha Rai Tamang Sherpa etc Bengali was made the official language of Colonial Assam from 1836 to 1873 75 Official languages Edit See also Languages with official status in India State Official Languages 76 Arunachal Pradesh EnglishAssam Assamese in the Brahmaputra Valley Bengali in the Barak Valley Bodo in Bodoland Manipur MeiteiMeghalaya Khasi Garo EnglishMizoram Mizo EnglishNagaland Nagamese English 77 Sikkim Sikkimese Nepali English 15 Tripura Tripuri Bengali English 78 Etymology of state names Edit See also Nomenclature of States in North East India and List of Indian state and union territory name etymologies Name of state Origin Literal meaningArunachal Pradesh Sanskrit Land of the dawn lit mountainsAssam Native word or Sanskrit Assam s name may come from Sanskrit Asama meaning uneven terrain or from the Ahom dynasty who migrated from Myanmar and anglicized to Assam during British rule 79 Manipur Sanskrit Land abundant with jewels adopted in the 18th centuryMeghalaya Sanskrit Abode of the clouds coined by Shiba P ChatterjeeMizoram Mizo language Land of the Mizo people Ram means landNagaland English Land of the Naga peopleSikkim Limbu language New House Derived from the word Sukhim Su meaning new and Khim meaning houseTripura Kokborok Sanskrit version of native names Tipra Tuipura Twipra etc It literally means Land near the Water Derived from the word TWIPRA Twi meaning water and Bupra meaning near As Tripura is slightly near the Bay of BengalReligions Edit Religion in Northeast India 2011 Hinduism 54 02 Islam 25 05 Christianity 17 24 Buddhism 1 37 Jainism 0 07 Sikhism 0 07 Other 1 97 No religion 0 21 Hinduism is the majority religion in the North Eastern states of Assam Tripura Manipur Sikkim and plurality at Arunachal Pradesh while Christianity is the majority religion in Meghalaya Nagaland Mizoram Arunachal Pradesh and plurality at Manipur Islam has a significant presence in Assam and about 93 of all North East Muslim population are concentrated in that state alone A bulk of Christian population in India resides in North East as about 30 of India s Christian population are being concentrated in North Eastern region alone There is a significant presence of Buddhism in Sikkim Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram 80 Religious population in North Eastern Region according to 2011 Census of India 81 State Hinduism Islam Christianity Buddhism Jainism Sikhism Other Religions Religion Not StatedArunachal Pradesh 401 876 27 045 418 732 162 815 771 3 287 362 553 6 648Assam 19 180 759 10 679 345 1 165 867 54 993 25 949 20 672 27 118 50 873Manipur 1 181 876 239 836 1 179 043 7 084 1 692 1 527 233 767 10 969Meghalaya 342 078 130 399 2 213 027 9 864 627 3 045 258 271 9 578Mizoram 30 136 14 832 956 331 93 411 376 286 808 1 026Nagaland 173 054 48 963 1 739 651 6 759 2 655 1 890 3 214 2 316Sikkim 352 662 9 867 60 522 167 216 314 1 868 16 300 1 828Tripura 3 063 903 316 042 159 882 125 385 860 1 070 1 514 5 261Total 24 726 344 11 466 329 7 893 055 627 527 33 244 33 645 903 545 88 499Ethnic groups Edit Northeast India has over 220 ethnic groups and an equal number of dialects in which Bodo form the largest indigenous ethnic group 82 The hills states in the region like Arunachal Pradesh Meghalaya Mizoram and Nagaland are predominantly inhabited by tribal people with a degree of diversity even within the tribal groups The region s population results from ancient and continuous flows of migrations from Tibet Indo Gangetic India the Himalayas present Bangladesh and Myanmar 83 Majority communities Edit These ethnic groups form significant majorities in the states regions of Northeast India Assamese people 48 38 largest ethnicity in Assam Nishi people 20 74 largest ethnicity in Arunachal Pradesh Bodo people 30 47 largest ethnicity in Bodoland region of Assam Bengali people 63 48 and 80 84 largest ethnicity in Tripura state and Barak Valley region of Assam Meitei people AKA Manipuri people 53 3 largest ethnicity in Manipur Tripuri people native ethnicity of Tripura Mizo people AKA Lusei people 73 14 largest ethnicity in Mizoram Khasi people 46 24 largest ethnicity in Meghalaya Naga people 88 24 largest ethnicity in Nagaland Nepali people 62 6 largest ethnicity in SikkimMinority communities Edit These ethnic groups form minorities in the states of Northeast India Adi Angami Naga Ao Naga Adivasi Apatani Bhojpuri Bhutia Bishnupriya Biate Bodo Chakhesang Naga Chakma Deori Dimasa Garo Hajong Hmar Karbi Kami caste Khampti Koch Rajbongshi Kom Kuki Lepcha Limbu Lotha Naga Miji Mishing Miyas Mara Mishmi Nagas Nyishi Nepali Paite Pnar Purvottar maithili Rabha Ranglong Langrong Rai Singpho Sumi Naga Sylheti Tamang Tiwa Tripuri Yimkhiung Naga Zomi people Paite Vaiphei Zou Teddim Simte Gangte British India map of Northeast India by ethnicity 1891 A Naga warrior in 1960 An Ao Naga girl in her traditional attire in Nagaland Shad suk Mynsiem a Khasi festival Traditional Hajong Clothing Aka tribe Arunachal Pradesh Mizo school girls Women selling fruits in Senapati Manipur Princess of Sikkim in traditional royal dress Tripuri woman in traditional attire Asamiya youth in Bihu attire Mizo girls in Mizo traditional dress Lahoo Dance of MeghalayaCulture EditCuisines Edit Main article Indian cuisine State Staple diet Popular dishes Related articleArunachal Pradesh Rice fish meat leaf vegetables Thukpa momo apong rice beer Cuisine of Arunachal PradeshAssam Rice fish meat leaf vegetable Assam tea Pitha rice cakes Khar alkali Khar Matidail Ou tenga Maasor Jul Pura Maas Alu Pitika Pani Tenga Kharoli Khorisa bamboo shoot Xukan Maasor Xukoti Pointa Bhaat Tupula Bhaat Sunga Sawul rice cooked in bamboo Kharikat Diya Maas Kharikat Dia Mangxo Pati Hanhor Mangxo Jul duck stew Lai Xak Gahori Mangxo pork with mustard greens Kumol Sawul Doi Jolpaan Tamul betel nut paan rice beer Judima Rohi Xaj Pani Apong etc Assamese cuisineManipur Rice fish local vegetables Eromba u morok singju ngari fermented fish kangshoi Cuisine of ManipurMeghalaya Rice spiced meat fish Khasi dishes Thungtap Dohjem Thungrumbai Jadoh ki kpu Garo dishes kappa brenga so tepa wa tepa pura minil na kam dried fish bamboo shoot Cuisine of MeghalayaMizoram Rice fish meat Bai bekang fermented soya beans sa um fermented pork sawhchiarNagaland Rice meat stewed or steamed vegetables fermented bamboo shoot smoked pork and beef axone galho bhut jolokia Naga cuisineSikkim Rice meat dairy products Thukpa momo sha Phaley gundruk sinki sel roti Sikkimese cuisineTripura Mai rice Aa fish Muihan Kakai meat Sikamuk Kakamuk edible snails Sindai oysters local vegetables Maidul rice ball Awang bangwi Awang sokrang Chakhui Gudok Mosodeng Awandru Mukhui Hangjak Yikjak Wahan mosodeng Muiya bamboo shoot Berma Bwtwi fermented fish Tripuri cuisine Naga meal Bangwi Tripuri food of Tripura Paknam Manipur Basic Tripuri lunch thali Smoked freshwater fish Manipur North Sikkim meal Assamese thali Red rice with pork Arunachal Pradesh Arts Edit The Manipuri Raas Leela dance from Manipur and the Sattriya from Assam have been included in the elite category of the Classical Dances of India as officially recognised by both the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Ministry of Culture India Besides these all tribes in Northeast India have their own folk dances associated with their religion and festivals The tribal heritage in the region is rich with the practice of hunting land cultivation and indigenous crafts The rich culture is vibrant and visible with the traditional attires of each community citation needed All states in Northeast India share the handicrafts of bamboo and cane wood carving making traditional weapons and musical instruments pottery and handloom weaving Traditional tribal attires are made of thick fabrics primarily with cotton 84 Assam silk is a famous industry in the region State Traditional Performing Arts Traditional Visual Arts Traditional CraftsArunachal Pradesh Wancho dances Idu Mishmi dance Digaru Mishmi Buiya dance Khampti dance Ponung dance Sadinuktso 85 Cane and bamboo cotton and wool weaving wood carving blacksmithy hand tools weapons ornaments dishes sacred bells and smoking pipes 85 86 Assam Sattriya Bagurumba Bihu dance Bhaona For more see Music of Assam Hastividyarnava For more see Fine Arts of Assam Cane and bamboo bell metal and brass silk toy and mask making pottery and terracotta jewellery musical instruments making boat making paintsManipur Manipuri dance Ras Lila Kartal Cholom Manjira Cholom Khubak Eshei Pung Cholom Lai Haraoba Cotton textile bamboo crafts hats baskets pottery 86 84 Meghalaya Nongkrem Shad suk Behdienkhlam Wangala Lahoo dance 87 86 For more see Music of Meghalaya Making hand tools and weapons musical instruments drums cane and bamboo work weaving traditional attires jewellery making gold coral glass wall engravings wood carving 86 88 Mizoram Cheraw Khuallam Chheih Lam Chai Rallu Lam Sawlakia Sarlamkai Par lam Sakei Lu Lam 89 For more see Music of Mizoram Bizhu Dance Traditional hand tools weapons and textile work bamboo and cane handicrafts 90 86 Nagaland Zeliang dance war dance Nruirolians cock dance For more see Music of Nagaland Cane and bamboo crafts traditional hand tools weapons and textile work wood carving pottery ornaments for traditional attire musical instruments drum and trumpet 86 Sikkim Chu Faat dance Lu Khangthamo Gha To Kito Rechungma Maruni Tamang Selo Singhi Chaam Yak Chaam Khukuri dance Rumtek Chaam mask dance 91 92 93 See also Music of Sikkim Thangka showcasing Buddhist teachings on cotton canvas using vegetable dyes 92 Handmade paper carpet making woollen textile wood carving 92 Tripura Tripuri dances Mamita dance Goria dance Lebang dance Mosak sulmani dance Hojagiri dance Bizhu dance Wangala Hai hak dance Sangrai dance Owa dance Rock curbings of different gods and goddesses Cane and bamboo Traditional cotton textiles weaving and handloom moluwa sitalpati mat making wood carving 86 string and wind musical instruments Sattriya dance Assam Assamese youths performing Bihu dance Nyokum festival of Nyishi tribe Arunachal Pradesh Manipuri dance Bagurumba dance of Bodo tribe Assam Wangala dance of Garo tribe Assam Meghalaya Dance of Angami tribe Nagaland Students performing traditional dance at Jorethang Sikkim Music Edit Further information Moirang Sai Shakuhachi meets Pena and Nura Pakhang Eu e Tu Northeast is a hub of different genres of music Each community has its own rich heritage of folk music Talented musicians and singers are plentifully found in this part of the country The Assamese singer composer Bhupen Hazarika achieved national and international fame with his remarkable creations Another famous singer from Assam Pratima Barua Pandey is a well known folk singer Zubeen Garg Papon Anurag Saikia are some other notable singers musicians from the state of Assam Tangkhul Naga folk blue singer like Rewben Mashangva who comes from Ukhrul is an acclaimed Folk singer whose music is inspired by the like of Bob Dylan and Bob Marley Another famous folk singing band from Nagaland popularly known as Tetseo Sisters is one to be noted for their original music genre However younger generation has started pursuing western music more and more nowadays The northeast region has seen a significant increase in musical innovation in the 21st century 94 Literature Edit Further information Meitei Mahabharata Epic cycles of incarnations and Khamba Thoibi Sheireng Many of the Northeast Indian indigenous communities have an ancient heritage of folktales which tell the tale of their origin rituals beliefs and so on These tales are transmitted from one generation to another in oral form They are remarkable instances of tribal wisdom and imagination However Assam Tripura and Manipur have some ancient written texts These states were mentioned in the great Hindu epic Mahabharata The Saptakanda Ramayana in Assamese by Madhava Kandali is considered the first translation of the Sanskrit Ramayana into a modern Indo Aryan Language Karbi Ramayana bears witness to the old heritage of written literature in Assam Two writers from the Northeast viz Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya and Mamoni Raisom Goswami have been awarded Jnanpith the highest literary award in India 95 Hence Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya was the first Assamese writer and from the Northeast India to receive Jnanpith Award for his Assamese novel Mrityunjay 1979 96 Mamoni Raisom Goswami was awarded the Jnanpith Award in the year 2000 95 Nagen Saikia is the first writer from Assam and the Northeast India to have been conferred the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship by the Sahitya Akademi 97 98 The last quarter of the 20th century saw the rise of modern literature in the Northeast Most of the writers especially the tribal writers are bilingual that is they write both in their mother tongue and English Some of the general features of this literature are retrieval of folklore celebration of folk culture identity politics reaction to the insurgency and counter insurgency operations depiction of natural beauty changes meted out by time etc The major writers of Northeast Literature are from Assam Lakshminath Bezbaroa Homen Borgohain Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya Harekrishna Deka Rongbong Terang Nilmani Phukan Indira Goswami Hiren Bhattacharyya Mitra Phukan Jahnavi Barua Dhruba Hazarika Rita Chowdhury D N Bezbarua Nilim Kumar Anupama Basumatary Uddipana Goswami Aruni Kashyap from Arunachal Pradesh Mamang Dai from Manipur Robin S Ngangom Ratan Thiyam Thangjam Ibopishak Gambhini Devi T Bijoykumar Singh from Meghalaya Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih Esther Syiem Desmond Kharmawphlang Paul Lyngdoh Anjum Hassan from Mizoram Mona Zote from Nagaland Temsula Ao Cherrie Chhangte Easterine Kire from Sikkim Sudha M Rai Rajendra Bhandari from Tripura Chandrakanta Murasingh Temsula Ao is the first writer from Northeast India to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award 2013 in the Indian English Literature category for her collection of short stories Laburnum for My Head and Padmashree 2007 Easterine Kire is the first English novelist hailed from Nagaland She received The Hindu Literary Prize 2015 for her novel When the River Sleeps Indira Goswami alias Mamoni Roisom Goswami is an acclaimed Assamese writer whose novels include Moth Eaten Howda of the Tusker Pages Stained with Blood The Shadow of Kamakhya and The Blue Necked God Mamang Dai won the Sahitya Akademi Award 2017 for her novel The Black Hill 99 Festivals Edit See also Sangai festival and Emoinu Fish Fest Indigenous festivals in the northeast include the Ojiale festival of the Wancho people Chhekar festival of the Sherdukpen people Longte Yullo festival of Nishis Solung festival of Adis Losar festival of Monpas Reh festival of Idu Mishmis and Dree festival of Apatani Mamita Tripurabda Tring festival Buisu Hangrai Hojagiri Kharchi and Garia festivals of Tripura 100 In Manipur popular festivals include Ningol Chakouba and the Manipur boat racing festival or the Heikru Hidongba Administration and political disputes EditInternational borders management Edit McMahon Line and China India border crossings patrolled by Indo Tibetan Border Police and Special Frontier Force with China along Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh India Bangladesh border and crossings patrolled by Border Security Force along Assam Meghalaya Tripura and Mizoram India Myanmar border crossings patrolled by Assam Rifles and Indian Army along Arunachal Pradesh Nagaland Manipur and Mizoram India Bhutan borders patrolled by Sashastra Seema Bal along Sikkim Assam and Arunachal Pradesh India Nepal border patrolled by Sashastra Seema Bal along SikkimPan states development authorities Edit Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region DoNER North Eastern CouncilStates and sub divisions Edit Main articles Administrative divisions of India and List of districts in India State Code Capital Districts Sub division Type Number of SubdivisionsArunachal Pradesh IN AR Itanagar 20 Circle 149Assam IN AS Dispur 35 Sub division 78Manipur IN MN Imphal 16 Sub division 38Meghalaya IN ML Shillong 12 Community Development Block 39Mizoram IN MZ Aizawl 11 Community Development Block 22Nagaland IN NL Kohima 16 Circle 33Sikkim IN SK Gangtok 6 Sub division 9Tripura IN TR Agartala 8 Sub division 23 Autonomous administrative divisions of NE India Autonomous Administrative Divisions in North Eastern States State Autonomous Division EstablishmentAssam Bodoland Territorial Area Districts February 2003Dima Hasao district February 1970Karbi Anglong district February 1970Mising Autonomous Council 1995Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council 1995Manipur 101 102 Churachandpur Autonomous District Council 1971Chandel Autonomous District Council 1971Senapati Autonomous District Council 1971Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council 1971Tamenglong Autonomous District Council 1971Ukhrul Autonomous District Council 1971Meghalaya Garo Hills Autonomous District CouncilJaintia Hills Autonomous District Council July 2012Khasi Hills Autonomous District CouncilMizoram Chakma Autonomous District Council April 1972Lai Autonomous District Council April 1972Mara Autonomous District Council May 1971Tripura Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council January 1982Main article Autonomous administrative divisions of IndiaGovernment Edit The northeastern states having 3 8 of India s total population are allotted 25 out of a total of 543 seats in the Lok Sabha This is 4 6 of the total number of seats citation needed State Chief Minister 103 Governor 104 High Court Chief JusticeArunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu B D Mishra Guwahati High Court Itanagar Bench Ajai Lamba Chief JusticeAssam Himanta Biswa Sarma Jagdish Mukhi Guwahati High Court Ajai Lamba Chief JusticeManipur Nongthombam Biren Singh La Ganesan Manipur High Court Justice N Kotiswar SinghMeghalaya Conrad Sangma B D Mishra Meghalaya High Court Justice Dinesh MaheshwariMizoram Zoramthanga Kambhampati Hari Babu Guwahati High Court Aizawl Bench Shri Ajai Lamba Chief JusticeNagaland Neiphiu Rio Jagdish Mukhi Guwahati High Court Kohima Bench Ajai Lamba Chief JusticeSikkim Prem Singh Tamang Ganga Prasad Sikkim High Court Justice Satish K AgnihotriTripura Manik Saha Satyadev Narayan Arya Tripura High Court Justice Tinlianthang Vaiphei20th century separatist unrest Edit Main article Insurgency in Northeast India In 1947 Indian independence and partition resulted in the North East becoming a landlocked region This exacerbated the isolation that has been recognized but not studied East Pakistan controlled access to the Indian Ocean 105 The mountainous terrain has hampered the construction of road and railways connections in the region citation needed Several militant groups have formed an alliance to fight against the governments of India Bhutan and Myanmar and now use the term Western Southeast Asia WESEA to refer to the region 106 The separatist groups include the Kangleipak Communist Party KCP Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup KYKL People s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak PREPAK People s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak Pro PREPAK Pro Revolutionary People s Front RPF and United National Liberation Front UNLF of Manipur Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council HNLC of Meghalaya Kamatapur Liberation Organization KLO which operates in Assam and North Bengal National Democratic Front of Bodoland and ULFA of Assam and the National Liberation Front of Tripura NLFT 107 Economy EditThe Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region MDoNER is the deciding body under Government of India for socio economic development in the region The North Eastern Council under MDoNER serves as the regional governing body for Northeast India The North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd NEDFi is a Public Limited Company providing assistance to micro small medium and large enterprises within the northeastern region NER Other organizations under MDoNER include North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited NERAMAC Sikkim Mining Corporation Limited SMC and North Eastern Handlooms and Handicrafts Development Corporation NEHHDC Industries Edit Agriculture Edit See also Central Agricultural University The economy is agrarian Little land is available for settled agriculture Along with settled agriculture jhum slash and burn cultivation is still practised by a few indigenous groups of people The inaccessible terrain and internal disturbances has made rapid industrialisation difficult in the region citation needed Jhum cultivation Tea garden in Darrang Assam Paddy fields in Manipur Oil palm plantation in Mizoram Terrace farming in Nagaland Local vegetables in AssamTourism Edit See also Tourism in North East India and Tourism in India by state Living Root Bridges Living root bridge Meghalaya Northeast India is also the home of many living root bridges In Meghalaya these can be found in the southern Khasi and Jaintia Hills 108 109 110 They are still widespread in the region though as a practice they are fading out with many examples having been destroyed in floods or replaced by more standard structures in recent years 111 Living root bridges have also been observed in the state of Nagaland near the Indo Myanmar border 112 Newspapers and Magazines Edit See also Meitei language newspapers Northeast India has several newspapers in both English and regional languages The largest circulated English daily in Assam is The Assam Tribune In Meghalaya The Shillong Times is the highest circulated newspaper In Nagaland Nagaland Post has the highest number of readers G Plus is the only print and digital English weekly tabloid published from Guwahati In Manipur Imphal Free Press is a highly respected newspaper In Arunachal Pradesh The Arunachal Times is the highest circulated newspaper in Arunachal Pradesh citation needed Transportation Edit Air Edit Inside Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport airport Guwahati Assam Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Agartala airport Tripura Main article List of airports in India States in the North Eastern Region are well connected by air transport conducting regular flights to all major cities in the country The states also own several small airstrips for military and private purposes which may be accessed using Pawan Hans helicopter services The region currently has two international airports viz Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport Bir Tikendrajit International Airport Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport conducting flights to Thailand Myanmar Nepal and Bhutan While the airport in Sikkim is under construction Bagdogra Airport IATA IXB ICAO VEBD remains the closest domestic airport to the state Public airports operational in Northeast India State Airport City IATA CodeArunachal Pradesh Itanagar Airport Itanagar HGIAssam Dibrugarh Airport Dibrugarh DIBJorhat Airport Jorhat JRHLokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport Guwahati GAULilabari Airport Lakhimpur IXIRupsi Airport Dhubri RUPSilchar Airport Silchar IXSTezpur Airport Tezpur TEZManipur Bir Tikendrajit International Airport Imphal IMFMeghalaya Baljek Airport Tura VETU ICAO Shillong Airport Shillong SHLMizoram Lengpui Airport Aizawl AJLNagaland Dimapur Airport Dimapur DMUSikkim Pakyong Airport Gangtok PYGTripura Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport Agartala IXARailway Edit Northeast India railway Main article Northeast Frontier Railway zone Railway in Northeast India is delineated as Northeast Frontier Railway zone of Indian Railways The regional network is underdeveloped States of Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram and Sikkim will remain almost disconnected till March 2023 when the capital cities of Manipur Mizoram and Nagaland are expected to get the rail links once the under construction rail projects are completed 113 Look East Policy Edit The India Myanmar Thailand road connectivity will make Moreh and Imphal of Northeast India the important commercial centres in the international trilateral connectivity The Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project will provide sea access to Northeastern states of India through Myanmar In the 21st century there has been recognition among policymakers and economists of the region that the main stumbling block for economic development of the Northeastern region is the disadvantageous geographical location 114 It was argued that globalisation propagates deterritorialisation and a borderless world which is often associated with economic integration With 98 percent of its borders with China Myanmar Bhutan Bangladesh and Nepal Northeast India appears to have a better scope for development in the era of globalisation 115 As a result a new policy developed among intellectuals and politicians that one direction the Northeastern region must be looking to as a new way of development lies with political integration with the rest of India and economic integration with the rest of Asia and Oceania with North East and Southeast Asia Micronesia and Polynesia in particular as the policy of economic integration with the rest of India did not yield much dividends With the development of this new policy the Government of India directed its Look East policy towards developing the Northeastern region This policy is reflected in the Year End Review 2004 of the Ministry of External Affairs which stated that India s Look East Policy has now been given a new dimension by the UPA Government India is now looking towards a partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN countries both within BIMSTEC and the India ASEAN Summit dialogue as integrally linked to economic and security interests particularly for India s East and North East region 116 Development and connectivity projects Edit The north east NE region of India lags behind the rest of the country in several development indicators Although infrastructure has developed over the years the region has to go a long way to level up the national standard The total road network of about 377 thousand km of NE contributes about 9 94 per cent of the total roads in the country Road density in terms of road length per thousand square kilometers area is very poor in hilly state of Arunachal Pradesh Mizoram Meghalaya and Sikkim while it is significantly high in Tripura and Assam The road length per 100 km2 area in NE districts varies from as less as below 10 km in Arunachal Pradesh to more than 200 km in Tripura Other means of transport such as rail air and water is insignificant in NE except Assam however a few cities of these states having direct air connectivity in the region The total railway network in the NE is 2 602 km as on 2011 which is only about 4 per cent of the total rail network of the country Constructions of roads build the road map for development and road is the only means of mass transport for the entire NE of India Due to hilly terrain and varied altitudes rail transport is mainly confined to Assam and water transport is almost non existent India s road network has benefited greatly from the articulation of the National Highways Development Project NHDP The Ministry has formulated the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East SARDP NE for the development improvement of more than 10 000 km roads in the NE states The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways MoRTH has been paying special attention to the development of national highways in the region and has assigned 10 per cent of the total allocation of fund for the NE region Another major constraint of surface infrastructure projects in the NE states has to be linked up with parallel developments in the neighboring countries particularly with Bangladesh The restoration and extension of pre partition land and river transit routes through Bangladesh is vital for transport infrastructure in NE states Other international cooperation such as revival of Ledo road Stilwell road connecting Ledo in Assam to northern Myanmar and extended up to Kunming in south eastern China Kaladan Multimodal Transit Project and Trans Asian Railways could open up an eastern window for the land locked NE states of India Various regional initiatives such as the Bangladesh China India Myanmar BCIM and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation BIMSTEC India Myanmar Thailand Trilateral Highway IMTTH project to link the markets of South and Southeast Asia are in very initial stages 117 NE road rail air services water power and tourism projects Look East connectivity projects with ASEAN and SAARCSee also Edit India portalBattle of the Tennis Court Laskar Committee Report Ledo Road Stillwell Road List of Christian denominations in Northeast India Literature from North East India Political integration 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