Arunachal Pradesh, meaning “Land of the Rising Sun”
1. The State of Rising Sun, Arunachal Pradesh.
2. India's least population density State just 17 person per square kilometer. Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest population density of any state in India.
3. Twang is famous tourist attraction here at Himalayan Top Hills.
4. It constitutes a mountainous area in the extreme northeastern part of the country and is bordered by the kingdom of Bhutan to the west, the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north, Myanmar (Burma) and the Indian state of Nagaland to the south and southeast, and the Indian state of Assam to the south and southwest.
6. Formerly known as the North East Frontier Agency (from the British colonial era), the area was part of Assam until it was made the Indian union territory of Arunachal Pradesh in 1972, and in 1987 it became an Indian state.
7. Most of Arunachal Pradesh’s terrain consists of deep valleys flanked by highland plateaus and ridges that rise to the peaks of the Great Himalayas.
8. the Siwalik Range (a narrow sub-Himalayan belt stretching across much of northern India), that ascend from the Assam plains to elevations of 1,000 to 3,300 feet (300 to 1,000 metres).
9. Farther north, along the Tibetan border, lie the main ranges of the Great Himalayas, where Kangto, the highest peak in the state, dominates the landscape, reaching about 23,260 feet (7,090 metres).
10. The major rivers of the state are the Brahmaputra and its tributaries—the Dibang [Sikang], Lohit, Subansiri, Kameng, and Tirap. The Brahmaputra (known as the Tsangpo in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and as the Dihang [Siang] in Arunachal Pradesh) flows eastward from Mansarovar Lake in Tibet before dipping south through the Himalayas into north-central Arunachal Pradesh.
11. The river then winds its way southward across the length of the state, cutting a narrow, steep-sided gorge into the mountainous terrain. The Brahmaputra finally emerges onto the northern edge of the Assam plains—a finger of which extends into southeastern Arunachal Pradesh—near the town of Pasighat.
12. It is joined by the Dibang and the Lohit rivers a short distance beyond Pasighat, just south of the border between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. West of the Brahmaputra, the Subansiri is the only tributary to cross the main Himalayan ranges. The Kameng and other rivers in the area rise on the southern flanks of the mountains. The Tirap River drains the southeastern part of the state.
14. The climate of Arunachal Pradesh varies with topography and elevation. The foothill zone is subtropical and has a hot and humid climate; in the lower valleys.
15. Precipitation in the state generally follows the wet-dry monsoon pattern. Annual totals average about 130 inches (3,300 mm), falling mostly between April and September during the wet southwest monsoon.
16. Arunachal Pradesh’s diverse terrain, climate, and soils are reflected in its fauna and flora. About two-thirds of the state is forested, with a wide belt of swampy rainforest lying along the foothills. Forests of tropical evergreens and subtropical pines (as well as subtropical mixed broad-leaved and pine forests) are found in lower elevations. As elevation increases, the woodlands give way to mixed and coniferous temperate forests. Subalpine and alpine vegetation, with rhododendrons predominating, appears on the higher slopes.
17. A great variety of medicinal plants, including ginseng and yew, also grow in Arunachal Pradesh, and they are used by much of the population for the treatment and cure of various ailments.
18. Animal life includes tigers, clouded and snow leopards, elephants, wild buffalo, serow and goral goats, many species of deer, and primates such as hoolock gibbons, slow lorises, macaques, and capped langurs. Animals found at higher elevations include bharals (wild sheep), black bears, and red pandas. The rare musk deer and takin (Budorcas taxicolor) also are found in the state. Moreover, Arunachal Pradesh has an abundance of fish, many varieties of snakes, and hundreds of species of birds.
19. Arunachal Pradesh is home to dozens of distinct ethnic groups, most of which are in some ways related to the peoples of Tibet and the hill region of western Myanmar. More than two-thirds of the state’s people are designated officially as Scheduled Tribes, a term that generally applies to indigenous peoples who fall outside of the prevailing Indian social structure.
20. In western Arunachal Pradesh the Nissi (Nishi or Dafla), Sherdukpen, Aka, Monpa, Apa Tani, and Hill Miri are among the main tribes. The Adi, who constitute the largest tribal group in the state, live in the central region. The Mishmi inhabit the northeastern hills, and the Wancho, Nocte, and Tangsa are concentrated in the southeastern district of Tirap.
21. The tribal groups speak about 50 languages and dialects, most belonging to the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family.
22. More than half of the population of Arunachal Pradesh is engaged in agriculture, but only a tiny portion of the land is under cultivation. Although settled agriculture, including wet-rice farming, has expanded considerably since the late 20th century, many of the hill peoples continue to practice shifting agriculture (jhum), whereby land is cleared by burning the vegetation, is cultivated for several years, and then is abandoned in favour of another site when the productivity of the soil declines. Rice, corn (maize), millet, and buckwheat are among the chief crops grown by that method. Major commercial crops include oilseeds, potatoes, ginger, sugarcane, and vegetables.
23. Arunachal Pradesh has significant, though largely unutilized, resource potential. Among its resources for generating energy are rivers, coal, and petroleum; most of the state’s power is provided by hydroelectric plants. In addition to hydrocarbons, other mineral resources of Arunachal Pradesh include dolomite, quartzite, limestone, and marble. Efforts have been made in the early 21st century to expand hydroelectric and solar power generation.
24. The state’s manufacturing sector consists primarily of medium- and small-scale industries. Basketry, weaving, and carpets are the main handicraft manufactures. Smaller-scale industries include rice and vegetable-oil milling, fruit processing, the manufacture of forest-based products, and steel fabrication.
25. Sericulture (raw silk production) also is important, and the state produces many varieties of silk yarns.
26. Most of the major transportation centres serving Arunachal Pradesh are in the neighbouring state of Assam; among those are the nearest airport, near Lilabari, and the nearest railhead is in Harmoti (or Harmuty). However, in 2014 a rail line was opened between Harmoti and Naharlagun. State-owned and private companies operate regular bus service from Itanagar to various towns of Assam, including Guwahati, Tezpur, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, and Jorhat. Service also is available to Shillong in Meghalaya.
27. Telecommunications were long largely undeveloped in the state, with landline telephone service limited mainly to the larger towns. Although basic telephone access has improved since 2000, greater progress has been made in expanding mobile telephone service into remote mountain areas. 28. Internet access, although still fairly limited, has also increased in the early 21st century, including the installation of fibre-optic cables.
29. Arunachal Pradesh does not have its own high court. Rather, the state falls under the jurisdiction of the high court in Guwahati, Assam.
30. There are a number of postsecondary institutions, including Arunachal University at Itanagar, which was founded in 1984. The state also has specialized colleges focusing on such fields as education, engineering, industry, and forestry and agriculture.
31. The art of weaving is especially important, and textile designs are unique to each group. Dances are an integral part of community life. Losar, Mopin, and Solung are major tribal festivals. At such festivals, villagers often drink millet or rice beer, as well as tea.
