Northeast India

Coordinates: 26°N 91°E / 26°N 91°E / 26; 91

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Group of Northeastern Indian states

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

Place in India

Northeast India
North Eastern Region (NER)
Dzukou Valley, Kangchenjunga
Coordinates: 26°N 91°E / 26°N 91°E / 26; 91
Country	India
States	Arunachal Pradesh Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Tripura Sikkim
Largest city	2011 Census of India)[1]	Agartala Imphal Dimapur Shillong Aizawl Silchar Dibrugarh Jorhat Nagaon
Area
• Total	262,184 km2 (101,230 sq mi)
Population  ( Scheduled languages		Assamese[3] Bengali[3] Bodo[3] Manipuri)[3][4] Nepali[3]
State/Regional official languages	Assamese (of Assam)[5][6] Bengali (of Tripura[5][7][8] and Barak Valley[5][9]) Bodoland)[5][10][11] Tripuri) (of Tripura)[5][7][8] Mizo (of Mizoram)[5][12] Manipuri) (of Manipur[5][12][13][14] and Assam[15][16] Nepali (of Sikkim)[17] English (of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland)[5] Sikkimese (of Sikkim)[17]

Northeast India, officially known as the North Eastern Region (NER), is the easternmost region of India representing both a geographic and political administrative division of the country.^[18] It comprises eight states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura (commonly known as the "Seven Sisters"), and the "brother" state of Sikkim.^[19]

The region shares an international border of 5,182 kilometres (3,220 mi) (about 99 per cent of its total geographical boundary) with several neighbouring countries – 1,395 kilometres (867 mi) with

China 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.^[20] It comprises an area of 262,184 square kilometres (101,230 sq mi), almost 8 per cent 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

India's Look-East connectivity projects connect Northeast India to East Asia and ASEAN. The city of Guwahati

in Assam is referred to as the "Gateway to the Northeast" and is the largest metropolis in Northeast India.

History

Further information: History of Assam, History of Manipur, History of Tripura, and People of Assam

British India

in 1838

The earliest settlers may have been

Geographia (2nd century CE) calls the region Kirrhadia, apparently after the Kirata population.^[28]

In the early historical period (most of the first millennium CE), Kamarupa straddled most of present-day Northeast India. 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 mid-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.^[29]

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.^[30] Many of the peoples in present-day Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland converted to Christianity under the influence of British (Welsh) missionaries.^[31]

Formation of North Eastern states

Further information:

Bhutan War, Anglo-Khasi War, and Anglo-Manipur War

Since the

Burmese invasion.^[32] 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,^[33] but which included Sylhet

.

After

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.^[21]

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.^[35] 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)[36]
Assam	Kamarupa	Shillong (till 1969), Dispur	1947
Manipur	Kangleipak[37]	Imphal	1971 (earlier a Union Territory of India, constituted in 1956)[36]
Meghalaya	Khasi hills, Jaintia hills and Garo hills	Shillong	1971[36]
Tripura	Tipperah[38]	Agartala	1971 (earlier a Union Territory of India, constituted in 1956)[36]
Mizoram	Lushai Hills	Aizawl	1987 (earlier a Union Territory of India, constituted in 1971)[36][39]
Nagaland	Naga Hills District	Kohima	1963
Sikkim	Sukhim	Gangtok	1975

World War II

Main articles: Battle of Kohima and Battle of Imphal

Initially, the Japanese had invaded British territories in Southeast Asia, including Burma (now Myanmar), with the intention of creating a fortified perimeter around Japan. The British had neglected the defense of Burma, and by early 1942, the Japanese had captured Rangoon and pushed Allied forces back towards India through a grueling retreat.^[40]

In response to the Japanese advance, the British formed the South East Asia Command (SEAC) under Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten in November 1943. This command brought new energy to the war effort in the region and emphasized the importance of standing firm and fighting on despite logistical challenges, such as during the monsoon season.^[41]

The Japanese launched an offensive in March 1944 aimed at capturing Imphal and Kohima, key locations in northeast India. Capturing these areas would have allowed the Japanese to disrupt Allied supply lines to China and launch air attacks against India.^[42]

However, the Allied forces, under the leadership of Field Marshal William Slim, held firm. They adopted aggressive tactics, including the creation of defensive "boxes" and the use of jungle warfare techniques. Despite being surrounded, the defenders at Kohima held out against intense Japanese attacks until reinforcements arrived.^[43]

The battles of Imphal and Kohima resulted in a decisive defeat for the Japanese. They suffered heavy casualties and were forced to retreat, marking a turning point in the Burma Campaign. The Allied victory paved the way for subsequent offensives to clear Japanese forces from Burma and ultimately led to the re-conquest of the region.^[44]

Sino-Indian War (1962)

Main article: Sino-Indian War

Seven Sister States

Arunachal Pradesh, a state in the Northeastern tip of India, is claimed by China as

prisoners of war in 1963.^[46]

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,^[47] 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.^[48]

Geography

Eastern Himalaya

in Northeast India

The Northeast region can be

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

montane climate with cold, snowy winters and mild summers.^{[citation needed}

]

• 
  Ropeway, Gangtok
• 
  Aizawl, Mizoram
• 
  Aerial view of Shillong
• 
  Neer Mahal of Tripura
• 
  Dzüko Valley (Borders of Nagaland and Manipur)
• 
  Sela Pass, Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh)
• 
  Bhalukpong, Arunachal Pradesh
• 
  Loktak lake, Manipur
• 
  Majuli Island, Assam
• 
  Nohkalikai Falls, Cherrapunji, Meghalaya

Topography

Highest peaks

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

See also:

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

Northeast India has a

Brahmaputra and Barak valley river plains which decreases with altitude in the hilly areas.^[51] At the highest altitudes, there is permanent snow cover.^[51] 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.^[52] Winter is from early November until mid March while summer is from mid-April to mid-October.^[51]

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).^[53][54] 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).^[53] 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).^[54][55] The entire Brahmaputra valley has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa/Cwa) with hot summers.^[54][55] At altitudes between 500 and 1,500 m (1,600 and 4,900 ft) located in the eastern hills of Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, a (Cfb/CWb) climate prevails with warm summers.^[54][55] 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.^[55] Finally, the extreme northern parts of Arunachal Pradesh are classified as humid continental climates with mean winter temperatures below −3 °C (27 °F).^[54][56]

Temperature

Temperatures vary by altitude with the warmest places being in the

Brahmaputra and Barak River plains and the coldest at the highest altitudes.^[57] It is also influenced by proximity to the sea with the valleys and western areas being close to the sea, which moderates temperatures.^[57] Generally, temperatures in the hilly and mountainous areas are lower than the plains which lie at a lower altitude.^[58] Summer temperatures tend to be more uniform than winter temperatures due to high cloud cover and humidity.^[59]

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).[57] 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.^[60] 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.^[60] 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.^[58][60]

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.^[58] Areas with altitudes exceeding 2,000 metres (6,562 ft) receive snowfall during winters and have cool summers.^[58] 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).^[58] In the hilly areas of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram, winters are cold while summers are cool.^[59]

The plains in Manipur has colder winter minimums than what is warranted by its elevation owing to being surrounded by hills on all sides.^[61] 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.^[61] For example, in Imphal, winter daytime temperatures hover around 21 °C (70 °F) but nighttime temperatures drop to 3 °C (37 °F).^[61]

Rainfall

No part of Northeast India receives less than 1,000 mm (39 in) of rainfall a year.^[52] 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.^[52] The southwest monsoon is responsible for bringing 90% of the annual rainfall to the region.^[62] April to late October are the months where most of the rainfall in Northeast India occurs with June and July being the rainiest months.^[62] In most parts of the region, the average date of onset of the monsoons is 1 June.^[63] 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).^[62] 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.^[62]

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

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 practised 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:^[66]

• 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 harbour 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 per cent 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

The

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

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

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	[68] 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)[69]
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[70]
Orang National Park	Darrang and Sonitpur	Assam	79		Eastern seasonal swamp forests, Eastern Himalayan moist mixed deciduous forests, eastern wet alluvial grasslands[71]
Phawngpui National Park	Lawngtlai district	Mizoram	50		Temperate forests[72]
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

The total population of Northeast India is 46 million with 68 per cent 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 per cent. As per 2011 census, Meghalaya recorded the highest population growth of 27.8 per cent among all the states of the region, higher than the national average at 17.64 per cent; while Nagaland recorded the lowest in the entire country with a negative 0.5 per cent.[73]

Largest cities by population

According to

Languages

Hinduism is the majority religion in the North Eastern states of Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Sikkim and plurality in Arunachal Pradesh, while Christianity is the majority religion in Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and plurality in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. A significant plurality of the state of Arunachal Pradesh follows the indigenous religion Donyi-Polo. Islam has a significant presence in Assam and about 93% of all North East Muslim population is concentrated in that state alone. A bulk of Christian population in India resides in North East, as about 30% of India's Christian population is concentrated in North Eastern region alone. There is a significant presence of Buddhism in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.^[88]

Ethnic groups

Northeast India has over 220 ethnic groups and an equal number of dialects in which

• Assamese people - (48.38%), largest ethnicity in Assam
• Tani People - (40.32%), largest ethnicity in Arunachal Pradesh
• Bodoland
  region of Assam
• Bengali people - (63.48% and 80.84%), largest ethnicity in Tripura state and Barak Valley
  region of Assam
• Meitei people - (53.3%), largest ethnicity in Manipur
• Tripuri people - largest ethnicity in Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council of Tripura
• Mizo 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 Sikkim
• Sikkimese people - native ethnicity of Sikkim

Minority communities

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

• 
  British India map of Northeast India by ethnicity and Language, 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.

Ethnic groups by population

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Culture

Cuisines

• 
  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

The

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.^[97] Assam silk is a famous industry in the region.

• 
  Sattriya dance (Assam)
• 
  Assamese youths performing Bihu dance.
• 
  Nyokum festival of

  Nyishi tribe (Arunachal Pradesh

  )
• 
  Manipuri dance
• 
  Bodo tribe (Assam

  )
• 
  Wangala dance of Garo tribe (Assam, Meghalaya)
• 
  Dance of Angami tribe (Nagaland)
• 
  Students performing traditional dance at Jorethang (Sikkim)

Music

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

• 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
• 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 Sikkim

Pan-states development authorities

• Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region
  (DoNER)
• North Eastern Council

States and sub-divisions

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]}

20th century separatist unrest

In 1947 Indian independence and partition resulted in the North East becoming a landlocked region. This exacerbated the isolation that has been recognised, but not studied. East Pakistan controlled access to the Indian Ocean.^[118] 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.

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 have 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 Assam

Tourism