The faraway North-Eastern State in India- Nagaland was formed on 1 December 1963. The capital city of Nagaland is Kohima and the largest city is Dimapur. 16 tribes ā Angami, Ao, Chakhesang, Chang, Kachari, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Kuki, Lotha, Phom, Pochury, Rengma, Sangtam, Sumi, Yimchunger, and Zeme-Liangmai inhabits in this State. English is the official language and Naga is the regional language spoken here. Nagaland is divided into 12 districts: Dimapur, Kiphire, Kohima, Longleng, Mokokchung, Mon, Peren, Phek, Tuensang, Wokha, Zunheboto and Noklak. This State shares its borders with Assam to the west and north, Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Myanmar to the east, and Manipur to the south.
| Established | 01-Dec-1963 |
| Capital | Kohima |
| Largest City | Dimapur |
| District | 11 |
| High Court | Guwahati High Court – Kohima Bench |
| Rivers | Dhansiri River, Dhanshiri |
| National Parks | Yellowstone National Park, Jim Corbett National Park, Grand Canyon, Olympic National Park, Zion National Park, Shenandoah National Park Etc. |
| Languages | Nagamese, Creole, Assamese, English |
| Population (2011) | 19,80,602 |
| Density | 119/km2 |
| Area | 16,579Ā km2 |
| State Animal | Mithun |
| State Bird | Blyth’s Tragopan |
| State Tree | Ā Alder |
| State Flower | Kopou |
| Literacy Rate (2011) | 73.45 |
| Females per 1000 males | Ā 931 |
| Lok Sabha constituencies | 29-Feb-00 |
| Assembly constituency | 01-Jan-00 |
| Official Website | https://www.nagaland.gov.in |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 |
History
The ancient history of Naga people was unknown and there were no such records mentioned about their origin. Different tribesmen have migrated from time to time. The present day Naga people has historic records that they have settled before the arrival of Ahoms in 1228 AD. Before the arrival of the British there were persecution, wars and raid conducted from Burma upon Naga and other tribes of North-East India. The invaders generally come for head-hunting, wealth and captives from these tribes. After the arrival of British the region came under the rule of the British crown. After Indiaās independence, Nagaland saw many violence and insurgencies among various ethnic groups during 1950ās. In the last 15 years the State saw less violence and there is also growth in economy too.
Geography
Nagaland is mainly a hilly region and the hills of Nagaland ascend 2,000 feet from the Brahmaputra valley in Assam which also rises further 6,000 feet to the southeast. The Stateās highest peak Mount Saramati (12,601.70 feet) is the place where Naga Hills merges with the Patkai Hills to form the Stateās boundary with Burma. Rivers such as Doyang, Diphu and Barak divides the entire State. Nagalandās 20 % land is under forest cover which has many types of flora and fauna. These forests are tropical and sub-tropical evergreen forests.
Demographics
The population of Nagaland is 1,978,502 people as per 2011 census. This includes 1.04 million are males and 0.95 million females. Nagalandās literacy rate is 79.55 %as per 2011 population census. Of that, male literacy stands at 82.75 % while female literacy is at 76.11 %. Sex Ratio in this region is 931 females for every 1000 males. This is below the national average of 940 as per census 2011.
Economy
The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Nagaland was about Rs. 12,065 crore in 2011-2012. Around 70 % of Stateās population is engaged in agriculture and the region is producing crops like ice, millet, maize, pulses, sugarcane, potato, coffee, cardamom, oilseeds and tea. Forestry is also an important contribution towards economic growth. Small-scale industries such as weaving, woodwork, and pottery are important sources of revenue. Other economic comes from tourism, insurance and real estate.
Tourism
Nagaland has been very successful in promoting the Hornbill Festival, which attracts both Indian and foreign tourists. Some of the best tourist spots of this region are the World War II Cemetery, Kohima Village (Bara Basti), State Museum, Mount Saramati, ruins of the Kachari kingdom, Nagaland Zoological Park, Aqua Mellow Park, Ketsiezou Watch tower, Dzukou valley and many more tourist hotspots.
Sports
Wrestling and Cock fighting is the most popular sports of Nagaland. Other popular sports include adventurous sports like trekking, caving and angling. Archery is also quite popular in this State. Some of the popular sports personalities hailing from Nagaland is popular Archer Chekrovolu Swuro, the first Naga lady Olympian and a recipient of Arjuna Award, Thupuvoyi Swuro ā a renowned archer, Hokaito Zhimomi ā first class cricketer and many more other such sportspersons.
Transportation
Roads are the backbone of Nagalandās transportation since there is minimal railway connectivity. It comprises of National Highway roads 227.0 miles (365.3 km) and state roads 680.1 miles (1,094.5 km). These roads are filled with state run buses and taxis which help in commuting peoples to travel in various parts of the State. The Stateās railway connectivity includes broad gauge lines which are under North-East Frontier Railway. The State has only one airport located 7 kilometers away from Dimapur and is known as Dimapur Airport. It provides timely flights to connect Nagaland with Dibrugarh in Assam and Kolkata in West Bengal.
Culture
Nagaland has essence of various tribal cultures and traditions. Some of the important festivals celebrated here are Moatsu harvest festival, Selu-enyi, Sankarni and the most renowned Nagaland Hornbill festival. Folk songs and dances are important factor of the traditional Naga culture. The oral tradition is kept alive through folk tales and songs which are passed from generation to generation. Nruirolians (Cock dance), Temangnetin (Fly dance) are the traditional dance forms of this region. Weaving is a customary art passed down through generations in Nagaland. The Naga peoples are the masters in making Naga shawls, shoulder bags, decorative spears, table mats, wood carvings, and bamboo works. Each tribe of this region has their unique designs and colors in making these traditional crafts. Some of the well-known Naga shawls are Tsungkotepsu and Rongsu of the Ao tribe, Sutam, Ethasu and Longpensu of the Lothas, Supong of the Sangtams, Rongkhim and Tsungrem Khim of the Yimchungers and the Angami Lohe shawls with thick embroidered animal motifs etc.
Education
Nagaland has good education infrastructure and the State is the home to renowned educational institutions like 2 Central University like Nagaland University and Global Open University, 1 engineering college- National Institute of Technology Nagaland, 1 College of Veterinary Science and animal husbandry in Jalukie and 2 private universities- St. Joseph University and a branch of the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India.
Hospitals and Healthcare
Nagaland has some of the best hospitals which provide good healthcare services to its citizens. These are Faith Hospital and Institute of Medical Sciences, Nikos Hospital, Zion Hospital, Naga Hospital, Eden Medical Centre, Christian Institute of Health Science and Research, Bethel Medical Centre, District Hospital, Nagaland Multispecialty Hospital & Research Centre, Community Health Centre, PHC Sechu Zubza and many more such institutes of health care.