Arunachal Pradesh – History, Cultural, Geography, Economy
Arunachal Pradesh is India’s north easternmost state, a land of high Himalayan peaks, fast rivers, thick forests and more than twenty major tribes. Its Sanskrit nickname means the land of the dawn lit mountains, a fitting name for a state in the far east of the country. This guide covers its history, geography, people, culture and economy in plain English, along with the places most visitors want to see.
Our old post on this topic was written in confusing spun language and included old economic figures. We have rewritten it and checked the facts against standard references.
Table of Contents
Arunachal Pradesh at a Glance
- Capital: Itanagar, also the largest town.
- Area: 83,743 square kilometres.
- Population: 1,383,727 at the 2011 census.
- Density: About 17 people per square kilometre, the lowest of any Indian state.
- Statehood: 20 February 1987.
- Official language: English.
- Borders: Bhutan to the west, Myanmar to the east, Tibet to the north, and the Indian states of Assam and Nagaland to the south.
History
Early Times
Very little is known about the ancient history of most of the region. The best records come from the north west, where the Monpa kingdom of Monyul flourished under Tibetan influence between about 500 BCE and 600 CE. The foothills and plains bordering Assam were under the Chutia kings of Assam for a long period.
Tibetan Links and Tawang
In the seventeenth century, the fifth Dalai Lama imposed a tax on Monyul and ordered forts called dzongs to be built at places such as Dirang and Taklung to collect it. The taxes were carried to Tawang and then on to Lhasa. Monpa traders also linked Assam and Tibet through mountain trade routes. The great monastery at Tawang was founded in 1680 to 1681 at his wish. The sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, was born in Tawang.
British Frontier Policy
After the British took Assam from Burma in 1826, they inherited the old Ahom system of paying the hill tribes, called posa, to keep peace on the frontier. They also drew an Inner Line to control movement into the hills. In 1914, the tribal hill areas were separated from Assam’s plains districts to form the North East Frontier Tract. Read more about the period in our post on the British Raj.
The McMahon Line
At the Simla Conference of 1913 to 1914, British and Tibetan representatives agreed on a border line drawn by Sir Henry McMahon, which placed Tawang and the hill areas in British India. China’s representative did not accept the agreement. Today India administers the whole state, while China claims most of it as Southern Tibet. In 1962, Chinese forces occupied parts of the state during a war but later withdrew. The border with China, about 1,129 kilometres long, remains disputed.
From NEFA to Statehood
After independence, the frontier areas stayed part of Assam and were reorganised as the North East Frontier Agency, or NEFA, in 1954. On 21 January 1972, NEFA became the Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh, and on 20 February 1987 it became a full state. To learn about its neighbour, see our post on Assam.
Geography
Mountains
Most of the state is covered by the Eastern Himalaya. The highest peak is Kangto, at 7,060 metres, and other tall summits include Nyegi Kangsang and the Gorichen peaks. In the far south east, the districts of Tirap and Longding lie in the lower Patkai Range along the Myanmar border.
Rivers
Deep valleys carry the Kameng, Subansiri, Siang, Dibang, Lohit and Noa Dihing rivers. The mightiest is the Siang, known as the Tsangpo in Tibet. After it enters Assam and is joined by the Dibang and Lohit, it becomes the Brahmaputra.
Climate and Forests
The state is very wet, receiving 2,000 to 5,000 millimetres of rain a year, mostly between May and October. The low foothills have a humid subtropical climate, while the high mountains near Tibet are alpine and snowbound. About 61,000 square kilometres are forested, with rhododendron, oak, pine, maple and fir on the slopes.
Wildlife
Animals found in the state include the tiger, leopard, snow leopard, Asian elephant, sloth bear, gaur and the mithun, a large domestic bovine prized by many tribes. A rare flying squirrel, the Namdapha flying squirrel, was first described from a specimen collected in Namdapha.
People and Culture
Tribes
About 23 major tribes and around 100 smaller groups live in Arunachal Pradesh. The Nyishi are the largest group. Others include the Adi, Galo, Apatani, Tagin, Nocte and Singpho. Broadly, Monpa people live in the west, Tani groups in the centre, Mishmi and Tai groups in the east and Naga groups in the south east. The Mishmi themselves have three main sub groups: the Idu, Digaru and Miju Mishmi. The Monpa areas in the west are also home to many Tibetan refugees.
Religion
No single religion has a majority. At the 2011 census, about 30 percent of people were Christian, 29 percent Hindu, 26 percent followed tribal faiths such as Donyi Polo, whose name means sun and moon, and 12 percent were Buddhist. Tibetan Buddhism is strong in Tawang and West Kameng, while groups near Myanmar follow Theravada Buddhism. The share of Christians has risen sharply, from under 1 percent in 1971 to over 25 percent by 2011.
Festivals
Most tribal festivals follow the farming year. The Adi celebrate Solung, a five day festival in early September that marks the end of the sowing season, with the ponung dance. The Galo hold Mopin in early April to welcome the new year and pray for a good harvest. The Nyishi celebrate Nyokum, whose name combines words for land and togetherness. The Apatani of Ziro hold Dree in July, and the Monpa and other Buddhist groups mark Losar, the Tibetan New Year, in February or March.
The Apatani of Ziro
The Apatani people are known for wet rice farming in the Ziro valley, carried out without farm animals or machines. Their careful use of land and forests is the reason UNESCO has listed the valley as a possible World Heritage Site. Ziro also hosts the Ziro Festival of Music, a four day outdoor event started in 2012.
Languages
Dozens of languages are spoken, many of them related to Tibetan and Burmese. Because of this variety, English is the only official language, while Hindi serves as the common link language for most people.
Economy
Agriculture is the main source of income. Many tribal groups have long practised jhum, or shifting cultivation, though it is less common now as other jobs grow. The main crops are rice, maize, millet, wheat, pulses, sugarcane, ginger and oilseeds. Forest products are the next biggest sector, and industries include rice mills, fruit processing and handloom weaving.
The state’s steep rivers give it a large share of India’s untapped hydroelectric potential. In 2008, the state government signed agreements for about 42 hydroelectric projects meant to produce over 27,000 megawatts.
Places to Visit
- Tawang: Home to the largest Buddhist monastery in India. Read about Tawang town.
- Sela Pass: A high mountain pass at 4,170 metres on the road to Tawang.
- Ziro: The home of the Apatani people, with pine hills and rice fields, on UNESCO’s tentative World Heritage list.
- Namdapha National Park: A vast forest of about 1,985 square kilometres near the Myanmar border, declared a national park and tiger reserve in 1983. It is one of the few places where four big cats live: the tiger, leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard. See our post on Namdapha National Park.
- Itanagar: The capital, a good base for visiting central Arunachal.
Travel Tips
Visitors from other Indian states need an Inner Line Permit to enter Arunachal Pradesh through the checkpoints on the Assam border, and foreign visitors should check the special permit rules before planning a trip. A new airport at Hollongi now serves Itanagar. The Bogibeel Bridge over the Brahmaputra in Assam, opened on 25 December 2018, has made road access to central Arunachal easier. Roads in the hills can close after heavy rain, so allow extra time.
The Sela Pass road is part of National Highway 13, which links Tawang with the rest of India.
Pasighat, on the banks of the Siang, has an airport with flights from Guwahati and Kolkata.
The sixth Dalai Lama, born in Tawang, died in Amdo in 1706.
What We Changed From the Old Post
We rewrote the post in plain English and added sections on people, religion, languages, places to visit and travel permits.
We removed the claim that tribal oral histories clearly point to Tibet, an incorrect 1858 date for British control and outdated economic figures. We updated rainfall figures and explained the border dispute neutrally.
We also added the dates for NEFA, union territory status and statehood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the capital of Arunachal Pradesh?
Itanagar is the capital and the largest town.
When did Arunachal Pradesh become a state?
On 20 February 1987. It was a union territory from 21 January 1972.
Which is the largest tribe in Arunachal Pradesh?
The Nyishi are the largest tribal group in the state.
Do I need a permit to visit Arunachal Pradesh?
Yes. Indian visitors from outside the state need an Inner Line Permit.