Assam
Assam (/əˈsæm, æ-/; Assamese: [ˈɔxɔm] ⓘ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of 78,438 km2 (30,285 sq mi). It is the second largest state in northeastern India by area and the largest in terms of population. The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur to the east; Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Bangladesh to the south; and West Bengal to the west via the Siliguri Corridor, a 22-kilometre-wide (14 mi) strip of land that connects the state to the rest of India. Assamese and Boro are the official languages of Assam, while Bengali is an official language in the three districts of Barak Valley.
Assam | |
|---|---|
| State of Assam | |
From top, left to right: Indian rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park, Kamakhya Temple, IIT Guwahati, Rang Ghar, Indian elephants in Manas National Park, Majuli Island, Kareng Ghar in Garhgaon, Assam tea garden. | |
| Etymology: "A-ham" (Uneven) or from "Ahom" | |
| Nickname(s): "Land of red river and blue hills" | |
| Motto: Joi Aai Axom (Hail Mother Assam) | |
| Anthem: "O Mur Apunar Desh" (O my Dearest Country) | |
Location of Assam in India | |
| Coordinates: 26.14°N 91.77°E | |
| Country | India |
| Region | Northeast India |
| Before was | State of Assam |
| Bifurcation | 21 January 1972 |
| Formation | 26 January 1950 |
| Capital | Dispur |
| Largest city | Guwahati |
| Districts | 35 (5 divisions) |
| Government | |
| • Body | Government of Assam |
| • Governor | Gulab Chand Kataria |
| • Chief minister | Himanta Biswa Sarma (BJP) |
| State Legislature | Unicameral |
| • Assembly | Assam Legislative Assembly (126 seats) |
| National Parliament | Parliament of India |
| • Rajya Sabha | 7 seats |
| • Lok Sabha | 14 seats |
| High Court | Gauhati High Court |
| Area | |
| • Total | 78,438 km2 (30,285 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 16th |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 725 km (450 mi) |
| • Width | 30 km (20 mi) |
| Elevation | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Highest elevation (Cachar Hills section) | 1,960 m (6,430 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 45 m (148 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 31,169,272 |
| • Rank | 15th |
| • Density | 397/km2 (1,030/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 14.1% |
| • Rural | 85.9% |
| Demonym | Assamese |
| Language | |
| • Official | Assamese • Boro |
| • Additional official | Bengali (Barak Valley) |
| • Official script | Bengali–Assamese script |
| GDP | |
| • Total (2019-2020) | ₹3.74 lakh crore (US$47 billion) |
| • Rank | 18th |
| • Per capita | ₹109,069 (US$1,400) (18th) |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-AS |
| Vehicle registration | AS |
| HDI (2018) | 0.614 Medium (30th) |
| Literacy (2011) | 72.19% (26th) |
| Sex ratio (2011) | 958 (12th) |
| Website | assam |
| Symbols of Assam | |
| Song | "O Mur Apunar Desh" (O my Dearest Country) |
| Foundation day | Assam Day |
| Bird | White-winged duck |
| Flower | Foxtail orchid |
| Mammal | Indian rhinoceros |
| Tree | Hollong |
| State highway mark | |
| State highway of Assam AS SH1 -AS SH48 | |
| List of Indian state symbols | |
| • First recognised as an administrative division on 1 April 1911, and led to the establishment of Assam Province by partitioning Province of East Bengal and Assam. • Assam was one of the original provincial divisions of British India. • Assam has had a legislature since 1937. | |
The state has 35 districts with 5 divisions. Guwahati (containing the state capital Dispur) is the largest city in northeastern India. Assam is known for Assam tea and Assam silk. The state was the first site for oil drilling in Asia. Assam is home to the one-horned Indian rhinoceros, along with the wild water buffalo, pygmy hog, tiger and various species of Asiatic birds, and provides one of the last wild habitats for the Asian elephant. The Assamese economy is aided by wildlife tourism to Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park, which are World Heritage Sites. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is famed for its feral horses. Sal tree forests are found in the state which, as a result of abundant rainfall, look green all year round. Assam receives more rainfall than most parts of India; this rain feeds the Brahmaputra River, whose tributaries and oxbow lakes provide the region with a distinctive hydro-geomorphic environment.