Assam at a Glance

Government:

Language:

   Assam is a state which is rich in places of tourist attraction, on the border of north-eastern centennial of India. Assam is described as the second largest after Arunachal Pradesh, of the ‘Seven Sisters’ comprising the North-Eastern States of the country. Situated in the Himalayan foothills, Assam is known as the land of Red River and blue hills. With an area of 78,438 sq km Assam represents 2.39 percent of the total land area of the country. The State of Assam is one of the most beautiful and attractive regions of India.

   There is no other state in which there is more diversity and color in its natural scenes and the cultural treasures of people with diversity. Assam is surrounded by international boundaries extending upto nearly 3,200 km. The mighty river Brahmaputra flows through it, serving as a lifeline for its people settled on both of its banks.

   Assam is Famous for Assam tea and Assam silk. The state provides one of the last wild habitats for wild elephant, along with various species of wild water buffalo, pigmy hog, tiger and Asian birds, as well as a one-horned Indian corridor by extinction. Assamese economy is supported by wildlife tourism in Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park, which are World Heritage Sites. In the state the trees of the year’s trees are found, which are green throughout the year as a result of abundant rainfall.

Origin of the name:

 The word ‘Assam’ is derived from the Sanskrit word Asom meaning ‘peerless’ or ‘unequaled’. The land whose bewitching picture is conjured by the name ‘Assam’ is in fact peerless, judged by her exquisite natural beauty, cultural richness and human wealth.

Location:

The state is located in the center of T-shaped, north-east corner of the Indian subcontinent. The area of Assam extends from latitude 24°10′ N to 27°58′ N and longitude 89°49′ E to 97°26′ E between the foothills of eastern Himalayas and the Patkai and Naga Ranges.

Boundaries :

Assam is surrounded by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh in the north; Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh in the east; Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura in the south and Bangladesh, Meghalaya and West Bengal on the west. Assam is connected with the rest of the Indian Union by a narrow corridor (called the ‘Chicken’s Neck’ or ‘Bottle Neck’) in West Bengal that runs for 56 km below foothills of Bhutan and Sikkim.

Physiography:

 Geographical sight Assam is the shadow of its former self. It has been reduced to one-third of its original size in thirty years. Based on its geographical location, Assam is on a strategic position in the political map of India. The State forms the core of the north-eastern region of the country and provides the focal points of transport and communication lines serving its neighbouring states.
Assam, as it is today, may be divided into three important physical regions (a) Brahmaputra valley, (b) Barak or Surama valley and (c) the hilly areas of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hill districts.
The Brahmaputra Valley is named after the river Brahmaputra. The mighty river Brahmaputra and its tributaries have nourished it from the time immemorial. This alluvial valley commands the lion’s share of the territory.