Arunachal Pradesh (अरुणाचल प्रदेश) is a northeastern state of India. Formerly called NEFA (North East Frontier Agency), was part of state of Assam until 1987. It was given the statehood status after taking into consideration the security consideration in the east and Sino-Indian tensions.
Most of Arunachal Pradesh is claimed by neighbouring countryPeople's Republic of China, which does not recognize the state itself nor its northern boundary, the McMahon Line. Instead, China calls the area South Tibet (藏南 pinyin: Zàngnán), and puts the area nominally under the jurisdiction of three counties of Tibet Autonomous Region: Cona County , Mêdog County , and Zayü County .
Geography
Much of Arunachal Pradesh is covered by the mighty Himalayas, altthough parts of Lohit , Changlang and Tirap are not.
Climate
The climate of Arunachal Pradesh varies with elevation. Areas with very high elevation in the Upper Himalayas near the Tibetan border enjoy an alpine or Tundra climate. Below the Upper Himalayas come the Middle Himalayas, where people experience temperate climate. Fruits like apple, oranges, etc can be planted. Areas at the sub-Himalayan and sea-level elevation experience a humid sub-tropical climate, where they experience hot summers and mild winters.
The state receives heavy rainfall of 80 to 160 inches (2,000 to 4,000 mm) annually, most of it falling between May and September. The mountain slopes and hills are covered with alpine, temperate, and subtropical forests of dwarf rhododendron, oak, pine, maple, fir, and juniper; sal (Shorea) and teak are the main economic species.
Demographics
Generally, most of the Arunachalis belong to 20 major-collective tribes and 82 tribes. Regarding religions, Donyi-Poloism(worship of sun and moon) is widely followed by the Abotani-affiliated tribes like Adis,nishis,apatanis,hillmiris etc.Religions like Buddhism and Hinduism are also followed as well. Christianity has made some recent inroads as well.Meanwhile some tribes like Idus-who have their place of pilgrimage in Atho-Popu, retain their animist identity, worshiping forces of nature and the spirits of ancestors.
Economy
Most of its people got its economy from agriculture. Jhum, the local word for shifting cultivation,which was widely practised among the tribal groups has come to be less practiced. The forest-products are the next source of economy. Among the crops grown here are rice, maize, millet, wheat, pulses, sugarcane,ginger and oilseeds. Arunachal is also ideal for horticulture and fruits. They are grown in orchards.
Its major industries are sawmills, plywood (the two trades however have been stopped by the law), rice mills, fruit preservation units and handloom handicrafts.
Politics
The state of Arunachal Pradesh has four political parties, namely:
History
Traditionally, the disputed Himalayan region of Arunachal Pradesh came under loose control of Tibet, and the remaining parts of the state, especially those bordering Myanmar, came under the control of the Ahom and the Assamese until the annexation of India by the British in 1858.
In 1913-14, the British adventurer, Sir Henry McMahon, implented the 550-mile McMahon Line in Shimla. This was later unapproved by the Chinese government in 1947, saying that the claim was never approved and a map belonging to Encyclopedia Britannica in 1929 showing the Indo-Chinese border streching right up to the border of the Assamese plains. Following this dispute, the Chinese troops crossed the McMahon Line on the August 26, 1959, and captured an Indian outpost at Longju, a few miles south of the line. They abandoned this in 1961 but in October 1962 crossed the line once again, this time by force. After striking toward the Tanglha ridge and Tawang, which is near the Bhutan border, the Chinese later extended their attack across the whole frontier. Deep inroads were made at a number of points. However, due to external pressures that developed in the meantime, the Chinese agreed to withdraw back to the McMahon Line and returned Indian prisoners of war in 1963.
Following that, the entire area changed its name from North East Frontier Agency and became part of Assam. Arunachal Pradesh gained statehood in 1987 after taking into consideration the security consideration in the east and Sino-Indian tensions.
See Also
External Links
[1] http://www.arunachaltourism.com/ Tourism Department of Arunachal Pradesh
[2] http://www.arunachalpradesh.nic.in/ Official Government website of Arunachal Pradesh (In English)
Last updated: 02-11-2005 00:28:23
Last updated: 05-06-2005 01:27:49
