Nagaland

Nagaland
Capital • Coordinates	Kohima • 25.4° N 94.08° E
Largest city	Dimapur
Population (2001) • Density	1,988,636 ( 24th) • 120/km²
Area • Districts	16,579 km² ( 25th) • 11
Time zone	IST ( UTC +5:30)
Establishment • Governor • Chief Minister • Legislature (seats)	1963-12-01.16th state of India • Shyamal Datta ( list) • Neiphiu Rio ( list) • Unicameral (60)
Official language(s)	English
Website	nagaland.nic.in
Abbreviation (ISO)	IN-NL
Seal of Nagaland

Nagaland is a state in northeast India.

Geography

Nagaland borders the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur and the country Myanmar. The capital is Kohima. Nagaland is divided into 8 administrative districts. About 84% of the population belongs to 16 Naga tribes, an Indo-Mongoloid ethnic group; minority tribes include the 40,000 Chin. There are some 22,000 Assamese and 14,000 Bengali Muslims. Over 90% of the population is Christian, mostly Baptist. This Christian heritage is shared with a majority in the nearby states of Mizoram and Meghalaya and by a large minority in neighbouring Manipur. The rest of India is overwhelmingly Hindu.

Society and Culture

The Nagas in Nagaland belong to the indo-mongoloid and comprise of 16 major tribes, as well as numerous subtribes, each having a specific geographic distribution.Nagas speak languages belonging to the Sino-Tibetan family. Though sharing many cultural traits, these tribes have maintained a high degree of isolation and lack cohesion as a single people.The Aos,Konyaks, Semas, and Angamis are the largest tribe. Other tribes include the Lothas, Sangtams, Phoms, Changs, Khiamnungams, Yimchungres, Zeliangs, Chakhesangs (Chokri/Kheza), and Rengmas.The principal languages are Angami, Ao, Chang, Konyak, Lotha, Sangtam, and Sema.

The Nagas have high cheek bones, almond eyes, sparkling teeth and bronzed skin set the Nagas apart. They wear colourful tribal outfits, with bamboo shields sheathed in bear skin and decorated spears. Tribe and Clan plays an important part in the life of a Naga.

Weaving is a traditional art handed down through generations in Nagaland. Each of the major tribes has its own unique designs and colours, producing shawls, hand-woven shoulder bags, decorative spears, table mats, wood carvings and bamboo works. Tribal dances of the Nagas give an insight into the inborn reticence of the people. War dances and dances belonging to distinctive tribes are a major art form in Nagaland. Some of the important festivals are Moatsu, Sekrenyi, Tuluni and Tokhu Emong.

Nagaland is a rural state. More than four-fifths of the population live in villages, built on the most prominent points along the ridges of the hills. These villages were once stockaded with massive wooden gates. Dimapur-Chumukedima, Greater Kohima and Alichen-Mokokchung-DEF are the major urban centres.

Religion

Christianity is the predominant religion with 90% of its population being Christians.The state has a very high church attendance rate in both urban and rural areas.The largest of Asia's churches dominate the skylines of Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung.Church bells echoes throughout the hills during Sunday mornings.Hindus and Muslims constitute the non-Naga populations of the state and each forms 4% of the population.A small minority, less than 2% still practise the traditional religions and are mainly concentrated in Peren and the Eastern districts.

Among Christians, Baptists are the predominant group constituting more than 80% of the state's population.Infact Nagaland is known as 'The most Baptist State in the World'.Catholics, Revivalists and Pentacostals are the other Christian denominations in significant numbers.Catholics are found in significant numbers in parts of Wokha district and the urban areas of Kohima and Dimapur

Facts and Figures

• Area: 16,578 km²
• Population: 1.98 million ( 2001)
  • Ethnic groups:
    • Naga (16 tribes): 87%
    • Other: 12%
  • Religion:
    • Christian: 90% (75%+ Baptist)
    • Hindu: 4%
    • Muslim: 4%
• Capital: Kohima (pop. 78,000)

• Nagaland has 11 Districts:
  • Dimapur
  • Kiphire
  • Kohima
  • Longleng
  • Mokokchung
  • Mon
  • Peren
  • Phek
  • Tuensang
  • Wokha
  • Zunheboto

Major Urban Agglomerations

• Dimapur-Chumukedima - 220,000
• Greater Kohima - 93,000
• Alichen-Mokokchung-DEF - 62,000
• Wokha - 37,000
• Tuensang - 30,000

Education

Important Higher Secondary and High Schools

• Mayangnokcha Higher Secondary School, Mokokchung
• Queen Mary School, Mokokchung
• Jubilee Memorial Shool,Mokokchung
• Edith Douglas Higher Secondary School,Mokokchung
• Little Flower Higher Secondary School,Kohima
• Mezhur Higher Secondary School,Kohima
• Don Bosco Higher Secondary School,Kohima
• Baptist High,Kohima
• Holy Cross School,Dimapur
• St Paul's School,Dimapur
• Christian Higher Secondary School,Dimapur
• St John's Residential School,Dimapur
• Don Bosco Higher Secondary School,Dimapur
• S.D.Jain School,Dimapur
• Delhi Public School,Dimapur
• St John's School,Tuensang
• Don Bosco School,Wokha

University

• Nagaland University with Headquarter at Lumami and campuses at Kohima and Medziphema

Important Colleges

• Kohima Science College, Jotsoma
• St Joseph's College, Jakhama
• Kohima college,Kohima
• Kohima Law College,Kohima
• Dimapur College,Dimapur
• S.D.Jain College,Dimapur
• Prabananda Women's College,Dimapur
• Fazl Ali College,Mokokchung
• Mokokchung Law College,Mokokchung
• People's College,Mokokchung
• Sao Chang College,Tuensang
• Wangkhao College,Mon
• Phek College,Phek
• Zunheboto College,Zunheboto