Geography Of Nagaland

Where Is Nagaland?

Nagaland is a northeast Indian state. Assam borders Nagaland to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam to the north, Manipur to the south, and the country of Myanmar to the east. Dimapur is the largest city in the state and Kohima is the capital. Nagaland encompasses an area of 16,579 square km and has a population of 1,980,602 as of 2011. It is thus one of the smallest Indian state. Nagaland hosts a large number of tribes, 17 in total each with their distinct customs and cultures. 

Climate Of Nagaland?

Nagaland has a monsoon type of climate with high levels of humidity. The annual rainfall in the state averages between 70 and 100 inches. May to September are the wettest months in Nagaland. The winter temperatures are moderately low but usually do not fall below 4 °C, and the average winter temperature is 24 °C. However, frost at higher elevations is common. Summer lasts for only a few months and is the shortest season in Nagaland. February and March are the windiest months in the state.

Topology Of Nagaland

Nagaland is mostly a mountainous state, and Mount Saramati (3,840 meters) is the highest peak in the state which lies on the border between Burma and Nagaland. The Naga Hills that rise in Assam’s Brahmaputra Valley to about 2,000 feet stretches into Nagaland where it attains a height of about 6,000 feet in the southeast and continues as the Patkai Range in Burma.

Rivers Of Nagaland

The nearness of Nagaland to the Himalayan foothills and the high rainfall received by the state has endowed the state with sufficient water resources. Several tributaries of the Brahmaputra River flow through Nagaland and finally join the main river to drain into the Bay of Bengal.

One of the chief tributaries of the Brahmaputra River flowing through Nagaland is the Dhansiri which has its headwaters in the Laisang peak in the state. Doyang, Jhanji, and Dikhu are the other main rivers of Nagaland. The rivers aid in irrigation of crop fields, sediments from the river enrich the soil of the state, and hydroelectric power is generated from the rivers of the state.

Soils Of Nagaland

Inceptisols, Ultisols, Entisols, and Alfisols are the four distinct types of soils found in Nagaland. The inceptisols is the most common soil in the Indian state, comprising 66% of the soil composition. Ultisols form 23.8% of the soil cover while entisols share 7.3% and Alfisols share 2.9% of the soil cover in Nagaland. 

Flora And Fauna Of Nagaland

Tropical and sub-tropical forests cover one-sixth of Nagaland. Bamboo, rattan, palms, mahogany, timber are some of the dominant trees of these forests. Sambar, leopards, bears, porcupines, elephants, pangolins, monkeys, etc., are some of the animals living in the forests of Nagaland. One of the most iconic avian species of Nagaland is the great Indian hornbill. 

Symbols Of Nagaland

The Blyth’s tragopan is a vulnerable species of bird that is the state bird of Nagaland. The bird can be sighted in the Kohima district’s Dzükou Valley and Mount Japfü and a few other places. 

Mithun is the state animal of Nagaland. It is a semi-domesticated gaur found only in India’s northeastern state.

Protected Areas Of Nagaland