Manipur
What are the main geographical features of Manipur?
What is the climate like in Manipur?
Who are the main ethnic groups in Manipur?
What are the major economic activities in Manipur?
What historical events have shaped Manipur’s political landscape?
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Manipur, state of India, located in the northeastern part of the country. It is bordered by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Assam to the west, and Mizoram to the southwest and by Myanmar (Burma) to the south and east. Like other northeastern states, it is largely isolated from the rest of India. The name Manipur means “land of gems.” Its economy centers on agriculture and forestry, and trade and cottage industries also are important. The state capital is Imphal, located in the center of the state. Area 8,621 square miles (22,327 square km). Pop. (2001) 2,293,896; (2011) 2,855,794.
Land
Relief and drainage
The state has two major physiographic regions: the Manipur River valley and a large surrounding tract of mountainous country. The valley, encompassing some 690 square miles (1,787 square km), runs north-south and lies at an elevation of 2,600 feet (790 meters). Its main physical feature is Loktak Lake, which covers about 40 square miles (100 square km) and is the source of the Manipur River. Loktak Lake is a major tourist attraction because of its numerous floating islands with vegetation, known locally as phumdis. It is the largest natural freshwater lake in northeastern India. Fishers live in huts on some of these floating islands. The Manipur River flows southward through the valley into Myanmar, where it joins the Myittha River, a tributary of the Chindwin.
The hill ranges, connected by spurs and ridges, run generally north-south. These ranges include the Naga Hills to the north, the East Manipur Hills along the eastern Myanmar border, the Mizo and Chin hills to the south, and the West Manipur Hills to the west. Average elevations vary between 5,000 and 6,000 feet (1,500 and 1,800 meters), although the hills in the north rise above 9,500 feet (2,900 meters). In the west the Surma River, known as the Barak River in Manipur, has cut a narrow steep-sided valley through the West Manipur Hills as it flows to join the Meghna River in Bangladesh.
Climate
The climate is temperate in the valley and cold in the hills. In summer the average high temperature is in the low 90s F (about 32–34 °C), and in the winter temperatures can drop into the mid-30s F (about 1–2 °C). Rainfall is abundant, with about 65 inches (1,650 mm) of precipitation occurring annually. November through February are the state’s driest months.
Plant and animal life
The hills are densely covered with mixed forests containing stands of bamboo and teak. Other trees include oak, magnolia, and chinquapin. The Luzon pine grows in the Naga Hills. Among the state’s notable plants are rhododendrons, primroses, blue poppies, and Siroi lilies (Lilium mackliniae). Animal life includes the Asiatic elephants, tigers, leopards, and wild buffalo. The Indian one-horned rhinoceros, once found occasionally in Manipur, has largely disappeared from the state because of illegal poaching. Sangai, also known as brow-antlered deer or dancing deer (and a subspecies of Eld’s deer [Rucervus eldii]), are found in the floating islands of Keibul Lamjao National Park in the southeastern part of Loktak Lake and are in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Keibul Lamjao is unique because it is a floating national park, which is a rarity. Gaurs are the largest wild bison in the world; mithun (gayal), the domesticated form, are widely distributed in the state. Hoolock gibbons, slow lorises, Mrs. Hume’s pheasants, and different species of hornbills are also found in the state.
People
Meiteis (Meeteis), the dominant ethnic group in Manipur, occupy the Manipur valley and are largely Hindu. Meitei women conduct most of the trade in the valley and enjoy high social status. Indigenous hill tribes, such as the Nagas in the north and the Kukis in the south, make up the rest of the population and mostly inhabit the hill areas. Divided into numerous clans and sections, the people of these tribes speak languages of the Tibeto-Burman family and practice traditional animist religions. Many of the Nagas and Kukis have converted to Christianity. More than three-fifths of the people speak Manipuri, or Meitei, which, along with English, is the official language of the state. Manipur’s population is largely rural, Imphal being the only city of any size.
Economy
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
Agriculture and forestry are the main sources of income. Rice is the major crop, and the rich soil also supports corn (maize), sugarcane, mustard, tobacco, orchard fruits, and pulses (legumes). Terracing is common in the hills, where the farmers plow the ground with hand hoes. Among some of the hill tribes, domestic animals are kept only for meat and are not milked or used for hauling. Teak and bamboo are major forestry products. Fishing, a major economic activity, is practiced using a variety of nets, longlines, and traps. Athapum, a traditional fishing technique, is practiced in Loktak Lake. Circular ponds are formed within the lake with phumdi and other plants to attract fish, but this practice is now under threat because of government-imposed restrictions on the lake’s fishing communities.
