All about Geographical Facts about Arunachal Pradesh

The state of Arunachal Pradesh is located in the foothills of the Himalayas and is primarily a hilly region. During British rule, Arunachal Pradesh was referred to as North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA). It was given the status of a union territory in 1972, before which it was a part of Assam. In 1987, Arunachal Pradesh officially became an Indian state. 

The capital of Arunachal Pradesh is Itanagar. The official language of the state is English. It lies between the longitude of 91°30′ East and 96°30′ East and a latitude of 26°28′ North and 29°30′ North. The state is spread over an area of 83,573 square kilometres. It has 15 districts, 12 towns and 3862 villages. 

It shares its border with China in the north, Assam and Nagaland in the south, Bhutan in the west, and Myanmar in the east. 

Topography

The state has six topographical regions. The Tirap district and the western part of the Kameng district form the first two topographical regions. The upper, middle and lower belts make up three topographical regions. The foothills of the state form the sixth topographical region. 

The topography of Arunachal Pradesh contains mostly hilly terrain. It has mountainous as well as sub-mountainous regions. It also has wide valleys created by rivers. The state is also home to many rivers such as Siang, Siyum, Kamplang, Dibang, Tirap, Lohit, Kamla, Noa-Dihing, Subansiri, Kameng, etc. 

Climate

The climate of Arunachal Pradesh varies according to the altitude of a place. Depending on the altitude, the climate varies from temperate to subtropical. 

The regions that lie at the lower altitude of the state experience high temperatures and a humid climate. In summers, the temperature may reach up to 40° C in these areas. In the monsoons, the temperature ranges from 22° C to 30° C. In the winter months, the temperature ranges from 15° C to 20° C. 

The middle belt experiences a cooler climate than the lower belt. At the highest altitude, the state experiences an alpine climate. In the winter months, the higher altitudes also experience snowfall. This attracts a lot of tourists to the state at this time of the year. 

The state also experiences heavy rainfall between May and September. The rainfall ranges between 450 to 80 centimetres and the average rainfall of the state is recorded as 300 centimetres. 

Area

Among the Northeastern states, Arunachal Pradesh possesses the largest area. The state houses the Shiwalik ranges and includes many rivers and streams that flow through the region. The state is divided into 15 districts as follows:

• Lohit 

• Upper Subansiri 

• Lower Subansiri 

• Changlang 

• Dibang Valley 

• Lower Dibang Valley 

• West Kameng 

• East Kameng 

• Pampumpare 

• Upper Siang 

• West Siang 

• East Siang 

• Kurung Kumey 

• Twang 

• Tirap

The state shares about 1030 km of the boundary with China, 160 km with Bhutan and 440 km with Myanmar.

Forests

A wide variety of flora and fauna can be found in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh. This is because the state receives the highest rainfall in the northeastern region after Meghalaya and is known to have a temperate climate. The state is the richest in the Himalayan region in terms of biodiversity. 

The forests in the state are home to various tribes of the land. These forests are also a means of livelihood for the tribal people. The forest has around 5000 plant species, 85 mammal species, 500 bird species, and many species of reptiles, insects and butterflies. 

The state’s forests are divided into the following categories depending upon the climate of the area:

• Tropical forests

• Temperate forests

• Subtropical forests

Some other types of forests found in the state are:

• Degraded forests

• Bamboo forests

• Grasslands

• Pine forests

• Alpine forests

Some important animals found in the state are:

• Tragopan

• Marbled cat

• Elephant

• Slow loris

• Tiger

• Rodents

• Golden cat

• Linsang

• Leopard

• Pig-tailed macaque

• Wild buffalo

• Rhesus macaque

• Gaur

• Wren

• Wild buffalo

• Serow

• White-winged wood duck

Conclusion 

Arunachal Pradesh lies in the northeastern part of India. The capital of Arunachal Pradesh is Itanagar, and the official language is English. The state has an area of 83,573 square kilometres. It shares its border with China, Assam, Nagaland, Bhutan and Myanmar. It houses the Shiwalik ranges, with many rivers flowing through the region. 

The state has six topographical regions. Depending on the altitude of the region, the climate can be hot and humid, moderate or extremely cold. The state also experiences the heaviest rainfall in the northeastern region after Meghalaya. Since the state experiences heavy rainfall, it has many forests and a wide variety of flora and fauna.