The “Seven Sister States” are seven states in the extreme northeastern part of India. These states are – Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. Northeast India comprises these seven states plus Sikkim which is sometimes called the brother of the seven sisters.
Geography of Northeast India
Which is the largest state in Northeast India?
Arunachal Pradesh is the largest state in northeast India. It has an area of around 83,750 sq km. The second largest state in Assam with an area of around 78,440 sq km.
Which is the most populated state in Northeast India?
Assam is the most populated state in northeast India. The state recorded a population of 3.12 Crores in the 2011 census. It should be over 3.5 Crores now.
Seven sister states of India and their capitals
| State | Area (sq km) | Capital city | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arunachal Pradesh | around 83,750 sq km | Itanagar |
| 2 | Assam | around 78,440 sq km | Dispur |
| 3 | Manipur | around 22,325 sq km | Imphal |
| 4 | Meghalaya | around 22,720 sq km | Shillong |
| 5 | Mizoram | around 21,100 sq km | Aizawl |
| 6 | Nagaland | around 16,580 sq km | Kohima |
| 7 | Tripura | around 10,485 sq km | Agartala |
Sikkim
| Area | Capital city |
|---|---|
| 7,096 sq km | Gangtok |
Which is the largest city in Northeast India?
Guwahati in Assam is the largest city in northeast India.
Top 5 largest cities in Northeast India
- Guwahati, Assam
- Agartala, Tripura
- Imphal, Manipur
- Shillong, Meghalaya
- Dimapur, Nagaland
Which is the highest mountain peak in Northeast India?
Kanchenjunga standing at an elevation of 8,586 m is the highest mountain in northeast India. It is also the third highest mountain in the entire world.
Terrain
The Northeastern India is mostly mountainous/hilly. The plains are present mostly in the state of Assam and Tripura. The region is geologically active and prone to earthquakes, landslides and floods. The climate varies from tropical to temperate, depending on the altitude and latitude.
Major Rivers in Northeast India
Some major rivers in Northeaster India are Brahmaputra, Dibang, Barak, Myntdu, Tiau, Doyang, Longai, and Teesta.
Forest cover and wildlife
Over 60% of northeast India is covered in forests. The most heavily forested state in the region is Mizoram. It has a forest cover of 84.53% (2021 survey). In these forests many charismatic wildlife species thrive. Some of them are Tiger, Indian elephant, Indian rhino, Clouded leopard, Leopard, Red panda, etc.
(Also read: Forest cover in India (2023) – important statistics)
Which is the most densely populated NE Indian state?
Assam
Which is the least densely populated NE Indian state?
Arunachal Pradesh
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