37 Facts About Meghalaya

Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills and (b) the Garo Hills on 21 January 1972.

Meghalaya was previously part of Assam, but on 21 January 1972, the districts of Khasi, Garo and Jaintia Hills became the new state of Meghalaya.

Meghalaya covers an area of approximately 22, 430 square kilometres, with a length-to-breadth ratio of about 3:1.

Unlike many Indian states, Meghalaya has historically followed a matrilineal system where the lineage and inheritance are traced through women; the youngest daughter inherits all wealth and she takes care of her parents.

Meghalaya has predominantly an agrarian economy with a significant commercial forestry industry.

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The importance of Meghalaya is its possible role in human history via domestication of rice.

When Bengal was partitioned on 16 October 1905 by Lord Curzon, Meghalaya became a part of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam.

At the time of Indian independence in 1947, present-day Meghalaya constituted two districts of Assam and enjoyed limited autonomy within the state of Assam.

Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and the Garo Hills.

The name 'Meghalaya' coined by geographer S P Chatterjee in 1936 was proposed and accepted for the new state.

Meghalaya attained statehood on 21 January 1972, with a Legislative Assembly of its own.

Meghalaya is one of the Seven Sister States of northeast India.

The state of Meghalaya is mountainous, with stretches of valley and highland plateaus, and it is geologically rich.

The highest point in Meghalaya is Shillong Peak, which is a prominent IAF station in the Khasi Hills overlooking the city of Shillong.

Meghalaya is the home to a large variety of fruits, vegetables, spices, and medicinal plants.

Meghalaya has a large variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.

Meghalaya has a number of snakes including the python, copperhead, green tree racer, Indian cobra, king cobra, coral snake and vipers.

Meghalaya is home to over 250 species of butterflies, nearly a quarter of all butterfly species found in India.

Meghalaya is one of three states in India to have a Christian majority.

Meghalaya schools are run by the state government or by private organisations, including religious institutions.

Meghalaya has two representatives in the Lok Sabha, one each from Shillong and Tura.

Meghalaya has a large forest cover, rich biodiversity, and numerous water bodies.

Majority of the population and the major tribal groups in Meghalaya follow a matrilineal system where lineage and inheritance are traced through women.

Meghalaya's then becomes designated as nokna meaning 'for the house or home'.

Meghalaya has one of the world's largest surviving matrilineal cultures.

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The Public Health Foundation of India has recently partnered with the government of Meghalaya to improve public health in many rural parts of the state by first strengthening the abilities of non-government organisations to perform such services.

Meghalaya is a landlocked state with many small settlements in remote areas.

When Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as an autonomous state in 1972, it inherited a total road length of 2786.

Meghalaya is connected to Silchar in Assam, Aizawl in Mizoram, and Agartala in Tripura through national highways.

Meghalaya has a railhead at Mendipathar and regular train service connecting Mendipathar in Meghalaya and Guwahati in Assam, has started on 30 November 2014.

Meghalaya is compared to Scotland for its highlands, fog, and scenery.

Meghalaya has some of the thickest primary forests in the country and therefore constitutes one of the most important ecotourism circuits in India.

Meghalaya offers many adventure tourism opportunities in the form of mountaineering, rock climbing, trekking, and hiking, caving and water sports.

Meghalaya has several parks; Thangkharang Park, the Eco-park, the Botanical Garden and Lady Hydari Park to name a few.

Meghalaya has an estimated 500 natural limestone and sandstone caves spread over the entire state including most of the longest and deepest caves in the sub-continent.

Meghalaya is famous for its living root bridges, a kind of suspension bridge made over rivers using intertwined roots of Ficus elastica trees planted on opposite banks of the river or hill slopes.

Meghalaya then shared this knowledge with others, and named the different months of the year, each of which is a stage of shifting cultivation.