Assam Demography in Census 2011 – Population, Sex Ratio, Literacy rate Highlights & figures

Assam Demography in Census 2011 – Population, Sex Ratio, Literacy rate

Demographic Geography of Assam Notes for APSC, UPSC & State exams

 

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  • As per details from Census 2011, Assam has population of 3,12,05,576 Crores, an increase from 2,66,55,528 in 2001 census. Out of the total population of Assam, male and female are 15,939,443 and 15,266,133 respectively.
  • Assam’s population forms 2.58 percent of India’s total population in 2011, which was 2.59 percent in 2001.
  • Decadal population growth in the 2001-2011 period was 17.07 percent while in previous decade it was 18.85 percent.
  • In Assam, 87.92% houses are owned while 6.84% were rented. 74.13% couples in Assam lived in single family. 

Assam Literacy Rate in Census 2011

  • Literacy rate in Assam has been increasing continuously and is 72.19 percent as per 2011 population census.
  • Male literacy stands at 77.85 percent while female literacy is at 66.27 percent.
  • As per Census 2001, Assam’s literacy rate stood at 63.25 percent of which male and female were 71.28 percent and 54.61 percent literate, respectively. Total literates in Assam stands at 1,91,77,977 of which males were 1,05,68,639 and females were 8,609,338.

 

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Assam Density 2011

Total area of Assam is 78,438 sq. km. Density of Assam is 398 per sq km which is higher than national average 382 per sq km. In 2001, density of Assam was 340 per sq km, while nation average in 2001 was 324 per sq km.

 

Assam Sex Ratio

Sex Ratio in Assam is 958 i.e. for each 1000 male, which is below national average of 940 as per census 2011. In 2001, the sex ratio of female was 935 per 1000 males in Assam.

 

Assam 2020 Population

What is the population of Assam in 2020 ? The question though legimate has no correct answer. The last census of Assam was done in 2011 and next would be in 2021. But we can do projection of future Assam 2020 Population on the basis likely Population Growth Rate.

 

Assam Population 2020

As per projection, population of Assam in 2020 is 3.60 Crore.

Approximate Population 3.12 Crores 2.67 Crore
Actual Population 31,205,576 26,655,528
Male 15,939,443 13,777,037
Female 15,266,133 12,878,491
Population Growth 17.07% 18.85%
Percantage of total Population 2.58% 2.59%
Sex Ratio 958 935
Child Sex Ratio 962 965
 
Density/km2 398 340
Density/mi2 1,030 880
Area(Km2) 78,438 78,438
Area mi2 30,285 30,285
Total Child Population (0-6 Age) 4,638,130 4,498,075
Male Population (0-6 Age) 2,363,485 2,289,116
Female Population (0-6 Age) 2,274,645 2,208,959
Literacy 72.19 % 63.25 %
Male Literacy 77.85 % 71.28 %
Female Literacy 66.27 % 54.61 %
Total Literate 19,177,977 14,015,354
Male Literate 10,568,639 8,188,697
Female Literate 8,609,338 5,826,657
 

Assam Religious Data

Hinduism is majority religion in state of Assam with 61.47 % followers. Islam is second most popular religion in state of Assam with approximately 34.22 % following it. In Assam state, Christinity is followed by 3.74 %, Jainism by 0.08 %, Sikhism by 0.07 % and Buddhism by 0.07 %. Around 0.09 % stated ‘Other Religion’, approximately 0.16 % stated ‘No Particular Religion’.

Description Population Percentage
Hindu 19,180,759 61.47 %
Muslim 10,679,345 34.22 %
Christian 1,165,867 3.74 %
Buddhist 54,993 0.18 %
Not Available 50,873 0.16 %
Other Religion 27,118 0.09 %
Jain 25,949 0.08 %
Sikh 20,672 0.07 %

Assam Urban/Rural Population 2011

Assam Urban Population 2011

Out of total population of Assam, 14.10% people live in urban regions. The total figure of population living in urban areas is 4,398,542 of which 2,260,454 are males and while remaining 2,138,088 are females. The urban population in the last 10 years has increased by 14.10 percent.

Sex Ratio in urban regions of Assam was 946 females per 1000 males. For child (0-6) sex ratio the figure for urban region stood at 944 girls per 1000 boys. Total children (0-6 age) living in urban areas of Assam were 450,807. Of total population in urban region, 10.25 % were children (0-6).

Average Literacy rate in Assam for Urban regions was 88.47 percent in which males were 91.81% literate while female literacy stood at 79.85%. Total literates in urban region of Assam were 3,492,541.

Description Rural Urban
Population (%) 85.90 % 14.10 %
Total Population 26,807,034 4,398,542
Male Population 13,678,989 2,260,454
Female Population 13,128,045 2,138,088
Population Growth 15.47 % 27.89 %
Sex Ratio 960 946
Child Sex Ratio (0-6) 964 944
Child Population (0-6) 4,187,323 450,807
Child Percentage (0-6) 15.62 % 10.25 %
Literates 15,685,436 3,492,541
Average Literacy 69.34 % 88.47 %
Male Literacy 75.40 % 91.81 %
Female Literacy 60.05 % 79.85 %

 

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Assam Metropolitan/City Population

Big Cities Population Male Female
Guwahati (Municipal Corporation) 957,352 495,362 461,990
Silchar (Municipal Board) 172,830 86,884 85,946
Dibrugarh (Municipal Board) 139,565 72,384 67,181
Nagaon (Municipal Board) 117,722 59,651 58,071

Large Metropolitan Region Population Male Female
Guwahati 962,334 498,450 463,884

North Eastern Regional Institute of Water and Land Management (NERIWALM) – (Assam/North-East Geography Notes)

North Eastern Regional Institute of Water and Land Management (NERIWALM)

Assam/North-East Geography Notes & Study Materials

Assam Geography - Assamexam

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  • The North Eastern Regional Institute of Water and Land Management (NERIWALM) was established at Tezpur, Assam by North Eastern Council (NEC), in December, 1989, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India.
  • After signing a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR, RD &GR), Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and NEC, the Institute was transferred to MoWR, RD & GR, Govt. of India with effect from 1st April, 2012.
  • The main objective of the institute is to provide capacity building, undertake research and provide technical services to the line departments in order to improve agricultural production and socio-economic status of the people in North-East region.
  • The mandate of the Institute is formulated with an overall goal of capacity building and skill enhancement of professionals working in departments like Irrigation/Water Resources, Agriculture, Horticulture, Soil & Water Conservation, Rural Development etc., Water Users Associations (WUAs), farmers and NGOs for efficient management of water and land resources of Northeast of India.
  • It promotes advancement of science and acquisition of scientific knowledge to provide instruction / and training in all branches of science, both theoretical and applied, and in particular in Water and Land Management for Irrigation and Agriculture.
  • The Institute caters the requirements of all the eight states of North Eastern Region of India namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. It has made commendable progress in imparting capacity building programmes like training, seminar, workshop, conferences in the NE region. It also conducts field researches in farmer’s fields as well as in its Research Farm.
  • The Institute provides technical back-up services by undertaking projects, experiments and offers consultancy services etc. in various aspects of water resource management, efficient water use in irrigation management, agricultural and horticultural development, soil and water conservation and sociological parameters etc. NERIWALM also envisages fulfilling the goals of National Water Mission through its various activities.

 

The on-going activities of the Institute in the following thrust areas:

  • Irrigation water management

  • Integrated water resource management

  • Participatory irrigation management

  • Soil and water conservation and watershed management

  • Command area development and water management

  • Multiple cropping and crop diversification

  • Women participation in irrigation management

 

NERIWALM’s mission

  • To empower the human resources on agricultural water management to preposition the region to combat the emerging challenges in agriculture and ensure productivity increase in agri, horti, fish crops on the face of shrinking/fragmented land holdings, ailing soil health, diminishing water resources and increased human population ensuring effective use of the water and soil resources in scientific, equitable and sustainable manner.

  • To take up all such activities that will help in better implementation of programmes and projects relating to water and land management of both Central and State Governments.

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Development of Assam’s Tea Industry (APSC Assam Economy Notes)

Development of Assam’s Tea Industry (APSC Assam Economy Notes)

Assam Economy - Assamexam

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Development of Assam’s Tea Industry

India is the second largest producer of tea in the world, only after China. Most of the tea produced in India comes from North East India, especially Assam and Tripura. The Assam tea industry accounts for more than 50% of India’s total tea production. There are 848 registered tea estates in Assam.

Assam is the only region other than China which can boast of its own variety of native tea plant, Camellia sinensis assamica. Most of the tea plantations in Assam are situated at a near sea level height. and the whole area is endowed with a plenty of rainfall. The unique tropical climate of Assam imparts a special distinctive malty flavor, with a very strong body and bright color.

Robert Bruce in 1823 discovered tea plants growing wild in upper Brahmaputra Valley. A tea garden was started by the Government in 1833 in the then Lakhimpur district. The commercial circle of London took a keen interest in tea plantations in Assam and a company named as Assam Company was formed in 1839 to take over the holdings of the East India Company’s Administration over the tea gardens in Assam. This was the first company in India to undertake the commercial production of tea. Nazira was headquarters of this company until it was shifted to Calcutta in 1965.

The second important tea company, the Jorhat Tea Company was formed in 1859. To encourage tea plantation, the Government also made liberal provisions for the settlement of the waste land for tea cultivation.

In 1911, world’s first institute dedicated to tea research, the Toklai Research Station was established near Jorhat to carrying on research on cultivation and manufacture of tea. This facility has been very useful in disseminating knowledge for the increase of yield for the industry. The industry faced an acute crisis in 1930s, which was successfully averted by enacting the Indian Tea Control Act,1933, and instituting an International Tea Committee and Indian Tea Licensing Committee.

Marketing of tea has always been a problem for the products of this region, as previously the Tea Auction Centre at Calcutta was the only centre of sale for Assam Tea. The imposition of West Bengal Entry Tax on Assam Tea, transport bottlenecks and many more difficulties involved in arranging the sale at Calcutta Auction centre, necessitated the opening of the Tea Auction Centre in Assam. The Tea Auction Centre at Guwahati was opened on 25th Sept.1970, which started a new era for the tea industry of Assam.

From the very beginning of tea plantation in Assam, the planters have faced great difficulties in securing the necessary labour force. The experiment with immigrant Chinese labour in the early days proved a complete failure due to the high cost of requirement and maintenance and to the difficulties in their management. Local labourers were not available in sufficient number. It thus became necessary to bring labourers from other parts of India in large number to meet the labour demand due to expansion of the tea plantations in Assam. As a result of continuous inflow of immigrant labourers, tea garden communities now forms substantial share of Assam’s population.

In present time, the Assam Tea has a global reputation and commands significant share in the world Tea Market. Assam’s total area under tea cultivation accounts for more than half of the country’s total area under tea. Assam  produces about 630- 700 million kg of tea, which is more than half of India’s tea production.

India produced around 1,279 million kg in 2017 and it consumes 70% of the produce. As a result, it has very little amount of surplus tea left for export and thus India ranks fourth in the list of tea exporters. Some of the well-known regional brand varieties India produces are the Assam, Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Dooars, Kangra etc.

Infrastructure of Assam – Roadways and Bridges (APSC Assam Geography Notes)

Infrastructure of Assam – Roadways and Bridges
APSC Assam Notes & Study Materials

Assam Geography - Assamexam

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Assam is the gateway of Northeast India and there is a necessity for improved transportation in the State is essential for development in the Northeast region. Assam comprises of approximately 40342 km of road network including 2841 km of national highway. 

Assam has a total length of National Highways of 3900 Km. This includes 15 number of newly declared NHs for a length of 1032 km. Additionally, 847 km of road stretches have already been approved “in principle” as new NHs and another 1253 km of state roads have been identified to be upgraded to National Highway.

Guwahati has good quality roads that are accessible and connected with major cities and towns in India. The Assam State Transport Corporation and other private operators run regular bus services in the state.

National Highways in Assam

There are 39 National Highways running through Assam. A length of 2541 Km under Assam PWD, National Highway, a length of 696 Km under National Highway Authority of India, and 399 Km under National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.

31 Km is under Border Road Organization (BRO), 13 Km under Railways, 25 Km under Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and around 192 Km were newly declared as NHs but yet to be entrusted.

Important Bridges in Assam

The Mighty Brahmaputra River is the longest river in Assam, there are 6 rail and road bridges have been constructed over the Brahmaputra in Assam and four new bridges are proposed.

 

Dhola Sadiya Bridge of 9.15 km length

Dhola Sadiya Bridge or Bhupen Hazarika Bridge across the Lohit River, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River, is the longest bridge in India. The 9.15 kilometres long road bridge inaugurated on 26 May 2017 by PM Narendra Modi.

It is a beam bridge connecting Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The bridge is the first permanent road connection between the northern Assam and eastern Arunachal Pradesh.

Bogibeel Bridge of 4.94 km length

The Bogibeel Bridge across the Brahmaputra river in Dibrugarh is the longest road and rail bridge in India. The 4.94 kilometres long road cum rail bridge connects Dhemaji district and Dibrugarh district of Assam.

This is also Asia’s 2nd longest rail-cum-road bridge and second longest bridge in Assam after Bhupen Hazarika Bridge. It is the 5th longest bridge in India after Bhupen Hazarika Setu, Dibang River Bridge, Mahatma Gandhi Setu and Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

It is situated in an earthquake-prone area it is India’s first bridge to have fully welded steel-concrete support beams that can withstand earthquakes of magnitudes up to 7 on the Richter Scale. It has a serviceable period of around 120 years. 

 

Kolia Bhomora Bridge

Kolia Bhomora Setu is a 3.15 km long road bridge over the Brahmaputra river near Tezpur, connecting Sonitpur with Nagaon. The bridge is one of the most important link between the North Eastern states and rest of India.

It is named after the Ahom General Kolia Bhomora Phukan. The bridge falls on route of National Highway 715, previously known as NH-37A.

Naranarayan Bridge of 2.3 Km

Naranarayan Setu is an important road cum rail bridge over the Brahmaputra river in Assam, connects Jogighopa with Pancharatna. The double deck bridge is listed as one of the most impressive rail cum road bridges of India.

It is the third bridge to have been constructed over the Brahmaputra River in Assam. It connects Jogighopa of Bongaigaon District on the north with Pancharatna of Goalpara District on the south. It is named after Nara Narayan, a 16th-century Koch king.

New Saraighat Bridge of Guwahati

The 1.5 km long new Saraighat Bridge near the old Saraighat rail cum road Bridge. The second bridge on Brahmaputra river at Saraighat was inaugurated in year 2017.

Saraighat Bridge

Saraighat Bridge in Guwahati is the first rail cum road bridge over mighty Brahmaputra river in Assam. The Saraighat Bridge over the river Brahmaputra links North East region with the rest of the country. The length of the bridge is 1492 meters.

The idea of constructing a bridge over the Brahmaputra was first mooted in 1910 and the thought gathered momentum during the Second World War. The bridge was built between 1959 and 1962 by Hindustan Construction Company at a cost of Rs 10.6 crore at that time.. The bridge was completed in September 1962.

Bridged under construction
Assam-Meghalaya river bridge of 19.3 km – Longest river bridge

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by PM Modi, approved construction of four-lane bridge including approaches over river Brahmaputra between Dhubri on the north bank and Phulbari on south bank on NH-127 B in the Assam/Meghalaya.

The total length of the bridge will be 19.3 Km, India’s longest river bridge. It will be built under the scheme of North-East Road Network Connectivity Project Phase-03’ under loan assistance with JICA at the total capital cost of Rs 4,997.04 crore. The project is expected to be complete by 2026-27.

Positive impact of the bridge

  1. Beside from boosting road connectivity, the project will also have strategic and socio-economic importance.
  2. The bridge will cut down travel distance from 205.3 Km to only 19.3 Km and will reduce travel time from five hours to 20 minutes between Dhubri in Assam and Phulbari in Meghalaya.
  3. It will provide the shortest link between the western regions of Meghalaya as well as Barak valley region of Assam and southern states in NE namely Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura and the rest of the country, including the ports of Kolkata.

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Environment & Ecology e-Book PDF | Geography of Assam e-Book PDF

Geography of Assam Quiz MCQ Set 3 – Assam Geography Quiz

Geography of Assam Quiz MCQ Set 3

for APSC / Assam exam Geography Preparation

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Assam History - Assam Exam

Q1. What is Assam’s position among all the Indian states, in terms of Elephant population?

  1. First
  2. Second
  3. Third
  4. Fifth

b. Second 

Q2. Indian Rhino Vision 2020(IVR2020) aims in increase the Rhino population in Assam to ____ by the year 2020.

  1. 2,000
  2. 3,000
  3. 4,000
  4. 5,000

b. 3000 

Q3. What is the IUCN Conservation status of the Gee’s golden langur (or golden langur), an Old World monkey found in Assam and neighboring regions?

  1. Endangered
  2. Critically Endangered
  3. Vulnerable
  4. Near Threatened

a. Endangered [/bg_collapse]

Q4. Which of the following is not among the major birds found in Assam?

  1. Blue-throated Barbet
  2. White-winged Wood Duck
  3. Ring-tailed Fishing Eagle
  4. White Peafowl

d. White Peafowl

Q5. How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in Assam?

  1. One
  2. Two
  3. Four
  4. Five

b. Two

Q6. Who is credited with the 1953 discovery of Golden Langur in Assam?

  1. Salim Ali
  2. M Krishnan
  3. Edward Pritchard Gee
  4. Moharana Choudhury

c. Edward Pritchard Gee

Q7. Which is the oldest National Park in Assam?

  1. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
  2. Kaziranga National Park
  3. Manas National Park
  4. Nameri National Park

b. Kaziranga National Park 

Q8. Which is the smallest National Park in Assam?

  1. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
  2. Manas National Park
  3. Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park
  4. Nameri National Park

c. Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park 

Q9. What is the IUCN Conservation status of Rhinoceros unicornis, the official state animal of Assam?

  1. Least Concerned
  2. Critically Endangered
  3. Vulnerable
  4. Extinct in the Wild

c. Vulnerable 

Q10. Keibul Lamjao National Park is located in which state?

  1. Assam
  2. Meghalaya
  3. Arunachal Pradesh
  4. Manipur

d. Manipur 

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Geography of Assam Quiz MCQ Set 2 – Assam Geography Quiz

Geography of Assam Quiz MCQ Set 2

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Assam History - Assam Exam

Q1. The Bhupen Hazarika Setu (Dhola–Sadiya Bridge) is constructed over which river?

  1. Brahmaputra
  2. Barak
  3. Lohit
  4. Dihang

c. Lohit 

Q2. Who is famously known as the “Forest Man of India”?

  1. Sunderlal Bahuguna
  2. Jadav Payeng
  3. Kallen Pakkudan
  4. Mike Pandey

b. Jadav Payeng 

Q3. As per 2011 census, the growth rate of population of Assam during the decade of 2001-2011 is

  1. 17.7%
  2. 24.5%
  3. 11%
  4. 20.1%

a. 17.7%

Q4. Which National Park in Assam is one of the last strongholds for the wild water buffalo?

  1. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
  2. Orang National Park
  3. Manas National Park
  4. Kaziranga National Park

d. Kaziranga National Park

Q5. What percentage of total area of Assam is under forest?

  1. 34 %
  2. 21 %
  3. 27 %
  4. 42 %

a. 34 %

Q6. The proposed Tipaimukh Dam is to be constructed over which river?

  1. Brahmaputra River
  2. Surma River
  3. Barak River
  4. Dibang River

c. Barak River

Q7. Which of the following geographical lines passes through the state of Assam?

  1. Tropic of cancer
  2. Tropic of Capricorn
  3. Equator
  4. None of the above

d. None of the above

Q8. Which is the following route is the National Waterway-2 (NW-2)

  1. River Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Sadiya
  2. River ganga from haldia to Allahabad
  3. Barak river from Lakhipur-Bhanga
  4. West Coast Canal from Kottapuram to Kollam

a. River Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Sadiya

Q9. Assam’s newest district Majuli is carved out of which of district?

  1. Jorhat
  2. Dibrugarh
  3. Tezpur
  4. Karbi Anglong

a. Jorhat

Q10. Assam’s proposed Chai-bagaan Time will have reference longitude of

  1. 82.5 degree E
  2. 90 degrees E
  3. 75 degree E
  4. 105 degree E

b. 90 degrees E

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Geography of Assam Quiz MCQ Set 1 – Assam Geography Quiz

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Assam History - Assam Exam

Q1. Which is the highest mountain peak of Assam Himalaya range?

  1. Guru Peak
  2. Doda Betta
  3. Himagiri
  4. Namcha Barwa

d. Namcha Barwa 

Q2. Which the protective sites of Assam are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites?

  1. Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park
  2. Kaziranga National Park and Orang National Park
  3. Borail Wildlife Sanctuary and Nokrek National Park
  4. None of the sites in Assam are UNESCO World Heritage Site

a. Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park 

Q3. Assam has common boundary with how many Indian states

  1. 7 state
  2. 5 states
  3. 8 state
  4. 6 state

a. 7 state

Q4. Assam share international border with which of the following countries

  1. Myanmar and Bangladesh
  2. Myanmar, Bhutan and Bangladesh
  3. Bhutan and Bangladesh
  4. China, Myanmar, Bhutan and Bangladesh

c. Bhutan and Bangladesh

Q5. Which of is the largest wetland in Assam

  1. Deepor Beel
  2. Sonbill Lake
  3. Kumri Beel Lake
  4. Cahndubi Lake

b. Sonbill Lake

Q6. The approximate share of Assam in India’s annually production of tea is

  1. 55%
  2. 25%
  3. 85%
  4. 75%

a. 55%

Q7. Which of the following statement is NOT correct about Kaziranga National Park?

  1. It hosts two-thirds of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceroses
  2. It is a declared Tiger Reserve
  3. It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International
  4. None of the above

d. None of the above

Q8. Which of following lines of latitude does NOT pass through Assam

  1. Tropic of cancer
  2. Equator
  3. Both the above line
  4. None

c. Both the above line

Q9. Percentage of total area of Assam under forest

  1. 34%
  2. 52%
  3. 21.4%
  4. 67%

a. 34%

Q10. As per the data of 2011 population census, the literacy rate in Assam is approximately

  1. 68%
  2. 85%
  3. 57%
  4. 72%

d. 72%

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Soil Types of Assam – Assam Geography Notes

Soil Types of Assam : Assam Geography Study Materials & Notes

Assam Geography - Assamexam

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Soil Types of Assam : Assam Geography

The soils of Assam are very rich in content of nitrogen and organic matter. The alluvial soils of the Brahmaputra and the Barak valley are highly fertile and are very much suitable for raising of varieties of crops round the year such as cereals, pulses, oilseeds, plantation crops etc. The well drained, deep, acidic alluvial soils of upper Assam with good proportion of phosphoric content are mostly suitable for the plantation. New alluvial soils occurring in the charlands of the Brahmaputra are most suitable for growing oilseeds, pulses and rabi crops. The alluvium of the plains offers excellent opportunity for cultivating rice and vegetable. The soils occurring in the upper reaches of the hill slopes are very suitable for horticulture and plantation crops.

The diversified geological conditions, topographical characteristics, climatic situations and vegetation types have favour the formation of different types of soil in the hills, piedmonts, plateaus and plains. The soils of Assam may thus generally be divided into four groups, viz.

  1. Alluvial soils
  2. Piedmont soils
  3. Hill soils
  4. Lateritic soils.
Alluvial Soils

The alluvial soils are extensively distributed over the Brahmaputra and Barak plain. These soils are very fertile as they formed from the alluvium deposits, deposited by the rivers Brahmaputra, Barak and their tributaries. The alluvial soils of Assam can be further be divided into two sub-types base on some micro differences in character such as – younger alluvium and old alluvium.

The younger alluvial soil occurs in an extensive belt of the north-bank and south-bank plains including the active flood plains of the Brahmaputra and the Barak rivers. This soil characterized by recent deposition of alluvium, moderately deep to very deep with grey to molted grey colour. It is mostly composed of sandy to silty loams and slightly acidic in nature. On the riverbanks it is less acidic and sometimes neutral or slightly alkaline. The soil lack in prifile development and is deficient in phosphoric acid, nitrogen and humus.

The old alluvial soil occurs in some patches of Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darrang, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur and dhemaji districts between the northern piedmont soil belt and the southern new alluvial soils of the Brahmaputra valley. In the south bank districts of the valley it occurs in a narrow belt bounded between the southern hill soils and northern new alluvial soils. In the Kopili plain covering Nagaon district the old alluvium finds wider extension.

The Barak plain, on the other hand, has some elongated patches of old alluvial soil confined between the new alluvial soils of the active floodplain and the hill soils boardering Mizoram. Generally the old alluvial soil is very deep, brownish to yellowish brown with texture of fine loams to coarse loams and is slightly to moderately acidic.

Piedmont Soils

The piedmont soils are confined to the northern narrow zone along the piedmont zone of the Himalayan foothills. These soils comprise the Bhabar soil and the Tarai soil, covering respectively the Bhabar and the Tarai belt of the Brahmaputra valley.

The Bhabar soil occurs in the narrow belt along the Assam-Arunachal boarder extending east up to the river Subansiri’ is characterized by unassorted detritus of boulders, pebbles, cobbles, sand and silts. This soil is deep and fine to clay loamy in texture.

The Tarai soil occurring just south of the Bhabar soil extends up to Dihang river in some discontinuous narrow patches.This soil varies from sandy to silty loams that remain saturated and support tall grasses in a series of swamps.

Hill Soils

The hill soils are generally found in the southern hilly terrains of the state. The fertility of these soils defers greatly in different regions. These soils are rich in nitrogen and organic matters. On the basis of the physical texture and chemical composition, the hill soils may be divided into – red sandy soils and red loamy soils.

The red sandy soils are distributed covering as narrow belt along the Assam- Meghalaya border, the Karbi Plateau, southern part of Barail range of the N.C.Hill district and some parts of the foothills along the eastern border of the Cachar district. This soil is very deep and well drained, brownish to yellowish in colour, strongly to moderately acidic with high organic content.

The red loamy soils, on the other hand, occurs in the narrow southern foothill belt running along the Assam’s boarder with Arunachal and Nagaland and also in the southern fringes of the Karbi Plateau and the Barail hills of N.C.Hills district. These soils are very deep, dark grayish brown to yellowish red and fine to coarse loamy. Red loamy soils are slightly to moderately acidic and these lack in nitrogen, phosphoric acid, humus and lime.

Lateritic Soils

The lateritic soils in the state extensively occurs almost entirely over the N.C.Hills district covering some parts of southern Karbi Plateau while few patches are confined to eastern margin of the Hamren sub-division of Karbe Anglong district, southern boarder of Golaghat district and the northern part of the Barak plain along the foothills of the Barail range. These soils are dark and finely texture with heavy loams and deficient in nitrogen, potash, phosphoric acid and lime.

 

SOIL EROSION

Riverbank erosion during high flood period in the valley is a regular annual feature. Over bank flood due to breaches in the embankment render the fertile cultivable land unsuitable for crop production due to deposition of coarse sand on the surface to a variable depth. As per Assam Government Revenue Dept. records, an area of 6116 hectares of land was affected by soil erosion in Upper Brahmaputra Valley and North Bank Plain zone during 1994.

The highly productive and fertile soils of Assam are now facing the serious problem of soil erosion like other parts of the country. Under heavy precipitation and humid climate loss of topsoil through surface run-off is the most common type of soil erosion in the entire state.

The problem of topsoil erosion is severe in the plain during the flood season. It is estimated that nearly 3.2 million hectares of land of the plain districts of the state are vulnerable to topsoil erosion with varying intensity. Terrain deformation through mass movement is another type of soil degradation, which is primarily confined to the hill districts of Karbi Anglong and N.C. Hills covering an area of about 1.53 million hectares. Another important type of soil erosion in the state, which assumed serious proportion in the recent time, is the bank erosion by the rivers. It is observed that at some places, a few kilometers of bank along the villages, fertile agricultural lands and roads are being eroded by the rivers. Majuli, the largest river island of the world is now seriously affected by the erosion and virtually facing the threat to existence. The extent of loss to the bank erosion varies from year to year depending on the severity of floods in the state.

LAND POLLUTION

Land is laid waste by destructive means of plantation and polluted by the disposal of domestic and industrial waste. Jhum cultivation, new habitations and settlements, big reservoirs and dams made for various uses such as irrigation, water supply and power, etc. play a role is destroying and adversely changing the land surface. Unscientific mining and extraction of raw materials from the ground have lasting damage on land. Sludge from the sewage plant is deposited on the land surface and which affect the fertility of the soil.

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Rhinoceros Conservation – A success story (APSC Assam Geography Notes)

Rhinoceros Conservation in Assam – A success story

APSC Assam Geography Study Materials & Notes

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Rhinoceros Conservation in Assam – A success story

From 75 in 1905, Indian rhinos numbered over 2,700 by 2012

From a population of barely 75 in 1905, Indian rhinos numbered over 2,700 by 2012, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF-India), a global wildlife advocacy.

The Indian rhino was moved from its status of endangered (since 1986) to vulnerable in 2008 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This was after a survey in 2007 by the IUCN Asian Rhino Specialist Group, which estimated that there were close to 2,575 one-horned rhinos in the wild, spread across parts of India and Nepal, with India being home to 2,200 rhinos, or over 85 per cent of the population.

Known by the scientific name of Rhinoceros unicornis, these animals are mega-herbivores, part of a small and disappearing group that weigh over 1,000 kilograms and include the elephant and the hippopotamus. These large herbivores are shapers of their landscape and environment, and the rhino may well be a keystone species – known to have a disproportionately large impact on its environment relative to its population – according to research conducted in South Africa’s Kruger National Park in 2014. By eating only certain kinds of grass – and trampling upon dense vegetation – rhinos indirectly affect smaller herbivores in their area, creating a cascade of effects that, in turn, affects other species as well. The Indian rhinoceros is also known to help in seed dispersion, moving large tree seeds from forested areas to grasslands through excreta.

The habitat of the Indian rhino once extended from Pakistan into northern India and modern-day Myanmar, reaching into Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. However, loss of large tracts of habitat and extensive poaching for its horn – believed to have medicinal and aphrodisiacal properties – led to its extinction in all these countries, except in India and Nepal. By the 1900s, only between 100 and 200 rhinos survived in the wild. From there to its current population of approximately 3,500 the world over is a remarkable turnaround, the International Rhino Foundation says.

In India, rhinos can now be found in parts of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam. In 2012, more than 91 per cent of Indian rhinos lived in Assam, according to WWF-India data. Within Assam, rhinos are concentrated within Kaziranga national park, with a few in Pobitara wildlife sanctuary.

Kaziranga NP is home to more than 91 per cent of Assam’s rhinos – and more than 80 per cent of India’s count — with a 2015 population census by Kaziranga park authorities revealing 2,401 rhinos within the park.

Poaching - Illegal Trading of Rhino parts

A rhino horn could fetch as much as $60,000 per pound in the contraband market in 2015, largely in countries such as China and Vietnam, according to a report in The Washington Times.

Although rhino poaching peaked in India in 2013, when 41 of the herbivores were killed, it has declined since, largely because of better policing and protection by the Assam government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), according to Tito Joseph, programme manager of the anti-poaching programme at the Wildlife Protection Society of India, an NGO.

But outside the park, transport of poached horns is not adequately tracked, said Joseph, a key factor being regional insurgency. During the 1980s and 1990s, poachers exploited the destruction of park infrastructure during conflicts and killed almost the entire population of rhinos in many of Assam’s protected areas, such as Manas, Laokhowa and Burachapori.

Rhinos are solitary creatures. Each consumes almost 40 kg of vegetation a day. However, within parks of Assam with a large rhino population, animals have been seen in groups which is an indication of lack of space. These observations are coupled with increasing fights for dominance among rhinos, a competition for available space.

In 2015, Kaziranga N P had 2,401 rhinos. While Pabitoram, in 2012, with an area of 38.8 sq km, had 100 rhinos.

According to some estimates, based on observation, the threshold population of Kaziranga is estimated at 2,500, while Pabitora’s threshold is 100. Exceeding carrying capacity also means that the rhinos are more likely to venture out of protected areas, which increases chances of human-animal conflict.

Indian Rhino Vision 2020 programme (IRV2020) - Create new habitats

So, rhinos need to move to ecologically similar but distant areas to ensure species survival, according to the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 programme (IRV2020), a collaborative effort between various organisations, including the International Rhino Foundation, Assam’s Forest Department, Bodoland Territorial Council, WWF-India, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The first successful attempt to move rhinos out of Assam and re-introduce them into a similar habitat was made in 1984 in Uttar Pradesh’s Dudhwa national park, which has 33 rhinos now.

IRV2020 hopes to raise the number of rhinos in Assam to 3,000 by 2020 and spread them over seven of the state’s protected areas: Kaziranga, Pobitora, Orang national park, Manas national park, Laokhowa wildlife sanctuary, Burachapori wildlife sanctuary and Dibru Saikhowa wildlife sanctuary.

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Rivers and Drainage System of Assam (APSC Assam Geography Notes)

Rivers and Drainage System of Assam : Assam Geography Study Materials & Notes

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The State of Assam comprised of two valleys namely the Brahmaputra and Barak. The geographical area of Assam is 78,438.00 Sq. Km out of which 56,194.00 Sq. Km and 22,244.00 Sq. Km fall under the Brahmaputra and Barak Valley including 2 (Two) hill districts respectively. The flood prone area of the state is 31,500.00 Sq Km, which is about 39.58 % of the total area of the state and 9.40% of total flood prone area of the whole India.

River System of Assam

A) Brahmaputra river system

The main river of the valley, Brahmaputra is one of the largest rivers in the world and is a trans-boundary river which flows through China, India and Bangladesh. With 3,848 km in length, it is the 15th longest and tenth largest river in the world by discharge.

The river originates from the Kailalsh ranges of Himalayas at an elevation of 5300 M. After flowing through Tibet it enters India through Arunachal Pradesh and flows through Assam and Bangladesh as the Jamuna. It merges with the Padma, the popular name of the river Ganges in Bangladesh, and finally the Meghna and from here it is known as Meghna before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.

The river drains the Himalaya east of the Indo-Nepal border, south-central portion of the Tibetan plateau above the Ganga basin, south-eastern portion of Tibet, the Patkai-Bum hills, the northern slopes of the Meghalaya hills, the Assam plains, and the northern portion of Bangladesh. The basin, especially south of Tibet, is characterized by high levels of rainfall. Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) is the only peak above 8,000 m, hence is the highest point within the Brahmaputra basin.

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The river is often called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra river. The lower reaches are sacred to Hindus. While most rivers on the Indian subcontinent have female names, this river has a rare male name, as it means “son of Brahma”.

The Brahmaputra is an important river for irrigation and transportation. It is a classic example of a braided river and is highly susceptible to channel migration and avulsion. It is also one of the few rivers in the world that exhibit a tidal bore. It is navigable for most of its length. The catchments area of Brahmaputra in Tibet is 2,93,000 Sq. Km; in India and Bhutan is 2,40,000 Sq. Km and in Bangladesh is 47,000 Sq. Km. The Brahmaputra basin extends over an area of 5,80,000 Sq. Km up to its confluence within Bangladesh.

The average width of Brahmaputra is 5.46 Km. The average annual discharge is about 20,000 cumec and average dry season discharge is 4,420 cumec. The river slope is very steep till it enters India. A drop of about 4800 M is achieved in a length at about 1700 Km. This average slope of about 2.82 m/Km in China (Tibet) gets reduced to about 0.1m/Km in Assam valley. Due to this sudden flattening of river slope, the river becomes braided in nature in the Assam valley. During its course in Assam valley from Kobo to Dhubri the river is joined by about 20 (twenty) important tributaries on its North bank and 13 (thirteen) on its South bank. Joining of these tributaries bringing high sediment load activates braiding.

The drainage area lying in India is 1,94,413 sq.km which is nearly 5.9% of the total geographical area of the country. The sub-basin lies in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Sikkim.

The most predominant soil type found in the sub-basin is the red loamy soil and alluvial soil. Other important soil types are sandy, loamy, clayey soils, their combinations and laterite soils. The culturable area of the sub-basin is about 12.15 M. ha which is 6.2% of the culturable area of the country.

Heavy precipitation occurs here from May to September. All its tributaries experience number of flood waves as per rainfall in respective catchments. If the flood of the tributaries coincides with the flood of Brahmaputra, it causes severe problem and devastation. The severity of flood problem of the state has been further aggravated by the acuteness of erosion on both banks of river Brahmaputra and its tributaries. Study reveals that an area of 4.27 Lakh Hectare of the state has been eroded by the rivers since 1950, which is 7.40 % of area of the state. The average annual rate of erosion is 8000.00 Ha. The world’s largest river island Majuli is also under the grip of erosion by river Brahmaputra and about 60 % of its original area has already been engulfed by the river.

The tributaries namely Subansiri, Ronganadi, Dikrong, Buroi, Borgong, Jiabharali, Dhansiri (North) Puthimari, Manas, Beki, Aie, Sonkosh are the main tributaries on the North while the Noadehing, Buridehing, Desang, Dikhow, Bhogdoi, Dhansiri (South), Kopilli, Kulsi, Krishnai, Dhdhnoi, Jinjiran are the main tributaries on the south bank of the river Brahmaputra.

The characteristics of the north bank tributaries are different than that of the south bank tributaries, which may be summarized as below –

The North Bank Tributaries:

  • Have very steep slopes and shallow braided channels for a considerable distance from the foot hills and in some cases right up to the outfall.
  • Have boulder, pebble and coarse sandy beds and carry a heavy silt charge.
  • Generally have flashy floods.

The South bank Tributaries:

  • Have comparatively flatter grades and deep meandering channels almost from the foot hills.
  • Have comparatively low silt charge.

Right Bank Tributaries of the Brahmaputra River

   Rivers

  Length (km)

Subansiri 442
Ranganadi 150
Baroi 64
Bargang 42
Jia Bharali 247
Gabharu 61
Dhansiri 123
Noa-Nadi 75
Nanoi 105
Barnadi 112
Puthimari 190
Pagladiya 197
Manas-Aie-Beki 215
Champamati 135
Gaurang 98
Tipkai 108
Godadhar 50
Balsiri 110

Left Bank Tributaries of the Brahmaputra River

  Rivers   Length (km)
Buridihing 360
Desang 230
Dikhow 200
Jhanji 108
Bhogdoi 160
Dhansiri 352
Kopili 297
Krishna 81
 Kulsi 93
Jinari 60
Barak River system

Barak is the second largest river system in Assam as well as in North East. The river with a total length of 900 km from source to mouth drains an area of 52,000 sq. km. The Barak is also a perennial river of the state.

It originates from Japvo mountain of Manipur hills at an altitude of 3,015 m, near the border of Manipur and Nagaland and forms a part of the northern boundary of the Manipur State with Nagaland where it is known as Kirong. Then it flows south through mountainous terrain up to Tipaimukh near the tri-junction of the three states: Assam, Manipur and Mizoram. Here, the river takes a hairpin bend and debouches into the plains of Cacher district of Assam and forms the border of Assam and Manipur states up to Jirimat. The river then flows through the Barak valley of Assam and then it enters Bangladesh where it forks into the Surma and Kushiyara rivers. From the source to the Indo-Bangladesh border, the Barak River flows for 564 km.

The local rainfall run off of the valley along with that of adjacent hilly areas flows through river Barak and its various tributaries and is drained out to Bangladesh. The Katakhal, Jiri, Chiri, Modhura, Longai, Sonai, Rukni and Singla are the main tributaries of the valley. The tributaries are mainly rain fed and cause flood problems when precipitation occurs.

The Barak sub-basin drains areas in India, Bangladesh and Burma. The drainage area lying in India is 41723 sq.km which is nearly 1.38% of the total geographical area of the country. It is on the north by the Barail range separating it from the Brahmaputra sub-basin, on the east by the Na Lushai hills and on the south and west by Bangladesh. The sub-basin lies in the States of Meghalaya. Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura and Nagaland.

There are two major physiographic regions in the sub-basin, namely, the hilly region and the plain plains are thickly populated and extensively cultivated. The predominant soil types found in the sub-basin are laterite and red and yellow soils. The culturable area in the sub-basin 0.893 M-ha which is only about 0.5% of the culturable area of the country.

Some important north bank tributaries of Barak River

Jiri
Siri
Madhura
Jatinga
Larang

Some important south bank tributaries of Barak River

Sonai
Ghagra
Katakhal
Dhaleswari
Singla
Longai
Statewise Drainage Area of Barak River
  • Meghalaya – 10,650  Km2
  • Manipur 9,550  Km2
  • Mizoram 8,280  Km2
  • Assam 7,224  Km2
  • Tripura 4,725  Km2
  • Nagaland 728  Km2

Total Drainage Area of Barak Basin- 41,157  Km2

Hydropower Potential – The Hydro power Potential at 60% load factor for Barak River is 3908 MW.

Major Projects – Tipaimukh Dam Project, Tista Champamati and Dhansiri barrages.

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