Manipur | |
| Capital | Imphal West |
| Districts | 16 |
| Formed On | 21 January 1972 The Manipur Constitution Act of 1947 established a democratic form of government, with the Maharaja as the Executive Head. Faced with Burma’s ambitions to take over the state, in 1949, Maharaja Bodhchandra went to Shillong, where he signed the instrument of accession to merge the kingdom into India instead. Thereafter the legislative assembly was dissolved, and Manipur became part of the Republic of India in October 1949. It was made a Union Territory in 1956 and a fully-fledged State in 1972. |
| Official Language | Meitei (Manipuri) |
| Known as/for | The ‘Switzerland of India’ – Lord Irwin Jewel of India – Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Physical Characteristics | About 90% of the land are mountainous. Physiographically, Manipur may be characterized in two distinct physical regions – an outlying area of rugged hills and narrow valleys and the inner area represents the features of flat plain topography with all associated landforms. |
| Natural Vegetation | (1) Tropical Semi-ever Green (2) Dry Temperate Forest (3) Sub-Tropical Pine (4) Tropical Moist Deciduous |
| Major Rivers | The Barak river, the biggest river in the state, rises in the Manipur Hills and flows through Mizoram State and into Assam, ending just after it enters Bangladesh where the Surma and Kushiyara rivers begin.The Manipur river originates in the Loktak Lake – the biggest freshwater lake in the NorthEast – and flows southward through the valley into Myanmar, where it joins the Myittha River. The Imphal river originates in Senapati District at the hills of Karong and flows into Myanmar. |
| Major Regional Festivals | Lai Haraoba, Ningol Chakouba, Cheiraoba, Chumpha, Gang Ngai, Heikru Hitongba, Kut |
| Major Art Forms | Dance – Ras Lila, Pung Cholom, Maibi, Khamba Khamba Thoibi, Nupa Cholom or Kartal Cholom (Cymbal dance) Music – Kullong Ishei, Lai Haraoba Ishei, Pena Ishei, Thoubal Chongba, Nat Sangkritan, Nupi Pala, RasLila, Khubak Ishei |
| Industry | Handlooms, Sericulture, soap making, carpentry, tanning, bamboo and sugarcane products |
| Minerals | Chromite, limestone, serpentinites (green marble), hydrocarbon |
| Agriculture | Paddy, wheat, maize, pulses, oilseeds such as mustard, groundnut, soybeans, sunflower, ginger, turmeric, and fruits like pineapple, lime/lemon, banana, orange, papaya, plum, and vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, peas, carrot, pumpkin |
| Geographical Indications | Shaphee Lanphee, Wangkhei Phee, Moirang Phee (All are textiles) Kachai lemon |
| State Animal | Sangai |
| State Bird | Nongyeen |
| State Flower | Siroi Lily |
| State Tree | Uningthou |
| World Heritage Sites | — |
| Ramsar Sites | Loktak Lake – known for its circular floating swamps called phumdis, making it the only floating National Park in the world. Phumdis, resembling miniature islands, refers to a collection of the heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil, and organic matter at various stages of decomposition. |
| Biodiversity Hotspots | Indo-Burma (Purvanchal Hills) |
| Bird Sanctuaries | — |
| National Parks | Keibul Lamjao National Park situated on the southern shore of the Loktak Lake. The park was initially declared as a Sanctuary in 1966, to preserve the natural refuge of the endangered Brow-antlered Deer – Sangai (Rucervus eldi eldi). |
| Biosphere Reserve | — |
| Wildlife Sanctuaries | Khongjaingamba Ching WLS, Yangoupokpi-Lokchao WLS |
| Tiger Reserve | — |
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