West Siang
Encyclopedia
West Siang is an administrative district
in the state of Arunachal Pradesh
in India
.
.
. West Siang district occupies an area of 8325 square kilometres (3,214.3 sq mi), comparatively equivalent to Crete
.
constituencies in this district: Liromoba, Likabali, Basar, Along West, Along East, Rumgong, and Mechuka. The first six are part of Arunachal West Lok Sabha constituency
, while Mechuka is part of Arunachal East Lok Sabha constituency
.
has a population
of 112,272 , roughly equal to the nation of Grenada
. This gives it a ranking of 612th in India (out of a total of 640
). The district has a population density of 13 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
over the decade 2001-2011 was 8.04 %. West Siang has a sex ratio
of 916 females
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
of 67.62 %.
Various tribal groups of the Adi people
, Memba
and Khamba
tribes live in the district. The Adi follow generally follow Donyi-Polo
, although some have embraced Baptist
Christianity in recent years. The Memba and Khamba are followers of Tibetan Buddhism. A well-known Tibetan Buddhist temple, Mechuka Gompa, is located in the western part of the Memba-speaking Mechuka district of West Siang.
, a Sino-Tibetan tongue with approximately 140 000 speakers, written in both the Tibetan
and Latin scripts; and Galo, an endangered language
with 30 000 speakers, also in the Sino-Tibetan language family
.
In 1991 West Siang district became home to the Kane Wildlife Sanctuary, which has an area of 55 square kilometre.
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
in the state of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
History
In 1989 territory was given from West Siang to East Siang district -- since 1999 this territory has been in the new Upper Siang districtUpper Siang district
Upper Siang is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. It is the fourth least populous district in the country .- History :At one point of history this place was part of Independent Tibet and known as Pemako...
.
Geography
The district headquarters are located at AlongAlong, Arunachal Pradesh
Along is a census town and headquarters of the West Siang district of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is located about 150 km from Likabali which is at the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Along is a valley and is extremely beautiful as far the scenic grandeur of this place is...
. West Siang district occupies an area of 8325 square kilometres (3,214.3 sq mi), comparatively equivalent to Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
.
Divisions
There are seven Arunachal Pradesh Legislative AssemblyArunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly
The Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly is the unicameral state legislature of Arunachal Pradesh state in north-eastern India. The seat of the Legislative Assembly is at Itanagar, the capital of the state...
constituencies in this district: Liromoba, Likabali, Basar, Along West, Along East, Rumgong, and Mechuka. The first six are part of Arunachal West Lok Sabha constituency
Arunachal West (Lok Sabha constituency)
Arunachal West Lok Sabha constituency is one of the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh state in northeastern India...
, while Mechuka is part of Arunachal East Lok Sabha constituency
Arunachal East (Lok Sabha constituency)
Arunachal East Lok Sabha constituency is one of the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh state in northeastern India...
.
Demographics
According to the 2011 census2011 census of India
The 15th Indian National census was conducted in two phases, houselisting and population enumeration. Houselisting phase began on April 1, 2010 and involved collection of information about all buildings...
has a population
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
of 112,272 , roughly equal to the nation of Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
. This gives it a ranking of 612th in India (out of a total of 640
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
). The district has a population density of 13 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
Family planning in India
Family planning in India is based on efforts largely sponsored by the Indian government. In the 1965-2009 period, contraceptive usage has more than tripled and the fertility rate has more than halved , but the national fertility rate is still high enough to cause long-term population growth...
over the decade 2001-2011 was 8.04 %. West Siang has a sex ratio
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
of 916 females
Women in India
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful...
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
Literacy in India
Literacy in India is key for socio-economic progress, and the Indian literacy rate grew to 74.04% in 2011 from 12% at the end of British rule in 1947. Although this was a greater than sixfold improvement, the level is well below the world average literacy rate of 84%, and India currently has the...
of 67.62 %.
Various tribal groups of the Adi people
Adi people
The Adi, or Bangni-Bokar Lhoba people is a major collective tribe living in the Himalayan hills of Arunachal Pradesh, and they are found in the temperate and sub-tropical regions within the districts of East Siang, Upper Siang, West Siang and Dibang Valley. The older term Abor is a deprecated...
, Memba
Memba
The Memba are a tribal population of 3,500 is centered around Tuting and Geling, near the Siang river in the West Siang and Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh in India not very far from the Tibetan border. A sizeable population can be found in the nearby Yargab-Chu valley in Mechuka , where...
and Khamba
Khamba
Khamba can refer to:*Tibetans who live in the historic region of Kham which covers parts of modern Qinghai, Western Sichuan, Northern Yunnan and the Tibet Autonomous Region.*A tribal group in Arunachal Pradesh. See Khamba .....
tribes live in the district. The Adi follow generally follow Donyi-Polo
Donyi-Polo
Donyi-Polo is an animist religion, literally meaning "Sun-Moon" . It is followed by many of the tribal groups of Arunachal Pradesh, India like the Galos, Adis, Apatanis, Nishis, Hill Miris, Mishings...
, although some have embraced Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Christianity in recent years. The Memba and Khamba are followers of Tibetan Buddhism. A well-known Tibetan Buddhist temple, Mechuka Gompa, is located in the western part of the Memba-speaking Mechuka district of West Siang.
Languages
Languages spoken include AdiAdi language
Adi, or Abor, is a small Tibetan–Burman language of India. The various dialects in the box at right, and perhaps a few more, may be distinct languages....
, a Sino-Tibetan tongue with approximately 140 000 speakers, written in both the Tibetan
Tibetan script
The Tibetan alphabet is an abugida of Indic origin used to write the Tibetan language as well as the Dzongkha language, Denzongkha, Ladakhi language and sometimes the Balti language. The printed form of the alphabet is called uchen script while the hand-written cursive form used in everyday...
and Latin scripts; and Galo, an endangered language
Endangered language
An endangered language is a language that is at risk of falling out of use. If it loses all its native speakers, it becomes a dead language. If eventually no one speaks the language at all it becomes an "extinct language"....
with 30 000 speakers, also in the Sino-Tibetan language family
Language family
A language family is a group of languages related through descent from a common ancestor, called the proto-language of that family. The term 'family' comes from the tree model of language origination in historical linguistics, which makes use of a metaphor comparing languages to people in a...
.
Flora and fauna
The district is rich in wildlife. Rare mammals such as Mishmi takin, Snow leopard, Red panda and Musk deer occurs while among birds there is the rare Blyth's Tragopan. A flying squirrel, new to science has been recently discovered from this district. It has been named as Mechuka Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista mechukaensis.In 1991 West Siang district became home to the Kane Wildlife Sanctuary, which has an area of 55 square kilometre.