Kokrajhar district

This article is about the district. For its eponymous headquarters, see Kokrajhar.
Kokrajhar district
District

Map of Kokrajhar district in Assam
Country India
State Assam
Headquarters Kokrajhar
Area
 • Total 3,129 km2 (1,208 sq mi)
Population (2011)
 • Total 886,999
 • Density 280/km2 (730/sq mi)
Time zone IST (UTC+05:30)
ISO 3166 code IN-AS
Website kokrajhar.gov.in

Kokrajhar district (ˌkɒkrəˈʤɑ: ;Bodo: )कक्राझार is an administrative district in the state of Assam in north-eastern India. The district headquarters are located at Kokrajhar town. The district occupies an area of 3,169.22 km². As of 2001, the district had a population of 905,764. Hindus 594,168, Muslims 184,441 (20.36%).

Kokrajhar district serves as the gateway to the northeastern region of India. Roads and rails to Seven Sister States pass through this district on their way to other northeast states.[1]

History

Kokrajhar was originally a part the undivided Goalpara district. In 1957, under the administration of Bimala Prasad Chaliha as the Chief Minister of Assam, three sub-divisions were created one of which was Kokrajhar. This sub-division was made into a district on 1 July 1983.[2]

On 29 September 1989 Bongaigaon district was created from parts of Kokrajhar and Goalpara.[2]

Geography

Kokrajhar district occupies an area of 3,129 square kilometres (1,208 sq mi),[3] comparatively equivalent to Russia's Waigeo Island.[4] Kokrajhar district is located on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra river. It forms the gateway to the Seven Sister States. Kokrajhar shares its boundary with Bongaigaon (now known as Chirang), Dhubri, West Bengal, Barpeta and Bhutan.

National protected area

Economy

Agriculture in Kokrajhar district

In 2006 the Indian government named Kokrajhar one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640).[5] It is one of the eleven districts in Assam currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).[5]

Divisions

There are four Assam Legislative Assembly constituencies in this district: Gossaigaon, Kokrajhar West, Kokrajhar East, and Sidli.[6] All but Gossaigaon are designated for scheduled tribes.[6] All four are in the Kokrajhar Lok Sabha constituency.[7]

Demographics

Religion in Kokrajhar district[1]
Religion Percent
Hindu
  
 65.60%
Islam
  
 20.36%
Christianity
  
 13.72%
Others
  
 0.32%
Ethnic Groups in Kokrajhar district
Language Percent
Bodo
  
 32.37%
Bengali
  
 21.06%
Assamese
  
 20.28%
Santhal
  
 16.70%

According to the 2011 census Kokrajhar district has a population of 886,999,[8] roughly equal to the nation of Fiji.[9] This gives it a ranking of 467th in India (out of a total of 640).[8] The district has a population density of 280 inhabitants per square kilometre (730/sq mi).[8] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 5.19%.[8] Kokrajhar has a sex ratio of 958 females for every 1000 males,[8] and a literacy rate of 66.63%.[8]

The district is multi-ethnic, with no majority ethnic group. Most of the Bodo and Assamese are Hindu, with a small Christian minority. Almost all of the Bengalis are Muslim, while more than 90% of the Santhals are Christian.[10]

Culture

Places of interest

Flora and fauna

In 1990 Kokrajhar district became home to Manas National Park, which has an area of 500 km2 (193.1 sq mi).[11] It shares the park with four other districts.

Popularity

Since Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary of the district is the protected habitat of endangered Golden Langur and Ultapani Reserve forest is the home of more than 300 different species of butterflies so the district has been declared as the land of Butterflies and Golden Langur. Even different species of butterflies are found in different areas also as well as the Golden Langur is also can be found in Ultapani Reserve Forest. Haltugaon Forest Division in partnership with 135 Infantry Battalion (TA) Eco Task Force and 15th Battalion the Dogra Regiment (all India) organized a plantation drive in Ultapani on 29 April 2012 where they planted 40,885 saplings of trees by a team of 100 people within 1 hour and achieved Guinness World Record of Most Trees planted. The motto of the record attempt was 'Plant Trees, Save Lives' and the aim was to save the forests of the region and to increase environmental awareness. After this achievement Kokrajhar town has been declared as the city of Guinness World Record.[12]

Notable personalities

See also

References

  1. 1 2 District Report - KOKRAJHAR Ministry of Minority Affairs, Govt of India
  2. 1 2 Law, Gwillim (2011-09-25). "Districts of India". Statoids. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  3. ↑ Srivastava, Dayawanti et al. (ed.) (2010). "States and Union Territories: Assam: Government". India 2010: A Reference Annual (54th ed.). New Delhi, India: Additional Director General, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Government of India. p. 1116. ISBN 978-81-230-1617-7.
  4. ↑ "Island Directory Tables: Islands by Land Area". United Nations Environment Program. 1998-02-18. Retrieved 2011-10-11. Waigeo 3,154km2
  5. 1 2 Ministry of Panchayati Raj (8 September 2009). "A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme" (PDF). National Institute of Rural Development. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  6. 1 2 "List of Assembly Constituencies showing their Revenue & Election District wise break - up" (PDF). Chief Electoral Officer, Assam website. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  7. ↑ "List of Assembly Constituencies showing their Parliamentary Constituencies wise break - up" (PDF). Chief Electoral Officer, Assam website. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in. 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-30.
  9. ↑ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Retrieved 2011-10-01. Fiji 883,125 July 2011 est.
  10. ↑ Census 2001
  11. ↑ Indian Ministry of Forests and Environment. "Protected areas: Assam". Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  12. ↑ Most trees planted in one hour (team)/url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-1000/most-trees-planted-in-one-hour-%28team%29/
  Bhutan
Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal Chirang district
   Kokrajhar district  
Cooch Behar district, West Bengal Dhubri district Bongaigaon district

Coordinates: 26°24′00″N 90°16′12″E / 26.40000°N 90.27000°E / 26.40000; 90.27000

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