DIBANG VALLEY

region, northeastern Arunachal Pradesh state, eastern India. The region is located in the Great Himalayan Mountain Range, with its northern and eastern reaches fronting Tibet. The Mishmi Hills, a southward extension of the Himalayas, compose most of the northern part of the region. They have an average elevation of 15,000 feet (4,500 m) and are dotted with passes such as Yonggyap at 13,000 feet (3,950 m) and Kaya at 15,600 feet (4,750 m). The region derives its name from the Dibang River. The Dibang, together with the Ahui, Emra, Adzon, and Dri streams, flows southward to join the Brahmaputra River. Subtropical evergreen forests of oak, maple, juniper, and pine cover the hilly parts of the region. The Mishmi, Miju, Idu (Chulikatta), Khampti, and Singpho ethnic groups inhabit the region and speak dialects of the Tibeto-Burman linguistic family. Rice, corn (maize), millet, potatoes, and cotton are grown on the terraced hill slopes and in the more level patches bordering the rivers. Barter markets are important to the regional economy; the Mishmi trade musk, beeswax, ginger, and chilies with the people of the Assam Plains to the south. Deposits of clay, graphite, limestone, and copper are worked. Cottage industries include caneworking, cloth weaving, silverworking, and blacksmithing. The system of roads in the Dibang Valley region is largely undeveloped. Most distances are traveled over simple tracks, though there are a few all-weather roads. Anini is the chief settlement in the region. The Igu, a somber dance performed by the Idu Mishmi priests, is closely associated with the region.