TRIPURA

state of India. It is located in the northeastern part of the subcontinent. It is bordered on the north, west, and south by Bangladesh, on the east by the state of Mizoram, and on the northeast by the state of Assam. Covering an area of only 4,049 square miles (10,486 square kilometres), it is India's third smallest state, after Goa and Sikkim. With its isolation, hilly terrain, and tribal populations, Tripura shares many of the problems of India's northeastern region. Agartala is the capital. constituent state of India, smallest of the seven states situated in the extreme northeastern part of the country to the east of Bangladesh. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, west, and south; on the east it is bounded by the Indian state of Mizoram and on the northeast by the state of Assam. Tripura was an independent Hindu kingdom for more than 1,000 years before it became part of the Mughal Empire in the 17th century. Tripura acceded to India upon Indian independence in 1947 and was designated a union territory in 1956. It acquired full status as a state in 1972. The state can be divided physiographically into two regions: the central and northern Tripura Hills, where four major river valleysDharmanagar, Kailashahar, Kamalpur, and Khowaiare separated from each other by low mountain ranges; and the extensive Tripura (Agartala) Plains in the southwest, which adjoin the Ganges-Brahmaputra lowlands of Bangladesh. A number of rivers, of which the Gumti is the largest, drain the region. Temperatures are hot in the valleys and cooler in the mountains. More than 80 inches (2,000 mm) of rain falls during the southwest monsoon from June to September. More than half the population speaks Bengali. The second most important language is Tripuri, but there are significant numbers of Hindi, Manipuri , and Oriya speakers. A majority of the people are Hindu, with Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians making up the minorities. Tripura's population is mainly rural. Towns are concentrated on the Tripura Plains and the Dharmanagar and Khowai valleys. Tripura is primarily an agricultural area. The major crop is rice. Other cash crops include jute, cotton, tea, and various fruits. Livestock includes cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, and poultry. Forestry activities produce timber, bamboo, firewood, and charcoal. Sericulture is widespread. Manufacturing includes many cottage industries such as weaving, carpentry, basketry, and pottery making. Most manufacturing is concentrated in Agartala, the state capital. Small concerns produce tea, sugar, sawn timber, bricks, glass, utensils, and furniture. Tripura's topography has made communication difficult, and transport to other Indian states is complicated by the highlands to the east and by the partially encircling country of Bangladesh. There is, however, an important road link from Agartala to Assam state, and a railway joins the town of Dharmanagar to Kalkali Ghat, Assam. Most of the rivers carry boat traffic, especially during the rainy season. The major factor in Tripura's cultural life is its isolation. The members of the secluded tribes who live in the hills are divided into numerous groups speaking a variety of languages and dialects. Most of the population, adhering to Hinduism and speaking Bengali, seem to have cultural links to the rest of India, while the smaller Muslim population seems closer in culture to Bangladesh. Area 4,049 square miles (10,486 square km). Pop. (1991) 2,757,205. Additional reading General surveys include Jagadis Gan-Chaudhuri (ed.), Tripura: The Land and Its People (1980); Omesh Saigal, Tripura: Its History and Culture (1978); and Sukhdev Singh Chib, Tripura (1988). Political developments from historical times to the present are examined in Jagadis Gan-Chaudhuri, A Political History of Tripura (1985). See also S.N. Chatterjee, Tripura: A Profile (1984); and S.N. Guha Thakurta, Tripura (1986). Deryck O. Lodrick