Meghalaya

Meghalaya is a state located in northeast India.

Its name comes from Sanskrit words meaning "the abode of clouds."

This state is one of the Seven Sister States of the region. It is a mountainous land filled with high plateaus and deep valleys. The state is bordered by the Indian state of Assam to the north and east. To the south and west, it is bounded by the Bangladeshi divisions of Mymensingh, Sylhet, and Rangpur. The capital city is Shillong, which sits high in the Khasi Hills.

The geography of Meghalaya is shaped by its high elevation and heavy rainfall. The plateau elevations range from low areas to very high peaks. The central Khasi Hills contain the highest elevations in the state. The eastern Jaintia Hills are also quite high. The western Garo Hills are much lower and more like a plain. The highest point is Shillong Peak, which reaches 1,961 meters. In the Garo Hills, the highest point is Nokrek Peak at 1,515 meters. This mountainous terrain creates many different environments for plants and animals.

Rainfall is the most defining feature of the Meghalayan climate. It is the wettest state in India and one of the wettest places on Earth. The southern Khasi Hills receive massive amounts of rain every year. The town of Cherrapunji holds the world record for the most rain in a single month. Nearby, the village of Mawsynram holds the record for the most rain in a year.

This abundant water feeds many seasonal and rainfed rivers. In the southern Khasi Hills, these rivers flow through deep gorges. They also create many beautiful waterfalls.

One large reservoir is the Mawphlang Dam.

The state is geologically rich and contains many valuable minerals. The land is mostly made of Archean rock formations. These rocks contain deposits of coal, limestone, uranium, and sillimanite. Because of these minerals, the state has a commercial forestry industry. It also has a growing service sector including real estate and insurance. The economy is predominantly agrarian, meaning it relies on farming. Farmers grow crops like rice, potatoes, maize, pineapples, bananas, and papayas.

Some areas also feature tea plantations on the hills.

Forests cover about 70 percent of the state.

Most of this is dense primary subtropical forest. These forests are among the richest botanical habitats in Asia. They support many rare species of plants and animals. Some areas are protected as "sacred groves." These are small pockets of ancient forest kept safe by local communities for religious reasons. The state also has several protected areas. These include the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve and the Balpakram National Park.

There are also four wildlife sanctuaries. One of these is the Baghmara Pitcher Plant Wildlife Sanctuary. It is home to the insect-eating plant called Nepenthes khasiana.

Many different animals live in the Meghalayan wilderness. You can find mammals like elephants, bears, and red pandas. Other animals include wild buffalo, gaur, deer, and wild boar. Many primates live here, including the hoolock gibbon, which is found in all districts. The state also has many species of birds, reptiles, and insects. Limestone caves, such as the Siju Cave, provide homes for rare species of bats. The forests are also famous for their biodiversity of orchids. There are nearly 325 different types of orchids in the state.

The history of Meghalaya involves many different cultures and eras. People have lived in these hills since the Neolithic period. Scientists have found ancient sites in the Khasi and Garo Hills. These areas are important because they may be linked to the origin of domesticated rice. In the 19th century, the British administered the region. They even nicknamed it the "Scotland of the East." The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes had their own kingdoms before British rule. Meghalaya eventually became a full state on 21 January 1972. It was created by carving out districts from the state of Assam.

Meghalaya also has a unique place in global science. In 2018, the International Commission on Stratigraphy made a major change. They divided the Holocene epoch into three parts. They named the latest part the "Meghalayan stage." This name was chosen because of a discovery in Mawmluh cave. A speleothem, which is a mineral deposit in a cave, showed a major climate event. This event happened around 2250 BCE. This scientific decision connects the name of the state to the history of the entire planet.