Tripura (land adjoining water) is located in the extreme southwest
corner of the North East. This hilly land locked area spreads over
a total area of 10,492 sq km, covering approximately 0.29 per cent
of the Indian landmass and 3.9 per cent of the entire North East.
This land of hilly slopes, flat lands, rivers, lakes, hillocks and
forests stretches between 91.09 degree to 92.20 degree East longitude
and 22.56 degree to 24.32 degree North latitude.
The state of Tripura was merged with the Indian Union on October 15,
1949 after Independence of the Country as a 'C'category state and
became a Union Territory in July 1963 before being conferred full
Statehood on January 21, 1972. Tripura shares a 856 km of international
border with Bangladesh.
Despite being geographically the smallest state in the region, it
is the 2nd most populous state in the North East, the first being,
Assam. According to the Census of 2001, Tripura has a total population
of 3,191,168, with a density of 304 persons per sq km and ranks 22nd
in India. It constitutes 0.31 per cent population of India and 8.18
per cent of the entire North East. Even though Tripura was a tribal
majority state to begin with, it has lost its tribal nature largely
due to large-scale migration from neighbouring Bangladesh. Tribals
have been reduced to a minority status leading a social upheaval in
the State. Bengali and Kakborak are the two principal languages in
the State.
Agriculture is the mainstay of Tripura's economy. Agricultural sector
sector provides employment to nearly 51 per cent of the total workers
in the State. The per capita income at current prices of the state
stands at Rs 10931 and at constant prices Rs 6813 in the financial
year 2000-2001. Tripura ranks 22nd in the human resource development
index and 24th in the poverty index in India according to the sources
of 1991. The literacy rate of Tripura is 73.66, higher than the all
India literacy rate of 65.20 percent.
Some quality timber like Sal, Garjan, Teak, Gamar are found abundantly
in the forests of the State. The most important mineral resource of
Tripura is oil and natural gas. However, the industrial sector in
this State continues to be highly underdeveloped.
