GENERAL INFORMATION:


AREA:22429 Sq. km

POPULATION:2306069 (Provisional Census 2001)

LANGUAGE: English is the official language of the State. However, the three main languages spoken in the state is Khasi in Khasi Hills, Pnar or Jaintia in Jaintia Hills and Garo in Garo Hills.

Location: Meghalaya lies between 25o and 26.15o North Latitude and 89.45o and 92.47o East Longitude. It is bounded on the North and East by the State of Assam and on the South and West by Bangladesh.

Meghalaya is inhabited by three tribal groups namely the Khasis, the Jaintias and the Garos. The Khasis reside in the centre of the State, the Jaintias in the east and Garos in the west. Khasis, Jaintias, Bhois, Wars collectively known as the Hynniewtrep people are of Austro Monkhmer race and Garos who prefer to call themselves as Achiks are of the Tibeto-Burman race. All the three tribes follow the matrilineal system of society where the lineage and ancestral property pass down from mother to daughter. According to scholars, the Hynniewtrep(seven huts)people are known to be the earliest settlers in the undivided state of Assam and one of the earliest ethnic group of settlers in the Indian sub-continent.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Meghalaya is endowed with a rich variety of flora and fauna. Of about 17,000 species of orchids in the world, around 300 varieties are found in Meghalaya. A botanical wonder, Pitcher plant, an insect eating plant is found in the districts of Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills of the State. Animals and birds that are found in the state are elephants, tigers, bears, jackals, leopards, golden cats, leopard cats, binturong, slow loris, monkeys including capped Langurs, golden langurs etc. and the interesting birds include hornbills, king vulture, crested serpent eagle, partridges, teals, snipes, quails etc.

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MAJOR FESTIVALS:
	Shad Suk Mynsiem (April-May)
	Behdeinkhlam (July)
	Wangala Festival (October-November)
	Pomblang Nongkrem (October-November)
	Christmas (December 25).
CAVES OF MEGHALAYA:
Meghalaya boasts of the longest and deepest cave in India. Some of the deepest and longest caves are as under:

Deepest (more than 50m)	Longest: (Longer than 1km)
1.Synrang Pamiang	1.Krem Kotsati-Umlawan
2.Krem Kotsati-Umlawan	12.Synrang Pamiang
3.Krem Umjasew	3.Krem Umthloo (Tongseng)
4.Krem Umthloo (Tongseng)	4.Piekhlieng-Sielkan Pouk
5.Pielkhlieng-Sielkan Pouk	5.Krem Shrieh (Tangnub