Dhemaji district#History

The district's name Dhemaji is derived from the Deori-Chutia word Dema-ji which means great water. The name is a reference to the region being prone to flooding.Brown, W.B. An Outline of the Deori-Chutia language. Assam secretariat printing office,1895, p. 70.

The areas of the present district were part of the greater Chutia kingdom along with the Lakhimpur, Tinsukia, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Sonitpur districts from the 12th century to the 16th century until the Ahom-Chutia conflict during the early period of the 16th century. The Ahoms created a new position Banlungia Gohain to control the area. Monuments built during the Chutia rule include the Malinithan, Garakhia Than, Bordoloni Than and Basudev temples.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Dhemaji became a fully-fledged district on 14 October 1989 when it was split from Lakhimpur district.{{cite web | url = http://www.statoids.com/yin.html | title = Districts of India | access-date = 2011-10-11 | last = Law | first = Gwillim | date = 2011-09-25 | work = Statoids}}

{{Section citations needed|date=October 2024}}

The Dhemaji district occupies an area of {{convert|3237|km2|sqmi}},{{cite book|title=India 2010: A Reference Annual|publisher=Additional Director General, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Government of India|year=2010|isbn=978-81-230-1617-7|edition=54th|location=New Delhi, India|pages=1116|chapter=States and Union Territories: Assam: Government}} roughly equivalent to Solomon Islands' Makira Island.{{cite web | url = http://islands.unep.ch/Tiarea.htm | title = Island Directory Tables: Islands by Land Area | access-date = 2011-10-11 | date = 1998-02-18 | publisher = United Nations Environment Program | quote = Makira 3,190}} It is one of the fastest developing districts of India, and located at the easternmost part of Assam.

Being in a confluence of rivers, with the Brahmaputra river flanking the district and its numerous tributaries running through the district, the region is perennially affected by floods.

The heart of Dhemaji district is Dhemaji Mouza (an area demarcated by the British regime for the purpose of tax collection, equivalent to a taluk or pargana in the pan-Indian context).

Secondly, Silapathar is the main business place of Dhemaji. The Bogibil project was running nearest to these place and is completed which connects Dibrugarh.

File:Statue of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika at Dhemaji ASTC.jpg at Dhemaji ASTC]]

The notable schools in the district include Borpataria L. P. School, Bhairabpur Netaji M. E. School, St.Francis de Sales school, Dhemaji public school, Moridhal High School, Sankar Dev High school (No. 2 Manik Pur), Mother's Pride School, Silapathar Town Hanuman Gadhi Hindi High School and Dhemaji Boys' Higher Secondary School. Colleges in Dhemaji District are:

• Dhemaji College
• Dhemaji Commerce College
• Dhemaji Girls College
• Moridhal College
• Machkhowa Degree College
• Sisiborgaon College
• Pachim Dhemaji College
• Simen Chapori College
• Gogamukh College
• Bordoloni Central College
• Dimow College
• Silapathar College
• Silapathar Science College
• Silapathar Town College
• Purbanchal College
• Murkongselek College
• Jonai Girls College
• Jonai Science College
• Akajan College
• Dhemaji Engineering College
• Dhemaji Polytechnic
• Industrial Training Institute, Dhemaji
• DIET College Dhemaji
• Dhemaji PGT College (Private)

In 2006, the Indian government named Dhemaji as one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the eleven districts in Assam currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).

Silapathar is the most developed city in Dhemaji district. Its economy is mainly depended upon trade and commerce for development.{{cite web|author=Ministry of Panchayati Raj |date=September 8, 2009 |title=A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme |publisher=National Institute of Rural Development |url=http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |access-date=September 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405033402/http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |archive-date=April 5, 2012 }}

There are two Assam Legislative Assembly constituencies in this district: Dhemaji and Jonai.{{cite web|title=List of Assembly Constituencies showing their Revenue & Election District wise break – up |url=http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.1%20-%20DEOs%20wise%20ACs%20breakup.pdf |publisher=Chief Electoral Officer, Assam website |access-date=26 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322074811/http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.1%20-%20DEOs%20wise%20ACs%20breakup.pdf |archive-date=22 March 2012 }} Both are designated for scheduled tribes. They make up a part of the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha constituency.{{cite web|title=List of Assembly Constituencies showing their Parliamentary Constituencies wise break – up |url=http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.2%20-%20PC-wise%20LAC%20breakup.pdf |publisher=Chief Electoral Officer, Assam website |access-date=26 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322074903/http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.2%20-%20PC-wise%20LAC%20breakup.pdf |archive-date=22 March 2012 }} Dhemaji district is politically very poor. Community politics is the main reason for this. As of 2019, Pradhan Baruah is MP (Member of Parliament), Ranuj Pegu is MLA from Dhemaji and Bhubon Pegu from Jonai.{{cite web |url=http://janasanyogassam.nic.in/mlas.html |title=MEMBERS OF ASSAM LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY |publisher=Government of Assam, Directorate of Information & Public Relations |access-date=7 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726210314/http://janasanyogassam.nic.in/mlas.html |archive-date=26 July 2013 }}

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{{historical populations|11=1901|12=21,324|13=1911|14=26,930|15=1921|16=36,106|17=1931|18=44,742|19=1941|20=54,896|21=1951|22=64,745|23=1961|24=1,13,439|25=1971|26=2,30,762|27=1991|28=4,78,830|29=2001|30=5,71,944|31=2011|32=6,86,133|percentages=pagr|footnote=source:[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/A2_Data_Table.html Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901]}}

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{{Pie chart

|thumb = right

|caption = Languages of Dhemaji district (2011)

|label1 = Assamese |value1 = 39.21 |color1 = purple

|label2 = Mishing |value2 = 32.53 |color2 = lightskyblue

|label3 = Bengali |value3 = 9.80 |color3 = orchid

|label4 = Bodo |value4 = 6.95 |color4 = royalblue

|label5 = Nepali |value5 = 5.26 |color5 = pink

|label6 = Hindi |value6 = 1.49 |color6 = orange

|label7 = Hajong |value7 = 0.95 |color7 = violet

|label8 = Others |value8 = 3.81 |color8 = grey

}}

}}

According to the 2011 census Dhemaji district has a population of 686,133,{{Cite web |date=2011 |title=District Census Handbook: Dhemaji |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/206/download/474/DH_2011_1809_PART_A_DCHB_DHEMAJI.pdf |website=censusindia.gov.in |publisher=Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India}} roughly equal to the nation of Equatorial Guinea{{cite web | author = US Directorate of Intelligence | title = Country Comparison:Population | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070613004507/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 13, 2007 | access-date = 2011-10-01 | quote = Equatorial Guinea 668,225 July 2011 est.

}} or the US state of North Dakota.{{cite web

|url=http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php

|title=2010 Resident Population Data

|publisher=U. S. Census Bureau

|access-date=2011-09-30

|quote=North Dakota 672,591

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019160532/http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php

|archive-date=2013-10-19

}} This gives it a ranking of 504th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of {{convert| 213 |PD/sqkm|PD/sqmi}}. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 20.3%. Dhemaji has a sex ratio of 949 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 69.07%. 7.04% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 6.45% and 47.45% of the population respectively.

Hindus are 95.47% of the population. There are small minorities of Muslims (1.96%) and Christians (1.27%). After Majuli district, Dhemaji has the second-highest proportion of Hindus of all districts in Assam.{{cite web |title=Table C-16 Population By Religion: Assam |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11365/download/14478/DDW18C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=census.gov.in|publisher=Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India}}

According to the 2011 census, 39.21% of the district's population speaks Assamese, 32.53% Mising, 9.80% Bengali, 6.95% Boro, 5.26% Nepali, 1.49% Hindi and 0.95% Hajong as their first language.{{cite web |date=2011 |title=Table C-16 Population By Mother Tongue: Assam |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/10195/download/13307/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-1800.XLSX |website=censusindia.gov.in |publisher=Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India}}

• Dhemaji
• Dimow
• Gogamukh
• Jonai Bazar
• Silapathar
• Simen Chapori
• Sissiborgaon
• Telam

In 1996 Dhemaji district became home to the Bardoibum-Beelmukh Wildlife Sanctuary, which has an area of {{convert|11|km2|mi2|abbr=on|1}}.{{cite web|author=Indian Ministry of Forests and Environment |title=Protected areas: Assam |url=http://oldwww.wii.gov.in/envis/envis_pa_network/index.htm |access-date=September 25, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823163836/http://oldwww.wii.gov.in/envis/envis_pa_network/index.htm |archive-date=August 23, 2011 }} It shares the park with Lakhimpur district.

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{{Reflist}}

• [https://dhemaji.gov.in/ Dhemaji district official website]
• List of districts of Assam

{{Geographic location

|Centre = Dhemaji district

|North = West Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh

|Northeast = East Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh

|East = Tinsukia district

|Southeast =

|South = Dibrugarh district

|Southwest = Lakhimpur district

|West =

|Northwest = Lower Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh

}}

{{Assam}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|27.4798|N|94.5511|E|type:adm3rd_source:itwiki|display=title}}

Category:Districts of Assam

Category:1989 establishments in Assam