Dibang Valley district should not be confused with the Lower Dibang Valley district.
| Dibang Valley district | |
| Settlement Type: | District of Arunachal Pradesh |
| Total Type: | Total |
| Coordinates: | 28.7°N 137°W |
| Coor Pinpoint: | Anini |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Arunachal Pradesh |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Seat Type: | Headquarters |
| Seat: | Anini |
| Parts Type: | Tehsils |
| Parts Style: | para |
| Area Total Km2: | 9129 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Total: | 8004[1] |
| Population Urban: | 27.55% |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Demographics |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Literacy |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 64.8% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Sex ratio |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 808 |
| Leader Title: | Deputy Commissioner |
| Leader Name: | Shri Minga Sherpa, IAS |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +05:30 |
| Image Map1: | Dibang District Valley with circles and various labels.png |
| Map Caption1: | Dibang Valley district with administrative circles and other labels |
Dibang Valley (Pron:/dɪˈbæŋ/) is a district of Arunachal Pradesh[2] named after the Dibang River[3] or the Talon as the Mishmis call it. It is the least populated district in India and has an area of 9129km2.[1]
In June 1980, Dibang Valley district was created out of part of Lohit district.[4] On 16 December 2001, Dibang Valley district was bifurcated into Dibang Valley district and Lower Dibang Valley district.[4]
The Dibang River originates in the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh and flows through the length of the valley which is named after it. The Dibang has multiple tributaries and only once it debouches into the plains is it called by its name. Some of the major rivers of Dibang Valley District are: Ahui, Emra, Mathun, Dri, Tangon, Ithun, and Ange. The capital of this district, Anini, is the northernmost district capital in Northeast India. This district contains the northernmost point of Northeast India.
The 2000adj=midNaNadj=mid proposed Mago-Thingbu to Vijaynagar Arunachal Pradesh Frontier Highway along the McMahon Line,[5] [6] [7] [8] (will intersect with the proposed East-West Industrial Corridor Highway) will pass through this district, alignment map of which can be seen here and here.[9]
There is only one Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly constituency in this district- the Anini constituency. It is part of Arunachal East Lok Sabha constituency.[10]
According to the 2011 census Dibang Valley district has a population of 7,948,[1] roughly equal to the nation of Nauru.[11] This gives it a ranking of 640th in India (out of a total of 640).[1] The district has a population density of 0.8PD/sqkm .With this, it is also the most sparsely populated district in India.[1] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 9.3%.[1] Dibang Valley has a sex ratio of 808 females for every 1000 males,[1] and a literacy rate of 64.8%.[1]
The major population of this district consists of Mishmi (Idu).
The Mishmis have a story narrating the first journeys undertaken in course of migration. The story conveys the names and location of the Cheethu-Huluni or the twelve rivers that the Mishmi (Idu) people came over in the region and settled around. The first accounts of the Mishmi (Idus) are found in the narrations given by the neighboring Ahoms. The Mishmis inhabited the deep jungles of what is now the Dibang valley.
About 40% of the district's population follows Hinduism. The Mishmi(Idu) people here believes that Rukmini-Chief Consort of Lord Krishna belonged to their tribe.[12] The plays and dances on ‘Rukmini haran’ are common. There is a legend that Lord Krishna asked the Mishmi people to cut their hair as a form of punishment for not allowing him to marry Rukmini. Due to this Idu-Mishmi people are also called "chulikata" (chuli-hair, kata- cut).[13]
Languages spoken include Idu Mishmi with approximately 25,000 speakers, written in both Latin and Devanagric scripts.
The district is rich in wildlife. Rare mammals such as Mishmi takin, red goral and Gongshan muntjac occur, while among birds there is the rare Sclater's monal.[14] A flying squirrel new to science was discovered from this district in the 2000s. It has been named as Mishmi giant flying squirrel, Petaurista mishmiensis.[15]
In 1991, Dibang Valley district became home to the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary, which has an area of 4149abbr=onNaNabbr=on.[16]
