Assam

Introduction & Top Questions
Land
- Relief and drainage
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Population composition
- Settlement patterns and demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, weaving, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Transportation
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Education and welfare
Cultural life
History
- Prehistory to the early 13th century
- The Ahom Dynasty
- The Treaty of Yandabo and British Rule
- Assam since Indian independence
  - The 1960s and ’70s: Separation of Nagaland, Meghalaya, NEFA, and Mizoram
  - 1979–85: the Assam Agitation and the Assam Accord
  - After 1990: Insurgency and the peace process

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Map highlighting the state of Assam in northeastern India, shaded in orange, with its capital Dispur marked. Assam is shown bordering Bhutan and Bangladesh, with surrounding countries and Indian states labeled for context. A small inset globe in the corner indicates Assam's location within Asia.

Foxtail orchids, locally known as kopou phul

Workers holding umbrellas harvest tea leaves among lush green bushes in an Assam tea plantation during monsoon rains, with tall trees in the background.

A woman in traditional attire weaves a bright pink dokhona fabric on a wooden loom in Kokrajhar district, Assam, India.

Front view of yellow Gate Dakhinpat Satra on Majuli Island, Assam, showing its traditional Assamese architecture with painted walls and sculptural details.

At a Glance

Assam summary

Quizzes

Chandigarh. Statuettes at the Rock Garden of Chandigarh a sculpture park in Chandigarh, India, also known as Nek Chand's Rock Garden. Created by Nek Chand Saini an Indian self taught artist. visionary artist, folk artist, environmental art

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Jodhpur. Rajasthan. Jaswant Thada an architectural landmark in Jodhpur, India. A white marble memorial, built in 1899, by Sardar Singh in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Indian architecture

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Related Questions

How are masks used in Assamese bhaona performances?
How did World War II affect Assam?
How did the Ahom kingdom resist Mughal expansion in the 17th century?
How did the Treaty of Yandabo bring Assam under British rule?
How do Bohag Bihu Magh Bihu and Kati Bihu differ from one another?
How do the Brahmaputra River and hill streams contribute to flooding in Assam?
How does weaving shape cultural life in Assam?
How far does the Brahmaputra River flow through Assam?
How is electricity generated in Assam?
How was the Ahom kingdom governed?
What events led to the Assam Agitation from 1979 to 1985?
What role do satras play in Assam’s religious and cultural life?
When does the southwest monsoon usually reach Assam?
Where are Assam’s oil refineries located?
Where in Assam is tea widely cultivated?
Which buildings and records did the Ahom dynasty leave behind in Assam?
Which city serves as the capital of Assam?
Which countries and Indian states border Assam?
Which crops are the main agricultural products of Assam?
Which foods and flavors are distinctive in Assamese cuisine?
Which forest products are important to Assam’s economy?
Which kinds of silk are produced in Assam?
Which language is widely spoken in Assam’s Barak valley?
Which minerals are commercially extracted in Assam?
Which months make up Assam’s cool season?
Which musical instruments accompany the Bihu dance?
Which natural event made the 1950 Assam earthquake especially destructive?
Which organization led the Assam Agitation?
Which other crops are grown in Assam besides rice tea and jute?
Which rivers are major tributaries of the Brahmaputra in Assam?
Which states were separated from Assam between the 1960s and early 1970s?
Which three physical regions make up Assam?
Who founded the first permanent Ahom kingdom in Assam?
Who founded the first satra on Majuli?
Who led the Ahom forces at the Battle of Saraighat?
Who were the Paiks in the Ahom administrative system?
Why are tea and jute economically important to Assam?
Why did Assam impose restrictions on logging?
Why does Assam receive such high annual rainfall?
Why has aquaculture been developed in Assam?
Why is Digboi important in the history of South Asian oil refining?
Why is Muga silk unique to the Brahmaputra valley?
Why is Sualkuchi known for weaving?
Why is Vaishnavism important among Assamese Hindus?
Why is the Brahmaputra valley important to Assam?
Why was Assam’s capital moved from Shillong to Dispur in 1972?
Why was Charaideo important to the Ahom dynasty?
Why was the Battle of Saraighat important in Assam’s history?
What are the main physical regions of Assam?
What is the significance of the Assam Accord?
What is the Taj Mahal?
Who built the Taj Mahal and why?
How was the Taj Mahal built?
What are the distinctive features of Mughal architecture?
What is significant about Humayun’s Tomb?
What marked the zenith of Mughal architecture?
How did Aurangzeb’s architectural patronage differ from that of his predecessors?
What were the main causes of the Indian Rebellion of 1857?

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External Websites

India Video - Assam, India
Official Tourism Site of Assam, India
IndiaNetzone - Assam, Indian state

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Assam - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Assam - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Assam

state, India

Written by

Hariprasanna Das

Former Professor of Geography, Gauhāti University, Assam, India. Author of Geography of Assam.

Hariprasanna DasAll

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Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 9, 2026 •History

Assam, state of India. It is located in the northeastern part of the country and is bounded to the north by the kingdom of Bhutan and the state of Arunachal Pradesh, to the east by the states of Nagaland and Manipur, to the south by the states of Mizoram and Tripura, and to the west by Bangladesh and the states of Meghalaya and West Bengal. There are many theories on the origin of the name...

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