Naga Hills

For the administrative units, see Naga Hills District.

The Naga Hills, reaching a height of around 3,826 metres (12,552 ft), lie prominently on the border of India and Myanmar.^{[citation needed]} They are part of a complex mountain system, and the parts of the mountain ranges^{[citation needed]} inside the Indian states of Nagaland, Manipur and the Burmese Naga Self-Administered Zone are called the Naga Hills. The highest point of the Naga hills is Mount Saramati (3,826 m (12,552 ft)).

Naga Hills
Naga Hills near Kohima
Highest point
Peak	Mount Saramati
Elevation	3,826 m (12,552 ft)
Coordinates	25°44′24″N 95°2′15″E
Geography
Countries	India Burma
Range coordinates	26°N 95°E
Parent range	Arakan Mountains

The Naga Hills are the traditional homeland of the Naga people.

Etymology

The term "Naga" refers to the Naga people, who were called "Naga" or "Naka" in the Burmese language, meaning "people with pierced ears".^[1]

History

In British India, the major part of the hills came under the Naga Hills District.^{[citation needed]} A part of the Naga Hills under the British India control was coalesced into a district in 1866.^[2] The boundaries of the Naga Hills District were gradually expanded by annexation of the territories of several Naga ethnic groups, including the Aos (1889), the Semas (1904), and the Konyaks (1910).^{[citation needed]} In 1912, the district was made part of Assam province. Following the Partition of India, it was merged with the Tuensang Division to create the state called Nagaland in 1963.^[3]

Geology: national geological monument

See also: National Geological Monuments of India

Nagahill Ophiolite Site (NHO) near Pungro in Kiphire district of Nagaland has been declared a National Geological Monument of India by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), for their protection, maintenance, promotion, and enhancement of geotourism.^[4][5][6] These are the ophiolitic rocks of mantle and oceanic crust percentage at the Indian continental plate margin. These are a mixture of Mesozoic and subsequent Cenozoic rocks, i.e. magmatic, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks.^[7]

The Naga Hills, due to their complexity and position, forms a natural barrier between the two countries. The Naga Hills are part of the Arakan Range (Rakhine Range), which to the north rise to 3,826 metres (12,552 ft).

See also

• Haflong Thrust
• Nagaland