Skip to main content

International Frontiers and Boundaries of Northeast India

The frontiers and boundaries of Northeast India comprise both from mountain ranges and hill to the fleet plain of cropland and swamps.

Northeast India is consists of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. The region is located between latitudes 290 and 220 North and longitudes about 89.46 and 97.5/ East.

The States of Northeast India is surrounded by China, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan. In fact, the region has a long international border of (5182 km), which is more than 99% of its total geographical boundary.

Northeast India International Border Map

International Border of Northeast Indian States

The Northeast Indian states have an international border with China (1395 km), Bhutan (455 km), Myanmar (1640 km), Bangladesh (1596 km) and Nepal (97 km). 

On the other hand the region is connected with the mainland India through a very narrow strip of land with a width of about 22 km called ‘chicken neck’.

The shape of northeast India is like that of a reverse triangle with its apex at the southernmost tip of Mizoram, there is no district Southern boundary of the region.

The north of the region lays the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan of China from India. The international boundary between Bhutan and India runs along the junction between the plains and hills, but there are plains.

Therefore, the Indo-Bhutanese boundary, although largely physical, has certain parts (like the eastern Duars and Subankhata area) determined through political negotiations.

There are several routes linking the two countries, which are traditionally known as ‘Duars’ (door).

The eastern part of the northern boundary runs from the north-eastern corner of Bhutan to the tri-junction of China, Myanmar and India for a distance of 1140 km.

This boundary is known as the McMahon Line and was determined as per the Shimla Agreement of 1914 between India Tibet.

It runs along the highest Himalayan Range, much above the snow line. The passes like Bumla, Yangiya la, Chang Kang, Kaya La, Diphu, etc.  Connect Arunachal Pradesh of India with Tibet of china across the Himalayan Range.

The south-eastern boundary follows the alignment of the hill ranges and runs partly over the Patkai Range and partly over the ranges lying in the same alignment as the Patkai in Manipur and Mizoram.

The ranges enter into Myanmar in the name of Arakan Yoma. Although the south-eastern boundary separating Myanmar from India runs mostly along with high ranges, it is cut across by many rivers that flow into the Chindwinand a number of passes.

The important passes across this boundary are jumjawng, Pungn, Panchow, Hukwang, Tuzu and Taungup. It is Hukwang Pass-Through which the ‘Allied Forces’ built the famous ‘Stilwell Road’  from Lekhapani in India to china in World War II and it is Tuzu Pass through which the India National army, marched into  India during the same period.

The south-western and boundary is man-made and hence run mostly along an arbitrary line over villages and crop fields.

It separated Mizoram, Tripura and Karimganj district of Assam, Meghalaya and part of Dhuburi district of Assam From Bangladesh.

In the northern most part of this boundary, the line separate west bangle from Assam. It is through this part that Northeast India is connected with the rest of the country by roads and railways.


Popular posts from this blog

The Hills and Mountains in Northeast India

The Hills and Mountain Ranges of Northeast India have two different geological and physiographical units. In the northeastern part of the region hills and ranges is part of the Himalayas Mountain. On the other hand, the southwestern part of the region's hills and ranges is the production of the Peninsular Plateau.

Purvanchal Mountain Range of North East India | UPSC, APSC

The Purvanchal Range or Eastern Mountain is a sub-mountain range of Himalaya. “ Purvanchal ” as the name itself suggests, it is the eastern frontier region of India is surrounded by Bangladesh in the south-west, Myanmar in the south-east and china in the north-east. Its north-western limit, for a major part, follows the boundaries of Meghalaya-Mikir region, Assam valley and Eastern Himalaya and the plain areas of Tripura and Cachar are the continuations of Surma valley.

Soils Found in Northeast India - Classification, Distribution and Erosion

Northeast India is a place of heavy rainfall, high relative humidity, and high-temperature cause rapid weathering of rocks. As the weathering of surface rocks of the hills and mountains proceeds, the sheet flood caused by heavy rainfall removes the weathered materials and carries them down to the headward steams of the rivers.  The rapidly flowing rivers then carry the sediments, big and small, down to the foothills and plains.

Forest Resources of Northeast India

The forests of Northeast India are rich in biodiversity and timber, while the cultural complexity of the region is extraordinary. The Climate, physiography, and soils of Northeast India have provided favorable conditions for the luxuriant growth of natural vegetation.