Short facts instead of long texts
Meghalaya in a nutshell
Meghalaya short and sweet
The most important information about Meghalaya
Below you will find everything you need to know about Meghalaya clearly summarized in a table. If something is not clear, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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| Location | Meghalaya is one of the seven sister states in the remote northeast of India and has a northern, inland border with the state of Assam and a southern border with Bangladesh. |
| Area | 22,429 km² |
| Population | approx. 2.964,000 / 132 per km² (2011) |
| Capital | Shillong |
| Districts | 7: East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, East Garo Hills, West Garo Hills, South Garo Hills, Jaintia Hills and Ri-Bhoi |
| Topography | Central, gently undulating rocky plateau at an average altitude of 1,500 m above sea level with grass/scrubland and pastures, rivers and streams. The south is dominated by mountainous terrain with gorges and waterfalls, while the north is a flatter, hilly landscape interspersed with wetlands at altitudes of up to 820 m above sea level. At 1,965 m above sea level, Shillong Peak is Meghalaya’s highest peak. The Garo Hills in the west with their tropical temperatures are between 450 and 600 m high. A large number of rivers drain the hilly state towards the north to Assamu and towards the south to the lowlands of Bangladesh. |
| Vegetation | About 70% of the national territory is forested, almost 10,000 m² of it in the form of lush, subtropical forests consisting mainly of sal trees (Tectona grandis) and teak (Shorea robusta). In the temperate zone, the pine forest dominates. The forests are also rich in essays plants such as orchids, and a variety of succulents, shrubs (rhododendrons) and perennials thrive in Meghalaya. |
| Animal world | Diverse fauna with large mammals such as the Indian leopard, elephants, bears, countless species of monkeys and deer, reptiles and around 660 different bird species. The insect world in particular is exceptionally rich in species as the habitat in the many caves offers a complementary niche. |
| Climate | Tropical, subtropical and temperate regions, depending on altitude. Heavy monsoon rains in summer. |
| Temperatures | At the height of Shillong, temperatures below 0°C are possible from December to February, otherwise it is pleasant at 15-28°C throughout the year. In the Garo Hills, temperatures drop to a minimum of 2°C, but can rise to 36°C in summer. |
| Precipitation | An average of 1,150cm of rainfall per year, the southern slopes are among the rainiest in the world. The monsoon begins at the end of April and sometimes lasts until mid-October, during which time almost 90% of the total annual rainfall occurs. |
| Languages | Khasi, Garo, Bengali, Nepali, Hindi, Marathi, Asamiya, Maram, Rabha, Koch; English is widely spoken as a foreign language and third official language. |
| Ethnicities | Around 86% of the population belong to one of the original tribal peoples, mainly Khasis, Garos and Jaintias (Pnar). The rest of the population is made up of Bengalis, Nepalese and immigrants from other parts of India.</td |
| Religions | Christianity (approx. 70% of the population), Hinduism (approx. 13%), shamanistic (nature) religions (approx. 12%), Islam (approx. 4%) |
| Economy | The main agricultural products are rice, corn, wheat, mustard and rapeseed for cooking oil. Potatoes, vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage and turnips), fruits (plums, citrus fruits, pineapple, papaya, bananas, jackfruit) are also grown. Jute and cotton are cultivated almost exclusively in the Garo Hills. Potatoes, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, betel nut, laurel, plums, honey and jackfruit are important export products. Mineable raw materials are coal, sillimanite, kaolin, granite and lime. Tourism is to be expanded as a further economic mainstay. |
| Journey | Flight to Kolkota or Delhi in India. From there by flight (Jet Airways or Indian Airlines) to Guwahati. From Guwahati airport in Assam, drive to Shillong (approx. 4 hours). |
| Visa / entry permit | A passport valid for at least six months and a visa are required to enter India. An additional entry permit is also required for Meghalaya, which we will be happy to organize. |
| Vaccination recommendations | Hepatitis A, polio (polio), tetanus combined with diphtheria are strongly recommended if the last vaccination was more than 10 years ago. You will receive detailed vaccination recommendations from us upon registration. |